@media Ajax – the presentations
As promised in my @media Ajax – Journeys and stories post (now updated with pictures!), this one will focus on the presentations during the conference.
Posts in the "Developing" Category
@media Ajax – Journeys and stories
I’m just back from @media Ajax, which was a great experience! I thought I’d split up my stories in two posts: this one about the journey and social aspects, and the next one about the presentations. This post will be long enough anyway, so get a drink, lean back, and enjoy the ride. 🙂
HTML Validator 0.8.4 update fails on Mac OS X Leopard
Just a short post with a word of warning to Mac OS X Leopard users having the HTML Validator add-on – it might also apply to other Mac users.
Ticnet.se – an example of when online ticket booking goes wrong
I’ve always wondered when non-functioning web sites will start to be replaced by good ol’ real-life stores, which people will go to instead of using the online service. Yesterday it happened with Ticnet.se
Stop using poor performance CSS expressions – Use JavaScript instead
Since the CSS support in Internet Explorer, especially in versions prior to Internet Explorer 7, has been lagging quite substantially, clever web developers have started using CSS expressions to mimic CSS functionality. However, few realize how this affects performance.
Going to @media Ajax in London 19-20 November
November 18th-20th, I will be in London to attend the @media Ajax conference.
YSlow – a nice performance plugin to Firebug
I’m sure you follow web standards, write semantic HTML and separate content (HTML) from presentation (CSS) and interaction (JavaScript). It’s all accessible and lean at the same time. So, what’s the next step. Performance, I tell you!
Explaining semantic mark-up
I have a strong interest in semantics in general, and when it comes to web developing, the benefits of properly marking up a document should not be neglected. One problem is that some people don’t understand the difference it makes, so therefore let me humbly make an attempt to explain why semantics is important.
Frameworks are the new black
As of lately, the desire, no, correction, the compulsive need people have to implement frameworks and libraries seem to have gone way overboard.
Don’t over-specify your CSS code
When I started writing CSS, I wanted every CSS rule to be as specific as possible. This was to get an instant overview as well as making sure that the desired style was applied to exactly the element I wanted.
Geek Meet November 2007
It’s been a while, but November 1st it’s time for yet another Geek Meet in Stockholm!
When did people stop caring about application/xhtml+xml?
Remember a couple of years ago, when serving XHTML with a text/html MIME type was the worst you could do if you were serious about your trade?
Opinions seem to change once you’re hired by a large company
Everyone are entitled to their own opinion. Everyone’s opinion is worth just as much as anyone else’s. However, sometimes opinions change…
Web nerd accessibility humor
Yesterday, me and Mr. Stenström took the car to a nearby mall to have some lunch.
Using labels in a nice semantic fashion
It is fairly easy to distinguish a developer’s knowledge level by their usage of label elements. To see how much they care about accessibility, usability and semantics.
Releasing DOMAssistant 2.0 – Chainability, AJAX module, DOMReady, XPath and more
Updated October 4th 2007
The DOMAssistantCompressed JavaScript file has been updated. My compression approach was a little too effective for the special DOMReady fix for Internet Explorer, so necessary code for optimal performance was unfortunately removed. This has now been addressed, so please download the new version if you use the compressed file.
Updated October 19th 2007
The DOMAssistantCompressed JavaScript file is updated again. I noticed a problem with the elmsByAttribute method in IE where the compression resulted in a wrong reference, returning incorrect results. Download the new version and it will be fine.
Tired but proud, I would like to announce the 2.0 release of DOMAssistant! Refactored code and new features will improve what is already a vital and must-have JavaScript library for me.
Are Interface Developers less worthy?
A manager I had at a previous job, a consultancy company, complained that he couldn’t motivate the same price for an Interface Developer as a “proper” developer when dealing with customers.
Who uses the save button in the toolbar?
In all programming software and IDEs there’s almost always a save button up there in the toolbar. To me, this has never made sense.
The coloring of visited links
For some reason it just hit me that it really was a long time ago since I used any specific color for visited links in a web site. How so?
