No Connection? No problem! Practical Advice for Freelancing From Cybercafés

When my web development firm was just getting off the ground, we didn’t have an internet connection in our apartment. I would develop entire sites at home, then go to a cybercafé to upload files and sync databases. I only checked my email once a day, and my entire life was centered around my USB key. With the SAT-3 cut in Cotonou, our only Internet access is the one public satellite connection in the city.

Back to offline development! Fun fun fun. How do we do it?

Install WAMP and LAMP stacks on your development machine. Even if you’re coding in Linux, you should be testing in Windows because that’s what everyone else uses. For Windows, I have yet to find a better stack than XAMPP, which comes with everything I need. Although XAMPP offers a Linux version, it’s often simpler to just install PHP, MySQL, and Apache.

Use PortableApps. I have an entire development stack on my USB key, which means that in a pinch, I can work on any available Windows machine. XAMPP, the GIMP, FileZilla, Firefox, Putty, and Notepad++ all come in portable versions.

Respond to emails offline. All of the major mail providers provide POP and IMAP access. Download your mail using an application like Portable Thunderbird, answer it in the comfort of your own home, then upload everything once you get a hold of a connection.

Backup everything locally. The great thing about cloud living is backing everything up line. The awful thing about cloud living is that you can only access your document backups when you’re connected. Far better to store copies of everything locally. In case of a meltdown, you’ve got everything you need to be back and working by the end of the day. If a separate server, with the attendant inverter and battery is too expensive, at least invest in an external hard drive.

Useful Firefox extensions:

• ScrapBook allows you to save an entire webpage exactly as you see it when online, including images, CSS, advertisements, and most JS. I have a great deal of php.net and the WordPress codex saved this way.
• DownloadThemAll is a fantastic download manager, and it also lets you download all of the links of a particular extension from a webpage.
• SpiderZilla will download an entire website, catching the files of extensions you designate.

Blog offline. There are many offline blogging tools. My preference is actually Windows Live Writer, but as it doesn’t run from a USB key, it’s out for the moment. Excellent alternatives are zRaven and Qumana (requires Java). Most offline blog programs require an Internet connection the first time you use them, to download your categories, etc.

Cultivate relationships with cybercafé owners. Often, they’re willing to open early, close late, fix your computer, and let you print for a reduced price if you’re a regular. Make friends, chat with everyone, and be very clear that you’re not in the cyber everyday because you’re a scammer.

What tools do you use to facilitate development from cybercafés? How do you track your research and deal with email?