Six months ago, I've started researching a fairly new programming language called Groovy together with a couple of my classmates. Our task was to investigate Groovy, Grails, and their position in a SOA environment (Remember I wrote a review about the SOA Symposium?).

Looking back at the research, I must say I really love Groovy. It's an agile dynamic language for the Java Platform with loads of cool stuff. I'm planning on making some Groovy/Grails tutorials, just to show others how strong this programming language is.

More information about the paper:

• Written in English (By dutch students, so please forgive any spelling mistakes).
• A total of 74 pages
• Explains many aspects of Groovy, you could use the first couple of chapters as a cheat cheet for Groovy.
• Pretty nice styled and easy to read

Simply download and read the document if you're into SOA, Groovy and/or Grails (or want to learn it), a Java Programmer and want to learn something else, or another programmer that wants to learn another (fun and very cool!) programming language!

I want to thank Bart van Zeeland, Youssef Elmessaoudi, Gaya Kessler and Jaap Mengers for being my colleagues during this research. I'd also like to thank Rody Middelkoop and Sander Leer for lecturing us.

You can also read more research papers from fellow classmates about Spring & OSGi and Webservice Transactions (Dutch).

2009 is already up and running for a couple of days, but 2008 was a year that not many people will forget (for whatever reason). During the expensive Christmas holidays, there were two Comment2Win articles on Marcofolio.net: People were able to win some amazing prizes simply by leaving a comment. A couple of people responded and left a comment - Now, maybe they're one of the lucky winners.

I listed all the valid comments (that were submitted in time, left their email and were not spam) and placed them on Random.org. The comments on top are the ones that can call themselves the lucky winners!

Webdesign Prizes

1. Sonali Agrawal - One icon package from IconGalore
2. Valerio - One logo design from LogoAngel
3. Ole - One website template from BuyTemplates

Flash Banner Prizes

All five Flash Banner winners (Todd Budnikas, Priyan, Dulcenegosyante, Vanessa Richins, Enrico) will receive a 1 year Premium Plus package, worth $149 each from the amazing BannerSnack.

Kids are outside already playing with fireforks as the end of 2008 in near. Bloggers are rolling out their best blog posts from the past year and I would to do the same, just like I did last year.

2008 was for me the year that:

• I placed 136 articles online.
• Marcofolio.net gained 700 RSS subscribers.
• I wrote a couple of awesome Joomla! extensions.
• Marcofolio.net received over 2000 comments.
• I learned some jQuery.
• I was selected #2 top blogger under 21.
• I learned (and made tutorials for) CakePHP.
• I started to use Twitter.
• And much, much more!

What was 2008 for you?

Favorite articles from 2008; Both based on personal interest, usefulness and hits:

• 60 ridiculously useful tools for your blog or website
• 15 stunning motion typography videos
• Graffiti art to boost your inspiration
• 22 signs you're NOT addicted to design
• A parallax illusion with CSS: The Horse in Motion
• 7 tips to optimize Joomla! security
• [Inspiration] The beauty of 3d typography
• Breathtaking dual- and widescreen wallpapers
• Unique website for your Twitter updates Reloaded
• Time wasters: 15 addictive Flash games
• Dynamic Flash Logo Scroller with Links
• Mass Twitter Action and Retrieve Script
• Royal design blogs that can't be dethroned
• Best of the Best: 2008

What is your favorite article?

If you're lost, you could always check the sitemap, listing all the articles.

Goals for 2009

• Finally changing / update my template.
  Working on it for some while now, can't finish it.
• Reaching 2500+ RSS subscribers
  End of 2007 I had 400 subscribers.
• Finishing my new project.
  It's a secret for now - be prepared.
• Remembering: Quality above Quantity.
  Past year I placed some articles online "just to post", not thinking about the quality.
• More CSS / jQuery related articles.
  This is pretty interesting and fun to do.
• Getting in touch with Adobe Illustrator

I you would like Marcofolio.net to focus on other stuff, please let me know!

That's all for now. I have nothing left to say except to wish you a safe and joyful new year's eve and I hope to see you back (with all your fingers) in 2009!

Christmas days are over and everybody is getting ready for the new year. The past year has been very moving for (web)designers and developers: Loads of innovative articles and technology saw the daylight in 2008. The superb webbrowser Firefox gave birth to version 3.0 on 16th of December, a new social networking site dedicated to design called DesignBump came to life in 2008, Apple introduces the new MacBooks etc. etc. etc.

With all those great blogs out there, there has to be loads and loads of quality content written in the past year. But what is actually the best post from 2008 from those sites? To who can I ask that question better than the actual owners / authors of those great blogs.

I've contacted several blog owners and asked them the following question: What do you think is the best article you wrote in 2008? This article rounds up the best articles from 2008, placed on the best blogs out there (Only listing those that actually replied).

Here we go: The Best Of the Year 2008 (in a nutshell)!

Like I said in my previous Giveaway - Comment2Win article, there are two contests on Marcofolio.net to help you out during the expensive holiday times. Today, we're starting the giveaway licenses of an awesome online Flash Banner creator: BannerSnack.

Now I hear you: "What does this BannerSnack do?" To put it down simple: You can create Flash Banners online, very quick and easy! I've had a chance to play around with the tool and I must say, I'm really impressed. Take a look at the following example that I made in under 30 minutes: Try to beat that with Flash Pro (Have to admit that I got the source files from my own 20th Birthday Invitation).

Impressive, right? I think so! You want a chance of winning? It's pretty simple: Just leave a comment and make a chance to win! I'm able to give away five 1 Year Premium Plus packages worth $149 each. That's surely worth a shot!

Some extra info:

1. The contest ends on January 3rd 2009 00:00 CET (That's a great start of the year!). All comments submitted after that date don't count for the contest.
2. Please leave your actual e-mail address in the comments so I can contact you if you won a prize.
3. The three contest winners will be randomly selected with Random.org