while i enjoy node as much as the next guy, i think that blog misses a few key usability features:
-archive section (its not fun to scroll down n pages to check out what the page is about - you could argue to check the RSS feed, but really...)
-tags (not every post is tagged so ...)
-short description for every post (allows to have more posts in the main page without having to endless scroll)
Cookies are often used for good. Based on the examples in the article, "traitorware" as herein termed is a specific implementation of a technology that betrays its user, and not the component parts that make up that software. So, a cookie may be part of traitorware (say, an ad network that tracks your movements across every page it can (Facebook)), but cookies themselves are not traitorware.
Word is that Facebook assigns a unique ID to anyone that visits a page with a Like button on it and reports back, whether you're logged in to Facebook or not, or even whether you're a member of Facebook or not.
Many ad networks try that to varying degrees, Google may own or run some, I don't know.
Cookies are being exploited more and more for just personalization by other sites using Facebook cookies or the like - not sure if this is quasi-legal or just a full loophole.
The first thing i would start by learning is HTML/CSS/Javascript(and ajax, perhaps while learning a lib like jquery). If you are interested in web development (and to learn rails i guess you are) you need the basis of the web.
Try http://code.google.com/intl/pt-PT/edu/ajax/index.html for some learning materials.
Afterwards, with some pratice you can start by building your portfolio (can be one or many depends on the qualitiy i guess) and then i would say you more than to strap on your job helmet, and squeeze down into a job cannon and fire off into job land, where jobs grow on jobbies!
Thanks for responding. I already know HTML and CSS (not that I have any eye for design - ha!).
I have a basic grasp of simple JS and ajax, and can usually google how to do a given thing...but maybe that's a place to start filling in the gaps. Especially if I could combine it with learning JQuery.
I already have a one-project Rails portfolio, http://archive-fb.com (as well as several easy practice apps that are not deployed).
I guess I was just trying to ask, given the extent of my learning so far (as judged by archive-fb.com + my comments), how far am I from jobdom and what should I do next to get closer?
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