How to install a Chrome extension from GitHub

by on November 14, 2014 in Chrome, Productivity

I recently had a web page with a long list of Twitter names that were not linked, like @mattcutts. I thought that someone has to have made a Chrome extension that would “linkify” names so they would be clickable like @mattcutts. And with a little bit of searching, I found twlinkfy.

It looked like a great extension, but Chrome (at least in Windows) can only install Chrome extensions from the Chrome Web Store in order to protect against malware.

So how would you go from source code on GitHub to an installed Chrome extension? Here’s how I did it: download the extension as a .zip by looking for the “Download ZIP” button on the right-hand side of the project page on GitHub. Now extract/unzip the code somewhere. Then in Chrome go to Menu (the three lines)->More tools->Extensions. Click the “Developer mode” checkbox and then click the button labeled “Load unpacked extension…”.

Now navigate in the resulting file dialog box until you are in the directory with a manifest.json file. For me, it was in the twlinkfy-master/ext directory. And that’s it! The extension loaded, and when I loaded the page with a long list of @names as text, they turned into clickable links.

You can even modify the local source code and reinstall or reload the extension. For example, I changed line 10 of twlinkfy.js to point to a different destination page on Twitter for links. I uninstalled and re-installed the extension and then the links went to a different page on Twitter.

As always, be careful of extensions/code that you install in case someone is attempting something malicious.

The Seinfeld Calendar Trick

by on November 13, 2014 in Productivity

One trick that I’ve discovered pretty recently for my 30 day challenges is based on advice from Jerry Seinfeld.

The idea is that you get yourself a cheap calendar and a red pen. Every day you complete your daily challenge, you can cross that day off with a satisfying swipe of the red pen. Once you get a chain going, you’ll work even harder to avoid breaking your streak.

Here’s what my calendar looks like so far for my “write something everyday” challenge this month:

Showing a streak in the calendar

The ritual of crossing off a day–and the visual indication of success or failure–is a pretty good way to stay motivated and keep tackling your challenge. Little things can make a difference, like a routine or ritual about completing your daily challenge.

I also like that my red pen is held up with red thumbtacks. Sometimes it’s the small things that make you happy.

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