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I ran across a problem in the javascript for the OER Glue mashup process today that surprised me. We’re using backbone.js and so I had constructed a login form via one of the views. When the form was submitted I would create a session object and then attempt to save that to the server. The [...]
Require.js, Backbone.js and Almond.js Example Application
We refactored OERGlue to use backbone.js. That makes our life a lot simpler. Along the way we discovered require.js and I entered nerdvana. The documentation for require.js and backbone.js are both good and it doesn’t take to long to read through the code. However, putting them together, getting the development environment right and then deploying [...]
Script Your Development Environment Setup on Your New Mac
Just in time for Christmas. Every developer who’s been good this year is hoping for a new MacBook under the tree. (Actually your better off waiting since Apple is likely to release new machines in 4 or 5 months). Anyway, if you need to setup a development environment in a hurry here are some scripts [...]
Customizing Views for a Multi-Tenant Application Using Ruby on Rails Custom Resolvers
Like so many other internet startups, OER Glue is a multi-tenant application. The process of hosting many of clients using a single piece of software presents a number of challenges and one of the largest has been customizing the look for each customer. I’ve tried solving this a number of different ways over the years [...]
Backbone.js – Clean up your views
I’ve been integrating backbone.js into OER Glue. After years of writing all kinds of spaghetti javascript code to manage client side ajax backbone.js is like manna from heaven. If you’re new to backbone.js and you want to use it with Ruby on Rails James Yu has a couple of great posts to get you going. [...]
Pushing my luck with jQuery. Scope matters.
OER Glue makes heavy use of jQuery. We’re currently working on a proxy version of the technology that won’t require installing a browser plugin. It’s pretty cool.
One of the biggest challenges for us has been ensuring consistent look, feel and operation of our technology across any possible website on the Internet. That’s not a small [...]
Justin Ball is the CTO for OERGlue.com a new startup trying to make it easy to mashup the web to create authentic learning experiences. He's been a software consultant and entrepreneur in the education space for more than 10 years. In the rare moments when he isn't writing code, talking about code or measuring his code productivity in profanity per hour, you can find him on his bike in the mountains or on the roads surrounding Cache Valley. 
