Category: Quick Links

Collection of web dev links

Posted on by chris

I send myself interesting web development links I find, with the intention to do some further research and enhance my uber-skills. It never works out. So instead here’s a list of links I’ve sent myself over the last few months (newest at the top) which I’ve not had chance to look at properly:

  1. BBC releases a JavaScript library: http://www.bbc.co.uk/glow/
  2. Google web code optimizer, not sure what this is: http://code.google.com/p/web-optimizator/
  3. Easily embed video in web pages: http://camendesign.com/code/video_for_everybody
  4. PHP security tips: http://www.noupe.com/php/php-security-tips.html
  5. CSS3 cheat sheet: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/07/13/css-3-cheat-sheet-pdf/
  6. Build apps without any code: http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2009/07/08/10-web-apps-to-build-the-next-big-thing-without-writing-any-code/
  7. Best free WordPress themes: http://www.blogperfume.com/45-best-free-wordpress-themes-of-all-time/
  8. Beautiful free icons: http://webdesignledger.com/freebies/22-extremely-detailed-and-beautiful-icon-sets
  9. Anothernew JavaScript library: http://rightjs.org/
  10. Handle dates in JavaScript: http://www.datejs.com/
  11. Diagnosing technical issues with SEO: http://www.slideshare.net/janeandrobot/diagnosing-technical-issues-with-search-engine-optimization
  12. LiberKey, massive collection of portable apps: http://www.liberkey.com/en/liste-des-logiciels-liberkey-ultimate.html
  13. Great add-ons for FireBug: http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/13-must-have-add-ons-to-strengthen-firebug/
  14. Create charts with JavaScript: http://www.webdesignbooth.com/14-javascript-resources-and-plugins-for-creating-a-stylish-chart/
  15. SEO toolkit for IIS: http://www.iis.net/extensions/SEOToolkit
  16. Gmail/Facebook style chat: http://anantgarg.com/2009/05/13/gmail-facebook-style-jquery-chat/
  17. Get visitor geographic location with Google JavaScript API: http://briancray.com/2009/05/29/find-web-visitors-location-javascript-google-api/
  18. Growing social networks: http://www.scribd.com/doc/15712612/Growing-Social-Networks
  19. jQuery performance rules: http://www.artzstudio.com/2009/04/jquery-performance-rules/
  20. Free screen recording apps: http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/10-free-screen-recording-softwares-for-creating-attractive-screencasts/
  21. WYSIWYG for jQuery: http://code.google.com/p/jwysiwyg/
  22. Find alternatives to commercial apps: http://alternativeto.net/

Geekery roundup, June 2009

Posted on by chris

It’s been a month since my last blog post, but a lot has been happening. So in Hugh style here’s a randomly ordered list of the things I’ve been up, and things that have run through my head, to over the last few weeks.

  1. Plenty-o-plugins

    I’ve got a large handful of plugins for WordPress MU completed (or at least to a state where I can release them). The plugins are: statistics, sitewide newsletters, personal welcomes, demo data creator and secure invites.

    I’m also happy that they have been accepted for the official WordPress plugin repository, so keep an eye on my developer page to see when these plugins get updated and new ones get added. I have a few more ideas for plugins I’m going to try to do over the next couple of months.

  2. I like quick development

    Writing those plugins has made something about myself quite clear to me. I enjoy quick development tasks much more than long ones. So writing a plugin that takes 8 – 24 hours is MUCH preferable to writing a full system that takes 100 hours or more. With WordPress’ plugin architecture I think I can do more of that quick development, leaving the fiddly slow bits (user management, templating, database manipulation) to the WordPress core.

  3. myJournal updates

    Although most of the changes I’ve made on myJournal aren’t readily apparent to visitors, they have mae a big difference in how easy it is to manage your profile and site in the system. Especially the showrooms (for example this contemporary designer jewellery showroom).

    One very recent thing (completely done last night, in fact) was adding Twitter updates to profiles. You can keep up to date with me here. That was another of those quick development things.

  4. Computers Unlimited

    One of the oldest serious sites I developed is currently entering version 8, so you’ll soon be able to buy printer cartridges, toner and more using a much nicer interface. Development has taken much longer than I hoped, and frankly I’ll be glad when it’s finished.

  5. jQuery

    A lot has been said about this wonderful JavaScript library, so I won’t dwell on its finer points. Suffice to say it’s continuing to astound me with how easy it makes advanced JavaScript.

  6. Performer

    And when you combine jQuery with Performer (JavaScript without the code) you’re on cloud nine. A couple of months ago I launched the new Performer website, which I’m really pleased with. As I tell people, my design skills are more miss than hit, but this time I think I got it right.

  7. BeatsBase.com

    After increasing the upload limit for mixes to 1gb the other month, BeatsBase.com has been really unstable. Error all over the place. Rather than wade through the code to try to fix it, I’m taking the opportunity to upgrade to the latest version of WordPress MU and add in BuddyPress which will give some great new features. I’m also going to rewrite my own custom plugins so they are much better, and maybe those will even find their way into the public domain.

I’ve done a few other things (see my Twitter updates in the sidebar of my site, for example), and even some that don’t involved geekery. I’m planning on doing a similar round-up post to this about the new things happening in the busy world of web development (new browsers, new tools, new sites). Who knows, maybe I’ll get to do that before next month.

One month on

Posted on by chris

No much to report from the People’s Republic of Yorkshire, although it’s been a busy old few weeks.Here’s a quick list of things I’ve been doing:

I’ve also aquired two second-hand laptops of varying vintages. New toys are always good, even if they aren’t really new.

New Performer website:

Performer - new website design

On Achieving RSS Reader Zero

Posted on by chris

I remember back a while ago when I first clicked that link saying “Mark all as read” in Bloglines. Yes, I still use Bloglines. I will change to Google Reader at some point, I’m sure. Anyway, clicking that link seemed a big deal. What if I missed something important, interesting or funny? Would I be missing out? Would all the cool kids on the Internet point at me and laugh, saying “Haha! Chris missed out on that really funny picture of a penguin eating a bag of chips because he clicked the ‘Mark all as read’ link! Haha!”

These thoughts sometimes occur to me.

Tonight I clicked that link again and it seemed a whole lot less … traumatic. And I think I know why. Even though I try to maintain a reasonably limited level of subscriptions – 130 131 feeds in my RSS reader, 27 people I’m following in Twitter – it’s still a small tidal wave of stuff to read every day. Most of the time I keep roughly on top of it, but there’s always some stuff I miss.

So, I ALWAYS keep up to date with a handful of my very favourite blogs. Mainly the ones by my friends, some people I really respect, and a few ones that make me feel good. Like Dilbert and XKCD. The rest, it depends on my mood. If I’m in code-mode I’ll check out some more development ones. If I’m in need of insplirations I’ll look at the design-oriented ones, and if I’m just plain lazy I’ll look at some more cartoons.

But it’s all expendable. I don’t *have* to read any of it. Certainly not if it takes time away from more important things. Like seeing my family, or paying the bills. I can afford to miss out on a few dozen, or even hundred, updated from people. You know why? There’ll be a new pile of stuff to read tomorrow.