Tired of waiting for Javafx 1.3

I understand the desire of Oracle to wait to release the next and most pivotal release of JavaFx until they're sure it ready to go. However, I started using Fx at JavaOne 2009. It was a neat tool and a chance to really engage myself at the conference.

A friend and I started writing a video game (FxBattle) that used a bunch of new and interesting Java technologies. We had a multi-threaded server running on Clojure. We used Google's Protocol buffers for our socket level communications. JavaFx was our tool for the client front end and we were using an in house tool called the CoSI to manage dynamic listening between the Fx Client and the Java based client data model.

The development process was very quick and agile for a while. Then we ran the game. The client was brutally slow. This taught me how to hook an Eclipse debugger into a remote process and then how to hook YourKit into a JavaFx app. I believe the slowness is an issue with Bindings causing redraws more frequently than they should.

I could work around this issue, but I'm told that Soma (Fx 1.3) will fix it. When I learned this (several months ago) Soma was to be released in short order. Where is it? I've been thinking that maybe the front end would see more players if I wrote it in Flash. Then at least I'd be learning a technology that was sure to have a future...

Cool Twitter-like App

The article is somewhat fluffy for my tastes, but the content is great. I'd love to have a tool which tells me what competing bargains are across the street from the restaurant I'm considering. I just hope that it's spam resistant...

in reference to: Big City - Beyond Twitter - An App That Lets You Truly See City - NYTimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Interesting and True.

As a (relatively new) developer I agree with this unequivocally. It is nicely language neutral, so you can read it as a Java Developer (like me) or a PHP script master (definitely not me).

in reference to: 20/20: Top 20 Programming Lessons I've Learned in 20 Years - DCS Media (view on Google Sidewiki)

Let Facebook Creep you out

A pretty cool conversation between a facebook employee and a blogger. The technical aspects of Facebook are pretty dang impressive. Makes me want to be one of those super coders.

in reference to:

"Conversations About the Internet #5: Anonymous Facebook Employee"
- Conversations About The Internet #5: Anonymous Facebook Employee - The Rumpus.net (view on Google Sidewiki)

Monoprice - Cheep, awesome cables

This website is a fantastic source of cables. Their product is quality and inexpensive. You'll pay a fifth or less for a cable from here than you would from Radio Shack or Best Buy. Don't waste your money on cables from them.

in reference to: HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more! (view on Google Sidewiki)

Things to do with J in Baltimore

If you can't see my wave below, you need an account on Google Wave. Comment and I'm happy to send you an invite. Cheers!

Google Sidewiki entry by Andy

Awesome! Must watch-- present face video.

in reference to: YouTube - Garfunkel and Oates- Present Face (view on Google Sidewiki)