Welcome
I'm Colin Morris, this site contains little web-widgets I've built over the years along with documenting some of my explorations into the steampunk genre.
For the code-savvy: I write server-side code in PHP and web front end, I've started to avoid frameworks by using the new CSS/JS capabilities native to browsers. I'm very keen on the Behat implementation of Gherkin for user-testing and am happy to chat about my efforts. I'm also participating as much as I can in the IndieWeb, an excellent initiative for owning your own content.
For the steampunk enthusiast: I'm of the Steampulp persuasion, a middling tinkerer, and a member of R.O.S.E.A., S.T.E.A.M and the Steampunk Ghostbusters.
I've written a tongue-in-cheek book called "Code of the Coder
", which gives those who call themselves Code Ninja or CSS Samurai a list of disciplines and virtues from Togakure-ryū Ninjutsu and Bushido Samurai. I've also have a role in a podcast called "Copperheart
", it's written by author Michael J Rigg.
You can find me elsewhere on Github, Mastodon, Twitter, and you can subscribe to my blog feed.
People claim to be Code Ninja or CSS Samurai, but how many of them follow a code? How many of them practice daily katas to stay in the best shape? This book foolishly applies the Seven Virtues of Bushido and the Eighteen Disciplines of Togekure-ryū Ninjutsu to the art of coding, and mistakenly finds some wisdom along the way.
This book took a long time to write - as you can see I'm more of a coder than a good English… userer… but I really had a drive to put together my collected experiences/ thoughts on coding and the misuse of cultural touchstones like ninja and samurai. I did about a year of ninjutsu training when I was much younger and healthier, and I was lucky to have a great sensei and class. After training we'd talk about the culture and history. We had the code and the disciplines. Something I think that coders really need to have. Even more so now I look at web3 and NFTs and Muskworship.
I'm eating my own dog food here - I've made a poster of the Bushido code and Togekure-ryū disciplines as they apply to coding, they're up at glance-level at home and at work. It's actually helped me - re-reading my section on Glory and Honour, I've started contributing to issues in other people's Git repositories, filing bugs, working harder to evangelise developers and testing at work, sharing my skills as much as I can. Heck, even talking more on Twitch.tv streams to help and interact with people came from Respect. Similarly, in Disciplines, I'm checking libraries more, patching more, taking note of my surroundings. So writing the book distilled my thoughts, rereading it helps reinforce the action. If you'd like to buy the book, it's Print On Demand on Lulu. If you'd like to read it first, why not get a PDF version of the book and let me know what you think? Or even start with the Code of the Coder poster.
COPPERHEART follows the story of one of America's "Reconstruction Bunkers," an enormous underground facility housing thousands of people all working together toward the day they can return to the surface following a global nuclear mishap.
I've been following Michael J Rigg's stories for a while, his books Clockwork Looking Glass and Clockwork Pandora are great reads, and the Steam Rollers Adventure Podcast is a great podcast. A call to action from Michael led me to submit some voices for background acting in the SRAPCast. When he asked for auditions for a new audio drama I was all in. I didn't get the part I auditioned for... but I did get the part of the titular Copperheart itself! Amazing!
Season one is finished, casting is underway for an in-between season, and season two is being written. Can't wait to dive back into to more voice acting and this universe.
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"Quid infernum quod erat?"