diff --git a/.classpath b/.classpath
index 52f75c4..63fb0eb 100644
--- a/.classpath
+++ b/.classpath
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
 	<classpathentry including="**/*.java" kind="src" output="target/test-classes" path="src/test/resources"/>
-	<classpathentry kind="con" path="com.google.gwt.eclipse.core.GWT_CONTAINER"/>
 	<classpathentry kind="con" path="org.maven.ide.eclipse.MAVEN2_CLASSPATH_CONTAINER">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="org.eclipse.jst.component.dependency" value="/WEB-INF/lib"/>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index f4abd87..546b529 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -76,11 +76,16 @@
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.gcube.dvos</groupId>
 			<artifactId>usermanagement-core</artifactId>
-		</dependency>	
+		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>com.google</groupId>
 			<artifactId>gwt-jsonmaker</artifactId>
 		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>commons-codec</groupId>
+			<artifactId>commons-codec</artifactId>
+			<scope>compile</scope>
+		</dependency>
 		<!-- <dependency> -->
 		<!-- <groupId>org.gcube.core</groupId> -->
 		<!-- <artifactId>common-scope-maps</artifactId> -->
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java
index e8267a7..ce78923 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java
@@ -72,20 +72,7 @@ public class TopicServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements TopicServi
 		//user = "massimiliano.assante";
 		return user;
 	}
-	/**
-	 * 
-	 * @return true if you're running into the portal, false if in development
-	 */
-	private boolean isWithinPortal() {
-		try {
-			UserLocalServiceUtil.getService();
-			return true;
-		} 
-		catch (com.liferay.portal.kernel.bean.BeanLocatorException ex) {			
-			_log.trace("Development Mode ON");
-			return false;
-		}			
-	}
+	
 	/**
 	 * return the top 10 hashtag with max occurrence
 	 */