One of the biggest lessons that I have learned when trying to build an interactive, animated element is that while divs are visually transparent – they are not physically. This means that if you have the following layers: #container #layer1 #link1 #image1 #layer2 even though layer2 is completely transparent – it still overlaps the link [...]
The perils of interactive javascript animation
ExpressionEngine saving templates as files on MediaTemple
Even with all the warnings and direction within the documentation of ExpressionEngine on setting up templates as flat files to check with your host on the proper server path – it still took me a good 45 minutes to track the proper path down and get it just right. The server path is: /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/ example.com [...]
jQuery Mobile Quick Starter Tips
Here are some quick starter tips for creating a jQuery Mobile app. Thanks goes out to all those that went through this before me. Of course, for starters – http://jquerymobile.com/ – At the time of this article, Beta 3 had just been released and RC1 is on the way. Be sure to match up the [...]
Web Development process, tools and links
My basic process for converting a PSD into an HTML page begins by slicing out all the images. As I go through the PSD, this helps me build out the structure in my head, how this container holds that element, etc. This also helps me streamline my work flow. My next step is to build [...]
Firefox 4 review and key performance tweak
I upgraded to Firefox 4 as soon as it was publicly released with the hopes that I would experience incredible advancements in performance, memory management and new features. Maybe it was the numerous benchmark reviews or release notes but I honestly felt I could feel a quicker firefox, at least for a day or so. [...]
WPF Screensaver Tips
Use this link if you want to stretch your Screensaver Across all screens. Basically stretching your primary window across the Virtural Screen. The Project was to build a Screensaver based on a set of Silverlight animations. A couple of links that made this possible: http://scorbs.com/2006/12/21/wpf-screen-saver-template/ Even though this is from 2006 the fundamentals still hold [...]
Silverlight 4 – Loading an XML file and packaging it in the XAP
After hours and hours of using the google machine to figure out how to load an XML file into my Silverlight app, a former colleague pointed me to the most likely of places – the Silverlight Quick start guide. C# Solution: // Load the RSS file into XElement and display the content of the XML [...]
Lessons learned for mobile app development
A compilation of emulators and mobile testing suites. http://speckyboy.com/2010/04/12/mobile-web-and-app-development-testing-and-emulation-tools/ http://www.mobilexweb.com/emulators http://www.gomez.com/mobile-readiness-instant-test/ Best practices for Mobile web development. http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/ Mobile platform stats showing Android over taking iOS http://www.zdnet.com/blog/networking/android-runs-down-iphone-in-the-smartphone-races/518?tag=nl.e539 Development Suites: http://www.appcelerator.com/ http://pyxismobile.com/Mobile_Platform/ http://www.phonegap.com/ Jacob Nielsen – mobile usability http://www.useit.com/alertbox/mobile-usability.html
Don’t let Comcast block Netflix or other online innovators
I recently came across two separate articles about Comcast charging content providers a fee to deliver content to Comcast customers. Comcast charging Level3 to deliver content to Comcast customers EMERGENCY PETITION TO FCC CHAIR JULIUS GENACHOWSKI I felt I had to do something so I signed the above petition and wrote directly to Rick at [...]
Google had a user experience lead?
I read today that Marissa Mayer is changing her role at Google. Wow – I am big fan of the stuff Google does and offers but the user experience (or lack there of) of all Google products has a lot to be desired. It takes a Google search to find Google tools, help documents etc [...]