New beta of Opera Mini 4
Mobile surfing. Is that your poison? To be honest, I do no mobile surfing at all (anymore), but the general interest to do so seems to grow stronger every day. And from what I’ve heard, a lot of people have been impressed and satisfied with Opera Mini, so therefore I’d like to announce the Opera Mini 4 beta 2.
Geek Meet in northern Sweden
For anyone interested in Geek Meet, but living far up north in Sweden, there now seems to be an option. Damian is thinking about putting one together and is trying to find like-minded people. It will, it seems, most likely take place in Skellefteå or Umeå, and you can visit his post A geek meet in Northern Sweden to sign up or express interest in general.
Back in the saddle!
Just as I’m writing this, asteroid 85275, with a diameter of at least 2 kilometers, should be passing just by Earth. If it had hit, all of us probably would have been gone by now. So, what better time and way to say that I’m back writing? 🙂
Have a nice summer – time for parental leave!
It’s that time of the year again. Time for me to take a break from blogging, and computers in general, to instead spend some months together with my family.
Momentum
Never ever disturb someone who has momentum. It’s almost as bad as waking a sleepwalker (or so I’ve heard).
Safari web browser is now also offered for Windows
Just an hour or so ago, Roger and I were talking over e-mail about a completely different topic, when he gave me a tip that a beta of Safari is now available, and it also offers a Windows version!
What’s our legacy?
You put in, on average, somewhere between 40 and 50 years working. Long hours, endless meetings, changes, deadlines and requirements. And at the end of it all, what’s left?
Thoughts on HTML 5
People have asked of my opinions about HTML 5 and the road they’re taking. Basically, I feel that you need to do a lot of reading up to actually be eligible to have an opinion, so I’ll try tread lightly with mine, and only cover certain areas.
Meme: 5 blogs that make me think
Guilherme tagged me with a meme, and it’s been a while and I think it’s an interesting one, so I’ll make a stab at sharing my thoughts.
Quitting, and getting a new job at Valtech
As I’m writing this, I have just finished my last day at my employer.
Google Maps Street View is fantastic!
Just playing around on the Internet, I’m finding out that Google has implemented yet another outstanding, supremely cool feature, this time for Google Maps. Now, you can get virtually explore neighborhoods at street-level virtually with Street View.
Geek Meet May 2007 summary
Wednesday night we had yet another Geek Meet in Stockholm, and this time we covered HTML 5 and XHTML.
I don’t care about your certificates
I’m not exactly sure when it started, but suddenly everyone was going to get certified, and have papers claiming their skill level. Me? I couldn’t care one bit.
Is Microsoft dead?
Yesterday I got around to reading Paul Graham’s Microsoft is Dead, and it definitely was an interesting read.
What it’s like developing for Internet Explorer
Well, I guess the title and the image basically says it all… 🙂
My first web site
I don’t know how many of you who can actually do this, but for fun, I’ve kept the first web site I ever built online, and now I want to share it with you!
DOMAssistant fix for addEvent method peculiarity in IE
I don’t know why, but problems seem to always be especially good at showing their ugly face at work in Friday afternoons/evenings. This time around, IE (big f**king surprise) displayed an odd behavior when using the addEvent method on the window object.
getElementsByClassName updated and revised
Just a small note to those of you who use my getElementsByClassName script: it has been updated for performance reasons and flexibility reasons.
“Validation isn’t important, it’s just an intranet”
As late as yesterday, I heard an argument I didn’t except to hear. Not now, not in 2007.
Geek Meet May 2007 – HTML 5 and XHTML
Time for the last Geek Meet before the summer, and it will most likely be an intense one. 🙂
What editor do you use?
I’ve been working with the web for almost 9 years now, and I’ve encountered a spectrum of web developers and their preferred tools during that time. Therefore, it’s always interesting to ask for someone’s favorite editor.
