Michael Hebblethwaite

Things I would forget otherwise

Quick notes on upgrading Rails

rails

Upgrading Rails version doesn’t have to be stressful. I have gone through the process a few times over the years without major issue. Here I have put together a basic ‘how to’ with some of the tips that have helped me complete the process successfully over the year.

Make your code easy to run

ruby

Today, I want to write about steps you can take to make your take home test easy to run, and win brownie points with reviewers.

Adding VCR and WebMock to a legacy codebase

ruby testing

I am working on a Ruby on Rails codebase that is quite long lived, though new to me, and has an RSpec test suite that takes a long time to complete. One common piece of advice when looking to speed up the test suite in CI is to avoid out going network requests. These requests not only slow down tests by the time taken, but also make the test results dependant on an external service. I was unsure if this was an issue we faced, so I decided to investigate.

TIL - with_index

ruby

I was doing a coding challenge where I wanted to map through an array transforming the current element based on the previous element. Sounds convoluted, but then I again feel most coding challenges are. Maybe that’s part of the fun though.

Building a GBS Control

retro-gaming ps2 mods

I decided to build a gbs-control so I can connect my PlayStation 2 over component to my LCD monitor. I have been using a generic passive convertor for component to HDMI. However my monitor doesn’t display 240p signals. Also it uses line doubling for 480i signals which causes a bobbing effect, and occasionally results in image retention. This could potentially cause long term damage. I have watched a few videos about the gbs-control project and it seems like a cost effective solution to my problem while also being a fun project.

Spinach & onion curry

curry

I saw this spinach curry being prepared on the TV one afternoon. I decided to record the recipe as I thought it looked like a simple and tasty meal to make. It took some time to make, but it was worth it.

Meatballs

baking

One time I wanted to make some spaghetti and meatballs. I thought this recipe looked interesting because it required breadcrumbs soaked in milk. They can be cooked either by baking or boiling in a sauce. Both ways are delicious