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nomatteus

26 karma · joined November 6, 2009

Toronto-based developer.

Email me: matt@ruten.ca

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nomatteus··on Show HN: Oblique Strategies - Mobile web app for creative help/inspiration
Oblique Strategies is a set of cards created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, with each card containing a short phrase/remark that is meant to help with creative blocks or dilemmas.

I made this because I wanted an app on my phone that showed a random oblique strategy. The web app works almost like a native app (at least on iOS) when you "Add to home screen".

Also, the code for the site is at https://github.com/nomatteus/oblique-strategies

nomatteus··on Show HN: I made Conway's Game of Life in JavaScript/Canvas
As a programming exercise, I wanted to code Conway's Game of Life. I used JavaScript and Canvas to do it, as I haven't worked with Canvas before so wanted to try it out.

Code is here: https://github.com/nomatteus/conway-game-of-life-js

nomatteus··on Facebook and Heroku
Anyone see a list of what framework is being used for each language? I created a Ruby app, and it's using Sinatra.

Edit: here's links to all the app templates, for anyone interested:

Python: https://github.com/heroku/facebook-template-python

Ruby: https://github.com/heroku/facebook-template-ruby

Node.js: https://github.com/heroku/facebook-template-nodejs

PHP: https://github.com/heroku/facebook-template-php

nomatteus··on An idea (to fix public transport schedules).
Toronto has this for streetcars and buses. It's run by NextBus, which seems to run GPS for a bunch of cities (http://www.nextbus.com/predictor/agencySelector.jsp).

They offer open access to this information through an API (see toronto.ca/open). I built something to watch the streetcars on a map using that API: http://totransit.ca/

My coworker and I were talking about letting people "check in" to specific streetcars, and tag variables such as "how full is the streetcar?", but I can't see many (any?) people actually doing that.

nomatteus··on Show HN: TOTransit.ca - Toronto Streetcars Live On a Map (Weekend Project)
Good idea. I want to add more features, but I don't have any more room for controls in the current view. So, I'm working on a separate "Settings" panel that would let you choose a bunch of different options. For mobile, I'm thinking of using jQuery Mobile to help build this part out.
nomatteus··on Ask HN: Please review my startup - Accounting for Google Apps
I took a quick look and found a couple I like:

http://basecamphq.com/tour -- Highlights each feature with a screenshot, with a link to a demo video.

http://www.freshbooks.com/tour.php -- Screenshot only tour, but shows screenshot for each section of site, then breaks down the features in each section below.

nomatteus··on Ask HN: Please review my startup - Accounting for Google Apps
Does this require a Google Apps Premier account, or will it work for the Standard (free) version as well?
nomatteus··on Starting Today, Facebook Apps Can Ask You To Hand Over Your Email Address
Or you can use Facebook's proxy option (something like username@proxyemail.facebook.com) so app devs don't actually see your real email address. Same sort of thing that Craigslist does.
nomatteus··on Starting Today, Facebook Apps Can Ask You To Hand Over Your Email Address
From the first paragraph: "Today, Facebook is granting developers on Platform the ability to request (or require) users to hand over their email addresses so they they can send periodic messages directly to users." (Emphasis added)

So it's up to the developer whether it's optional or not.

Also see the Facebook wiki for more info:

http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Roadmap_Email