Category Archives: Web Development

Ruby Switch

July 12th, 2023

Ruby Switch is a web browser plugin that I developed to make toggling the visibility of ruby text such as furigana more convenient. To further my study of the Japanese language, I frequently visit Internet sites for language learners or young native speakers. These sites typically show how vocabulary using kanji is read. Sites, such as NHK‘s site, feature news written in simple Japanese and make it easy to toggle between showing or hiding how to read kanji. Other sites do not offer that feature, and toggling ruby text requires going into a web browser’s development tools to modify the CSS.

The following image shows Ruby Switch pinned to the Mozilla Firefox toolbar and renderings with and without ruby text of a page on Mainichi Newspaper for elementary school students.

Ruby Switch allows practice in reading Japanese. This simple plugin allows language learners to conveniently toggle the visibility of furigana to allow reinforcing vocabulary that is recognizable while also allowing them to confirm their readings when there is uncertainty.

The following is a sampling of sites that work with Ruby Switch:

Hello, Responsive Web Design

February 11th, 2018

This blog’s customized WordPress theme is finally updated with responsive web design elements. Reading a tutorial at w3schools.com, Responsive Web Design Introduction, encouraged me to implement responsive web design this week. The introduction is concise and actionable for someone with previous experience using HTML and CSS. Seeing their simple implementation using HTML div tags and […]

It Looked Zope at First!

January 12th, 2010

I am still searching for tools that would allow me to do web development with Python. I was leaning toward Zope, but it looks like I will be going a different direction with WSGI. WSGI seems very lightweight or minimalist, which requires me to research template engines. Kubica’s HOWTO Use Python in the Web refers […]

Supporting Internet Explorer for Mac

March 13th, 2006

A lot of effort has been exerted lately on providing the same user experience on a web site through all web browsers. Although implementing Internet applications to target requirements of the lowest common denominator would be optimal for greater reach, like other decisions that are made where resources are scarce, the decision to continue investing […]

Hello, Ruby!

December 12th, 2005

After months of resistance, I decided to join the Ruby on Rails bandwagon and read up on Ruby at a brick and mortar bookstore. I was unable to find Programming Ruby, but I found Agile Web Development with Rails and was able to read Appendix A, which was an introduction to the Ruby programming language. […]