It's done! Today at 12:45 PM, I submitted my latest project to the Google Gadget Directory, marking the final step in the deployment process. It's a Domain Search gadget that's actually quite a powerful little application. What's really great about it is that it marked my first foray into serious test-driven development!
In the past, deadlines and inexperience had always prevented me from doing the kind of layered, thorough unit testing I'd wanted. That little application, actually the server-side piece that's powering it, has 65 unit tests underneath it. It's so refreshing to make changes and see that no tests were broken in the process.
TDD is one of those things best experienced firsthand. Now that I've had a taste, I don't think I'll ever go back. It just makes too much sense: the rigor added is intoxicating. Not literally, but it is self-reinforcing for sure. Anyhow, here's how you can get your own Go Daddy Domain Search Gadget for your iGoogle homepage—until the gadget gets added to the directory officially when I will replace these instructions:
- Go to www.google.com/ig/directory.
- Click on the "Add feed or gadget" link in the right navigation section.
- Type or paste http://gadgets.godaddy.com/Google/domain-search.xml into the text field.
- Click OK in the dialog box that comes up.
- Click on the "Back to iGoogle home" link right above the iGoogle logo.
- You should now see the gadget.
[UPDATE (1/10/2008): I completely forgot that Google has an easier way: 
]
[UPDATE (1/14/2008): It's in the iGoogle Directory now!]
[UPDATE (1/17/2008): I just deployed a revision to it that adds in plain, Candice Michelle, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. themes. Time to start working on the next version and it's going to be huge. Sorry, that's all you get.]
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