August 2006
DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model
Tue, 08/29/2006 - 08:32 — AnonymousDOM Scripting by Jeremy Keith gives you a very smooth introduction to JavaScript and the DOM. The books is more directed at those who are just beginning JavaScript or have used it in the past but would like more knowledge.
The book itself flows well from chapter to chapter. The beginning chapters give you a foundation to work with during the rest of the book. Jeremy teaches basic constructs of JavaScript programming and how and where they can be used. If you are already a programmer (not necessarily JavaScript), this chapter will be a quick one. It is very informational, yet straight to the point. Once he gets the basics and best practice techniques out of the way — he dives into the DOM and gives several useful examples. This is where it gets good.
Before moving further, I should mention that his best practices are applied all throughout this bo...
Prioritizing Web Usability
Sat, 08/26/2006 - 15:04 — AnonymousPrioritizing Web Usability by Jakob Nielsen and Hoa Loranger can best be described as a more ‘strict’ approach to web usability. If you have been in web development for any extended period of time it is likely that you have heard the name Jakob Nielsen. He offers great insight to web usability and has for many years. Some may view him as strict, some as normal, and still some as way off his rocker. No matter how you view him, he deserves much respect for his time spent in usability studies and the (somewhat timeless) statistics and information he brings to the table. I just finished reading this book, coupled with
Windows Vista Beta 2 Review
Thu, 08/24/2006 - 10:26 — AnonymousQuestion : Do You Need Vista Now! , I held my breath when I installed beta 2, fearing that after the OS gets hammered by as many as 2 million users beyond the usual set of testers, I'd have to eat my words. To my relief, this release largely lives up to my expectations. Sure, it's still beta code and not something to run on a production system.
...Windows Vista Beta 2 Review
Thu, 08/24/2006 - 10:26 — AnonymousQuestion : Do You Need Vista Now! , I held my breath when I installed beta 2, fearing that after the OS gets hammered by as many as 2 million users beyond the usual set of testers, I'd have to eat my words. To my relief, this release largely lives up to my expectations. Sure, it's still beta code and not something to run on a production system. There are bugs and nuisances, it blue-screens sometimes when resuming from sleep, and compatibility isn't perfect. But there's a lot that's enticing, and increasingly, there are features I miss when I'm using XP.
...Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
Wed, 08/23/2006 - 13:07 — AnonymousDon’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug is a great resource for a deeper understanding of web usability. The title of his book says it all, and his writing style reflects it perfectly. A short read — but jam packed with great information.
What I like most about this book is the author’s approach. Many times those discussing usability will step on toes left and right, and do it intentionally. Steve’s approach is much more simple, and gives great insight into how websites are used. There is no pointing fingers or condemning you if you commit a usability ‘sin’. He simply shows some of the common mistakes — backs up his claim with statistics — and then shows possible solutions. So, while I felt guilty in some chapters, I didn’t feel like I was getting beat over the head. He does a great job of handling usability with care.
One of the most valuable parts of this book was it’s section related to usability testing. Steve rem...
CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions
Wed, 08/23/2006 - 12:05 — AnonymousCSS Mastery is one of the best advanced CSS books I have read in a while. Andy Budd does an incredible job of articulating the different aspects of CSS. From basic positioning to advanced layout and ‘tricks’.
The book’s style is a very easy read, packed full of great code snippets and screenshots. Andy goes through each aspect and gives you several options to achieve different tasks. So, while some may prefer method A, he also covers methods B, and C. This gives a designer a great arsenal of tools to get the job done. While showing the different methods, he also goes into detail about the positive or negative effects of using one method over another (such as image replacement).
While the book is an easy read, it seems targeted to the more advanced CSS developer. Each chapter seems to build on the previous, gi...