I’ve got 99 Problems, and Unicode Ain’t One
A fast, compact way to convert (transliterate) contiguous ranges of Unicode characters. For example, converting fullwidth numerals (\uFF10-\uFF19) to regular numerals (\u0030-\u0031).
Scope isn’t a dirty word
Here at Pop Art, we often find ourselves in uncharted territory. We love to create and build things that haven’t been done before. We love a challenge, and it fuels our creativity. The nature of innovative work requires you to agree to something before you know how you’re going to build it. And that’s what scope [...]
Let GAAP Guide You
Firm leaders all over the world rely on accurate and objective financial accounting information to make good decisions. In order for it to be relied upon, the financial information reported should be free from bias and inconsistency, whether deliberate or not. For this reason, financial accounting relies on certain standards or guides that are called [...]
Contractors: The Solution to a Struggling Project?
I used to think this was a silver bullet. I was wrong.
Fun Things are Fun
Recently, I perused through various old pictures of the Pop Art team and reminisced about some of the most hilarious shenanigans that I’ve been a part of since I started working here. I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again…if I wasn’t surrounded by such hard-working and sarcastic, witty co-workers, I wouldn’t make it through the [...]
Quick and Dirty Shuffle
Have you ever needed to shuffle (randomize) a collection of items? I'll show you a quick and dirty way to do it, and how to wrap it in a handy extension method, so that you can shuffle any enumerable collection with ease.
A Problem of Vocabulary
In our industry, we don't work in a vacuum. We work closely with professionals in various but related disciplines, and communication is usually more important than genius. What is a great idea worth, if it can't be communicated? Don't underestimate the power of a consistent shared vocabulary, of the cost of a inconsistent, confused one.
Formatting Dates to Make Excel Happy
You know what I love? CSV files. Now stop rolling your eyes and trying to come up with Luddite jokes. I like XML and JSON too, but you know what you can do with a CSV that you can’t do with XML and JSON? Append to a file! You can’t append to [...]
Deferred Loading Gotchas
Deferred (or lazy) loading is a great feature of IEnumerable<T>, especially when dealing with databases, or potentially slow data sources (like a third-party API). Most developers have enthusiastically embraced the rule of thumb “use IEnumerable<T> unless you specifically need more functionality.” Usually you don’t. However, we’ve also learned that deferred loading can get you into trouble. [...]
Better to Hire Wisely than Fire Regretfully
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Marry in haste, regret at leisure”? I heard it for the first time recently and think it’s appropriate for the hiring process, too. When I recently hired a new copywriter, I took my time. Did I need help ASAP? Yes. But I knew it’d be worth it to find the [...]
