Skip to Content

Free TUAW iPhone app -- try it now!
AOL Tech

spolsky posts

Filed under: Developer, Web services, Freeware

StackOverflow - software development questions and answers

Stack Overflow
Speaking of Joel Spolsky, it turns out that he recently unveiled a new online community for software developers to ask and answer questions. Well, Joel didn't do it himself; he partnered with Jeff Atwood, another well-known developer.

The concept behind Stack Overflow is that it is a focused arena where developers can help each other, with a digg-like voting scheme to try to bubble the good stuff to the surface. The homepage at Stack Overflow certainly reminds us of digg, but hopefully the level of discourse is not similar.

Stack Overflow has been criticized for solving a problem that does not exist, and for having a questionable reputation system. Developers looking for answers typically turn to Google, so why the need for a new site? I think Stack Overflow could turn into a bit of a nexus for developers looking for quick answers. A clearinghouse, maybe.

StackOverflow is currently in public beta.

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Productivity, Freeware, Browsers

Spolsky's cross-platform password management method

Password SafeJoel Spolsky's name is well known and highly respected in the software community. When he talks, people listen. So it was with a bit of interest that I noted his blog post about his truly cross-platform password management method.

Joel uses the recently-graduated-from-beta DropBox on each of his Windows, Mac, and Linux machines to share files amongst them. He then uses Password Safe on his Windows machine, and Password Gorilla on his Mac and Linux machines, since it is compatible with Password Safe files. He stores the encrypted password file in his DropBox folder, making it available on every machine, and even better instantly synchronized on every machine.

This looks like a slick approach to an age-old problem, and it's great to see an accomplished developer hacking together a useful approach out of existing tools rather than feeling the need to go to the drawing board and write their own solution.

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures
Microsoft Security Essentials
Chromium Pre-Alpha on CrunchBang Linux
Safari 4 Beta
10 Firefox themes that don't suck
IE8 RC1
Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party
Download Squad at the Crunchies
WordPress 2.7
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals
Windows 7 Hands On
Comodo Internet Security
Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store
Android First-look: Twitroid
Google Reader Android
Android Hands-On
Twine 1.0
Photoshop Express Beta
Mozilla Birthday Cake
Palm stuff
Adobe Lightroom 1.1

 


Follow us on Twitter!

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

More Tech Coverage

AOL Radio

Joystiq

TUAW

Daily Finance

Autoblog

Urlesque

Engadget

WoW

Switched.com

FanHouse