FlashReplace – A light-weight JavaScript to insert Flash movies into your web page
Updated April 20th
I’m so used to having a $ method for accessing elements. Nevertheless, the idea is of course that FlashReplace should be stand-alone, so I replaced it with the standard document.getElementById.
Updated April 20th
Although I didn’t encounter any problems with not using an embed element (to have valid HTML code output), it has been strongly recommend that I use it to ensure maximum compatibility. Therefore, it has been added and the file size is now 2.1 kb.
Updated June 3rd
I’ve gotten a few e-mails asking how to add variables to the Flash movie, so here are some options:
The simplest way is to just do it through a querystring. I.e. “movieFileName.swf?testVar=hello”.
Another option is to reference the movie and do it something like this:
document.getElementById("movieName").SetVariable("testVar", "hello");
Ok, everyone and his mother are creating scripts to include Flash into a web page. I wanted to have my own version, but with less and more readable code, so here’s my JavaScript to include flash : FlashReplace.
Popular doesn’t equal good
Something I find increasingly annoying is the fear most companies have when developing a new web site. They don’t dare to try new things, and more importantly, they don’t even want do offer something good. It’s a copy-cat syndrome holding us all back.
How to clear CSS floats without extra markup – different techniques explained
When using floats in CSS, without a doubt you have encountered the interesting effects it will have on the following content. Here I will show you different ways to clear floats without any extra mark-up.
20 million lines of code…
Almost every time I go to a presentation for a new big product/software/web site, I can just count the minutes till some smart executive says those words I, in a bittersweet manner, dread to hear.
AJAX Suggestions – a new JavaScript library for you
Updated April 10th with a couple of features per comment suggestions
Ok, I’ve added a couple of features and settings based on the comments I’ve got. The additional settings are:
hideResultsOnDocumentClick- If a click on the
documentshould hide the results list. itemInsertValueSetFocusToInput- If the focus should be set to the
inputelement, once an item has updated theinputelement’s value (by initially having theitemInsertValueIntoInputClassNameCSS class). hideResultsWhenInsertValueIsSelected- If the results list should be hidden when the
inputelement’s value is updated.
Another additional feature is that if you use the arrow keys to navigate the results list, arrow up from the first item as well as arrow down from the last, will set the focus back to the input element.
Updated April 11th
Changed the license to a Creative Commons Deed.
Updated April 13th
I got an e-mail with the suggestion to turn off the web browser autocompletion feature of the input element. I think it was a good idea, so I have now added it as a setting:
turnAutoCompleteOff : true
When most people need some kind of intellectual challenge, they do crosswords, sudokus, IQ tests, read up on philosophy or something similar. Me? I write some JavaScript. 🙂
Weird XMLHttpRequest error in IE – just one call allowed
Recently in a project I’ve been working on, I stumbled across something that I haven’t seen before: one AJAX call was possible to make in the web page, but after that it stopped working.
Like, redesign
It felt like it was time to spice this baby up, so I stayed up way too late Saturday evening (rather, Sunday morning), to put the finishing touches to my new design.
Geek Meet March 2007 summary
Last Thursday we had another Geek Meet, and as always these days, it was a fair amount of people showing up. This time, for the majority of the people present, it was actually their first Geek Meet. It’s great to see new faces, and the same time, I hope that the bunch of regulars who had to cancel this meeting will be back at the next one, providing to an even bigger group!
Stop resizing my web browser window!
One of my top annoyances when surfing around is when some “clever” web developer has chosen to use a script that resizes the web browser window to what they think suits their web site. Stop doing that! The size of my web browser window is the one I like, and I very much like to keep it that way.
Do you hate when this happens to? Please sign the petition (or, rather, write a comment) below, to state:
No, we don’t accept you resizing our web browser window anymore! You resize, and we’ll leave your web site forever.
Indentation of code
One thing that I’ve always taken for granted how to do is the indentation of code. Sure, people place characters like { either on the same line as the CSS rule/JavaScript function name, or on the following, and that’s just fine. But what I mean here is how to accomplish the actual indentation.