Using $environment variables for configuring Vim



I didn’t manage to convince people in my team to use tabs instead of spaces, but I didn’t want to change to another editor in order to have a different profile for that, and didn’t want to be activating the “use spaces” setting each time I need to work on Mozilla code. I still wanted to use Vim and my config, so how could I have my cake and eat it too, so to speak?

Well, I thought, since I use a different computer for Mozilla stuff, the solution is easy: define a certain environment variable in my .bashrc file, and if .vimrc finds that variable, changes my profile to use spaces. Else it’s tabs and business as normal. This is how I did it:
(more…)

Installing Firefox Nightly in your Android device



Firefox Nightly builds

Did you know that you can get a Nightly version of Firefox for Android without getting your hands dirty with Mercurial or a compiler or even have to launch Eclipse at all? Yes, you can! Here’s how!

There are two ways of accomplishing this. First I’ll show you the scenic route, which involves connecting your Android device to your computer:

Download the latest build of Nightly for Android from http://nightly.mozilla.org/. Just in case of doubt, it’s in the Mobile row, and it should be an .apk file. If unsure about choosing the ARMv6 version or not, just choose the non-ARMv6 one.
(more…)

ladieswhocode 20130508: adventures in paranoia with sinatra+sequel, and networking



ladieswhocode is an informal meeting that takes place every month in London (and I understand other cities too, but I haven’t been there so I can’t tell!). At the beginning I was a bit skeptical as I’m not a big proponent of gender division–I’d rather prefer everyone, no matter the gender, to be able to sit in the same room and listen to speakers of any gender as well. But after attending a few meetings I can understand why some women rather not go to the usual, 99% male, technical meetings. There’s quite a bit of fear about not being good enough, and it’s quite interesting to listen to more female developers share experiences that I thought were unique and isolated to my case… but apparently are not.
(more…)

Extension cables are the new SPAM



At the electrical goods shop:

Hi, were you looking for something? Do you need any help?

Not really, I think I’ve found what I was looking for already

Really?

Yes, I’m looking for a battery charger and… aren’t these the battery chargers?

Huh… yes… I guess… So what else can I help you with?

I guess… nothing? I’m fine, thanks

But do you need anything else? Batteries?

This charger already comes with batteries. Besides, I’ve got batteries already, thanks.

Maybe… mmm… an extension cable?

No, thank you

(picks charger and goes to the till)

The cashier reads the barcode, and before completing the process goes on to ask the magical question:

Is that all? Don’t you need anything else? Batteries… or maybe an extension cable?

*Head explodes*

Joining Mozilla



tea and firefox

I had been toying with the idea of applying at Mozilla for some time already, but what completely convinced me to do so was going to the Firefox OS app day event, back in January, and experiencing the great atmosphere there. I spoke to several mozillians while in there, and I loved that while being super knowledgeable they also were accessible and, generally, people you’d want to work with. Nice folks, in short, working towards a noble goal? That was the trigger. No more toying with ideas; time for action.

I’ll be working in the webdev team, which is vague enough to give you a rough idea of what I’ll be doing (i.e.: no, I won’t be working on Firefox itself), and also allows me to surprise you with whatever we come up with. It could be anything, as long as it’s cool and for/in the web ;-)

I haven’t met all my future team members yet, but the ones I’ve met are knowledgeable and fun as well, and if I tell you that I’ve learnt quite nice stuff during the interviews already, you’ll understand why my thirsty-for-knowledge brain is very excited about all this. Mozilla are really innovating and pushing the web forward while at the same time keeping it open and interoperable (e.g. asm.js), and about every week I find about some other web superstar that I’ve long admired and has joined Mozilla too and I’m like: and these are going to be my co-workers!??! Is this for real??

I seriously hope my head doesn’t grow in order to accomodate my expanding brain!

Regarding the location, I will be based at the London office, so I’ll be able to contribute to the monthly Beer and Tell event whilst having a nice cup of freshly brewed tea and some yummy scones. Or tea cakes. Or maybe… err… an ale, or a cider. Ahem!

And that is all I can say for now! Stay tuned for more awesomeness!

P.S. I already told this news to some people in real life, and they took the opportunity to treat me as an organic bug tracker for reporting bugs and their personal gripes with Mozilla products. Please don’t do that! Effective and executive as I might (sometimes) seem, I’m not a Bugzilla incarnation! If you have any issue, the best thing is to report it directly in Bugzilla. I have done it in the past and it really works!

More posts...