Free Copilot.. Which IDEs shall I use

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Earlier this month, Microsoft announced free GitLab Copilot. You get 2000 autocompletes a month and 50 chat messages. The idea is clearly that you’ll start relying on it and then pay.

I installed and configured in both VS Code and IntelliJ. Setup was easy. I had to authorize the IDE by entering a code on github.com that the IDE gave me. It also gave me the link to enter it so pretty easy.

I also installed it on PyCharm and quickly uninstalled it. Copilot was being too helpful and I need to practice more typing the idioms as I get better at Python. (This is my fifth time learning Python. Every time I get decent at it, I don’t use it for a long time and forget. Maybe this time it’ll take!)

I do use AI periodically to ask how to improve the Python code I write (at home on personal stuff). But I can do that outside my IDE.

I like that Microsoft is doing this. They’ve had a free trial of CoPilot for a long time, but that is time limited. I like that this one is usage limited. So if you don’t use it much, you have it when you need it and still free.

todoist and deadlines at long last

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I switched from Toodledo to Todoist as my to do list maybe a year or two ago. I found Todoist better for entering data quickly and also for my actually getting tasks done. Which is the number one attribute I care about in a to do list. There was one feature that was missing from Todoist that I really wanted – having a separate date for when I want something to appear on my list vs when it is actually due.

As a workaround, I would put the actual due date in the first line of the description and use “due date” as when I wanted to start work. Less than ideal.

Todoist recently added deadlines an an experimental feature. Kind of like a beta. I’ve been using it since and am happy with it. How it works

  • The original date field is the date you want to start/have it appear in the to do list.
  • There is a new deadline field.
  • Once you hit the start date, you see the number of days until the deadline right below it. Also, tasks with due date appear near the top of the list, just like prioritized items.
  • If the deadline passes, you see how many days overdue it is.

The only thing I still want is the ability to add filters to search based on date. Todoist has this on their “to do” list.

Happy Book Birthday! New OCP 21 Book Now Shipping!

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It's a Book!

Jeanne and I are excited to announce our new Java OCP 21 Certified Professional Study Guide is now shipping! Released by Wiley Publishing, this book teaches you all the new (and old) features of Java 21, and helps prepare those planning to take the 1Z0-830 Java 21 Certification Exam.

Are you worried your Java skills are getting outdated? Are you writing code with the same toolset you’ve been using since Java 11, Java 8, or even Java 1.4? This book is definitely for you then! It starts with the basics, incorporating all of the new languages features like pattern matching, text blocks, var, and switch expressions. After that, we add records, sealed classes, virtual threads, sequenced collections, modules, and more. Finally, we cover lambdas and streams, helping you write shorter code and easier-or-read functional code without a lot of boilerplate syntax.

Whether your fresh out of school or have been programming Java professional for over a decade, our book helps you understand how to use all of the features of Java 21. We cover each topic in detail, from the basics to advanced usage, to help you write better Java code in your daily life.

For those looking to become Java 21 certified, look no further. Our book contains 14 chapters of everything you need to prepare for the exam, including exam tips, study suggestions, and hundreds of challenging practice questions. It also includes access to Sybex’s Online Test Bank, where we’ve written 3 simulated 1Z0-830 practice tests and over 500 flashcards!

Order now for the holidays, as Amazon already has our book backordered until the second week of December!