2013-06

Running code fast in web browsers: PNaCl versus asm.js

[2013-06-04] asmjs, dev, javascript, pnacl, webdev
The main point of the blog post “Thoughts on asm.js vs PNaCl” (by Gregg Tavares) is:
It just seems like asm.js and PNaCl are closer than people are admitting.
Some of the other points he is making are more controversial, so be sure to read the comments to get the complete picture.

2013-05

JavaScript quirk 8: array-like objects

[2013-05-30] dev, twelvequirks, javascript, jslang

The beginning of infinity in JavaScript

[2013-05-29] numbers, dev, javascript, jslang
Infinity begins relatively early in JavaScript:
    > Math.pow(2, 1024)
    Infinity
    > Math.pow(2, 1023)
    8.98846567431158e+307
What is going on here?

JavaScript quirk 7: inadvertent sharing of variables via closures

[2013-05-23] dev, twelvequirks, javascript, jslang
[This post is part of a series on JavaScript quirks.]

Closures are a powerful JavaScript feature: If a function leaves the place where it was created, it still has access to all variables that existed at that place. This blog post explains how closures work and why one has to be careful w.r.t. inadvertent sharing of variables.

Plans for supporting Web Components in AngularJS and Ember.js

[2013-05-23] emberjs, dev, html5, javascript, webcomponents, angularjs, polymer, webdev
Web Components [1] are an upcoming standard for custom HTML5 user interface elements. Those UI elements will eventually become interchangeable between frameworks. Now the people behind AngularJS and Ember.js have described their plans for supporting Web Components.

Google’s Polymer and the future of web UI frameworks

[2013-05-18] dev, html5, javascript, webcomponents, google, polymer, webdev
Updates: At Google I/O 2013, Google presented a new web user interface (UI) framework called Polymer. The way it works is indicative of the future of all web UI frameworks.

JavaScript quirk 6: the scope of variables

[2013-05-15] dev, twelvequirks, javascript, jslang
[This post is part of a series on JavaScript quirks.]

In most programming languages, variables only exist within the block in which they have been declared. In JavaScript, they exist in the complete (innermost) surrounding function:

    function func(x) {
        console.log(tmp); // undefined
        if (x < 0) {
            var tmp = 100 - x;  // (*)
            ...
        }
    }

JavaScript history: undefined

[2013-05-11] dev, javascript, jslang, jshistory
Two tweets by Brendan Eich shed light on the history of JavaScript having both undefined and null [1].

Beyond “always on”

[2013-05-10] mobile, scitech
Current technology encourages us to be continuously connected. This blog post predicts that that will change.

JavaScript quirk 5: parameter handling

[2013-05-05] dev, twelvequirks, javascript, jslang
[This post is part of a series on JavaScript quirks.]

The basics of parameter handling in JavaScript are simple, advanced tasks require manual work. This blog post first looks at the basics and then covers advanced topics.