Words from Alejandro U. Alvarez
Browsers
Use Firefox to spell check your website
Sep 14th
If you maintain a website, you will surely know how important it is to never have any spelling errors in your copy. And if you really care you will always run for sure a spell checker on all your text, but isn't that quite over work? Wouldn't it be much simpler if your browser did all the spell checking without you having to worry about anything?
Well, there is a very simple way of doing so, simply copy the following javascript code and paste it into the address bar:
javascript:document.body.contentEditable='true'; document.designMode='on'; void 0
If you find it useful, I recommend that you store that code as a bookmark, I call it Spell Check for example.
Note: I'm not sure whether this will work or not on all browsers, I have only used it on Firefox. And by the way, if you want to change the language right click over some text (Once the spell check was applied) and in Languages select another one, remember that you can download any dictionary that you might need.
This system basically makes all the text editable, and since Firefox automatically spells checks all user input (If you set the options to do so) it will spell check the whole page 
Cheers,
Google chrome
Sep 2nd
Well, it was time for web-giant Google to jump the gap between being the world leader in providing web-based services to actually providing... the web.
Today Google launched the Beta version of Google Chrome, which will be the revolutionary browser nowadays, as Google claims. But what makes it so great? Well, Google announced in a very entertaining comic-book that it was going to provide a solution to every single problem in today's browsers, but is it true?
I am actually writing this post from Google Chrome, to test it out, and I have to say that it is impressive, fast, smart... and a very long list of good things, although it is not as intuitive as I would like it to be. We are used to browsers like Firefox, Safari... and others that share a basic layout and style that Chrome has overthrown completely. Suddenly there are no "File", "Edit", "View" and all the usual windows tabs, there are almost no configuration options, but there is simplicity and ease instead, which combined find the perfect balance.
The main drawback though is the lack of Extensions or plugins. I miss Stumbling Upon the web, my Firebug, and other small things that add up to a lot... Although I guess It'll be just a matter of time until they develop the extension system and main developers prepare the "Chrome" version of the add-ons.
My rating, if I was faced from a 0-10 choice would be around a 7. But the lack of plugins will never allow it for more. Maybe a normal user will find it perfect, but a developer and a user that spends hours a day watching for new stuff all over the web needs more than "The basics".
What do you think?
If browsers were like…
May 10th
How many times have you seen those great "If browsers were like... boats/women/cars/houses..." articles? I always wanted to make one of those, but I don't know exactly which "technology" to use, so I'll do one that basically says almost everything:
- Firefox:
- If Firefox was a car: It would probably be a BMW or a Porshe, something elegant, with lots of extras to add, fast and secure.
- If Firefox was a woman it would be that great woman you thought it didn't exist, that knows how to do everything and does it perfectly, she's hot, and you finally found her
- If Firefox was a house it would be a complex empty two story house plus a basement with a great core. It would have the option to customize it as wanted, and almost every single person that knew about houses or contruction would own one like yours.
- Opera:
- If Opera was a car: It would be one of those tiny "sport" cars, fast, two seats, almost no room in the trunk for anything else, a very good engine and very slick.
- If Opera was a woman it would be a simple woman, pretty, with not much makeup, wearing normal clothes, you would probably be with her because you don't need/want anything better, although from time to time you always think of going back to your Firefox woman.
- If Opera was a house it would be a small one story house, beautiful, simple, modern, and classic, almost casual.
- Safari:
- If Safari was a car: It would be one of those lovely Minis, or a Smart. Quite nice, stylish although with some "retro" design combined greatly with modern curves. A fast engine, lots of extras and for only a few people.
- If Safari was a woman it would be stunning, hard to find and to get used to, but once you are accustomed to her you'll probably stick with her for a long time. She's stylish, looks like a model, always following fashion in a very discrete way.
- If Safari was a house it would be "modern art" designed. A bit weird at first and only a few people would now how to live in it and enjoy the experience.
- Internet Explorer:
- If IE was a car it would be some sort of common car. A family car, a standard design, for people that don't understand cars it would look great, but inside it it would be a disaster. You would have to go to the garage every month to fix something. It would have a standard engine that at first would look nice, although in reality it wouldn't follow any standards at whatsoever. It wouldn't be a car made to drive on the road, the road would have to be built for the car.
- If IE was a woman it would be your first "love", she'd be quite hot, and easy too. And you would be feeling great until you found out that everyone "used her" and that she "carried" lots of "viruses".
- If IE was a house it would be the first house you bought for yourself, the first time you walk in it would seem great, easy to use, nice. After a while using it some cracks would appear on the walls, and you would find out that there were water leaks, broken pipes, and all sorts of failures, and you'd switch to a better house...
And that'd be basically it. If you are reading my blog using IE I really discourage you to do it again. First get a good browser, like Firefox, and then yea, come read my blog as much as you want.
You'll also notice that the design improves greatly when you switch. It is my way of protesting against IE I'll never fix my CSS to look nice in IE!
And I personally think that this should be done by all serious web developers on their blogs. Come on, we write for proffessionals, and proffessionals don't use IE!
Enjoy,