The ultimate guide to boosting productivity with the Pomodoro Technique
In a world buzzing with distractions, maintaining focus and productivity can feel like trying to catch a greased pig. Whether it’s the relentless ping of notifications, the lure of social media, or the temptation to procrastinate, staying on task requires a solid strategy. One technique that has stood the test...
Read more →
Master PDF digital signing with eMudhra and Proxkey in .NET: step-by-step guide
One of my recent projects involved coding a simple .NET app that signs PDFs in bulk using Proxkey digital signature. These purchased CA verified digital signatures, like eMudhra and Proxkey, typically come with their own custom apps which can digitally sign PDFs. You can even use software like Adobe Reader...
Read more →
Building a secure and efficient MQTT-HTTP gateway with Node.js
One of my recent projects involved creating a Node.js script that acts as a gateway or middleware, capturing messages from an MQTT broker and relaying (streaming) them on the HTTP side via GET requests. Similarly, it should also handle POST requests from the HTTP side and publish them to the...
Read more →
Building a simple customer management system in PHP with MySQL
Creating a customer management system (CMS) is a great way for beginners to learn PHP and MySQL. This hands-on project will guide you through the process of building a simple CMS from scratch, covering database design, CRUD operations, and form handling. What is a customer management system? A customer management...
Read more →
The hidden costs of ERP implementation: beyond the initial price tag
When businesses decide to implement an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, the focus often zeroes in on the initial price tag. However, the true cost of ERP implementation extends far beyond the upfront investment. Hidden costs can significantly impact the overall budget and success of the project. In this article,...
Read more →
Unlocking Text from Embedded-Font PDFs: A pytesseract OCR Tutorial
Extracting text from a PDF is usually straightforward when it’s in English and doesn’t have embedded fonts. However, once those assumptions are removed, it becomes challenging to use basic python libraries like pdfminer or pdfplumber. Last month, I was tasked with extracting text from a Gujarati-language PDF and importing data...
Read more →
The indie blogger’s guide to seamless commenting: meet giscus
Indie bloggers are on the constant lookout for tools that simplify their work while keeping costs low and user experience seamless. One of the most overlooked aspects of running a blog is finding the right comment hosting system. Enter giscus, a modern solution that stands out among its peers for...
Read more →
The emotional toll of Agile: burnout in the name of agility
There is no doubt that over the last few years, Agile methodologies have gained prominence as a means to foster flexibility, innovation, and responsiveness to change. However, beneath the surface of this seemingly effective approach lies a troubling reality: the emotional toll it can take on teams. This article delves...
Read more →
Dependency hell revisited: the hidden dangers of modern packaging systems
Modern development ecosystems thrive on code reusability, and packaging systems like PyPI for Python and Composer for PHP play a significant role in this narrative. With a simple command, developers can integrate a multitude of libraries, shaving hours off development time and leveraging the work of countless open-source contributors. However,...
Read more →
Working with JSON data in PHP and MySQL: storing and retrieving complex structures
In the ever-evolving world of web development, the ability to manage complex data structures efficiently is vital. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) has become a standard for data exchange due to its lightweight format and ease of use. If you’re working with PHP and MySQL, understanding how to store and retrieve...
Read more →