Hi, I'm Neil Crosby

Recent Blog Posts

1. Making PHP CodeSniffer use JSLint via Rhino

   Last week at work, we started writing some JavaScript for the project we’re working on. Up until now we’ve been very much focusing on core functionality, but we’re at the stage now where writing some JavaScript makes sense. One of the things that we’ve been doing up un til this point, and has been making sense for us, is to use PHP Code Sniffer to help make sure that the PHP and CSS we’re writing adheres to known standards and has a maintainable shape. So, since P…

   Sunday 3rd April 2011, 19:15

2. Dev Checks – Improving code quality by getting developers to look at each other’s work

   I’ve been working on the BBC’s Homepage for about a year now, leading a team of five front-end developers to create a high quality product. One of the processes that I introduced to the team about six months ago was that of a formal “dev check” after every task that we completed from our backlog. Whilst we call this process a dev check within our team, it could just as easily be called a peer review, or mini code review. Up until the point that I introduced the dev che…

   Monday 17th January 2011, 21:44

3. Cuba Libre Oscuro

   Whilst the mojito may be my favourite rum based drink, what I’ll be found drink most often in the pub is a Dark Rum and Diet Coke. What I’ll want to be drinking though, is my variation of the Cuba Libre – the Cuba Libre Oscuro. A standard Cuba Libre blends the flavours of Cuba [...]

   Friday 20th August 2010, 21:48

4. Using last.fm tags to make awesome playlists in your local iTunes library

   As I’ve mentioned previously, I have a large music collection that I manage using iTunes. One of the problems with any large collection is the curation and management that goes with it. I carry my iPhone around with me and I listen to music on it, but even the biggest iPhone available would hold only fifth of my collection. So, I need techniques for pulling interesting music from my iTunes library into my iPhone. Up until now I’ve used a collection of Smart Playlists which take …

   Wednesday 18th August 2010, 19:00

5. Review: Cordless Dog’s “Stay”

   One of the problems with being an Apple laptop user who sometimes connects to external displays is the lack of any built in management of where different applications should live on those different displays. If you’re anything like me, as soon as you connect your laptop to an external display you’ll end up moving your applications around into a better position and size so that you can work happily. Then, when you disconnect your external display to go back onto the road OSX will d…

   Monday 16th August 2010, 09:39