equilibrium
— issue #7 {November 2014} —

.editorial

Hello, and welcome to the seventh issue of Equilibrium. As a freelancer, I've been working from home for several years. I've previously worked from a traditional office as well, either as an employee, or as a PhD candidate.

A few weeks ago though, I tried something new; I rented a desk in a co-working space, and I must say that I'm quite impressed so far from the whole experience. It's usually fairly inexpensive, so if you currently work from home -or from a nearby coffee shop- and there is a co-working space near the place you live, give it a go; you might like it as well.

I combined this change, with the opportunity to buy a new laptop; nothing fancy, just something that allows me to work properly. It's been a while since I bought a new machine with a pre-installed OS, and forgot that the following still happens.

Another thing that I did last month was that I published an article on Medium for the first time, an experience which I found quite enjoyable. I really like this minimalism and simplicity of its editor, as well as the visual outcome of the article.

Finally, I'd like to share one last thing: a couple of days ago, I backed a Kickstarter project for the first time. It is a collection of comic-strips forming a book by Lunarbaboon, a web-comic that was featured on the fourth issue of Equilibrium. Have a look at it if it sounds like something you would be interested in; the pledging ends on Sunday, 16th of November.

Enjoy the issue!
– Stathis

.blogs (interesting reads from around the web)

If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel - A tediously accurate map of the solar system
— joshworth.com, 2014

"You would need 886 of these screens lined up side-by-side to show this whole map at once."

Good Content is too Valuable to Die — smashingmagazine.com, 2013

Indeed.

2.5 Million Installs Later, R.I.P. Downloader for SoundCloud
— passy.svbtle.com, 2014

A very interesting story about a mobile app based on Soundcloud's created to scratch its owner's itch, became a hit and had revenue, but eventually shut down by a change in Soundcloud's terms of service.

Learn to Remember Everything: The Memory Palace Technique
— mostlymaths.net, 2011

An interesting read regarding a memorising technique.

How Videogames Shaped My Path In Life — techfounder.net, 2014

Mine too.

.images (worth a thousand words)

50 designs with 50 pieces
— plus.google.com, 2011

"Last Christmas, a friend gave me a small Lego set just for fun. (...) I challenged myself to create 50 original designs with this one set of about 50 pieces. These images are the result.

.comics (on the web)

CommitStrip — commitstrip.com

I only discovered CommitStrip a few weeks ago, but I've been catching up with its archives very fast, and it's awesome! It is a web-comic following (mostly) the daily life of web agencies' developers. That means stuff about sales, useful meetings, resumes, development processes, and a castaway robot.

.videos (for education or entertainment)

Laracasts — laracasts.com

Lately, I've been working more and more with Laravel, so I'm constantly keeping an eye out for good resources about it. A few days ago, I "bought Jeffrey lunch" and entered the world of Laracast, a website which contains screencasts for web development. Although Laravel is being used in every screencast, most of the principles discussed in the series of lessons I've watched so far, can be applicable in every web language.

.books (physical or electronic)

Build APIs You Won't Hate — leanpub.com

Having to design an API for a project I'm currently working on, I wanted to read a (relatively) short book on the subject which would feel fresh and would summarise most of the concepts and issues about designing and building APIs. After reading it, I believe that "build APIs you won't hate" by Phil Sturgeon met these requirements!

.games (everybody needs some play time)

Pid — mightanddelight.com

Created by Might and Delight in 2012, Pid is a 2D scrolling puzzle-platformer with amazing graphics and soundtrack. You control a young boy named Kurt who, while riding a space-bus heading home, ends up stranded on a remote planet. To return home, he has to uncover an alien conspiracy, while fighting robot enemies and solving puzzles. In his quest, Kurt's primary tool is a white jewel that produces "beams", which can manipulate gravity. Some of the game's puzzles and levels can be hard to beat, but overall, it is a very nice game.

.non-profits (for a good cause)

WaterAid — wateraid.org

WaterAid is an international non-governmental organisation, with a mission "to transform lives by improving access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities".

.bye

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Photo credits: Comic strip by CommitStrip & Pid by squarefaction.ru.

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