10 Principles Of Effective Web Design

Usability and the utility, not the visual design, determine the success or failure of a web-site. Since the visitor of the page is the only person who clicks the mouse and therefore decides everything, user-centric design has established as a standard approach for successful and profit-oriented web design. After all, if users can’t use a feature, it might as well not exist.

We aren’t going to discuss the implementation details (e.g. where the search box should be placed) as it has already been done in a number of articles; instead we focus on the main principles, heuristics and approaches for effective web design — approaches which, used properly, can lead to more sophisticated design decisions and simplify the process of perceiving presented information.

Link:
http://.../10-principles-of-effective-web-design/

Even donkies blog

Girlfriend says it pretty funny and well worth the read. I'm waiting for his review of Windows Vista before I start reading.

Link:
http://sheafferdonkey.blogspot.com/

What do you do while on hold?

Ever hear about Personalized Google Maps?

What you can do with Personalized Google Maps:

• Mark your favorite places on your map
• Draw lines and shapes to highlight paths and areas
• Add your own text, photos, and videos
• Share your map with friends and family

Link:
http://maps.google.com/help/maps/mymaps/create.html

The user guide to Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=68480

Free Advanced DHTML Color Picker

Once we’d modularized the color picker code it made sense to offer it to others to use on their own sites and projects. So here is the code to get our Color Picker working on your site for free. (We’ll even host the files)

Very nice. I wish I had a project to use this in.

Link:
http://.../free-advanced-dhtml-color-picker/

Build a better table

This article is about the proper usage of tables, for tabular data. How you can implement them with accessibility in mind and how to make them appealing for the eye using CSS.

Results are pretty good looking. Amazing how a little style can make something look so much more professional.

Link:
http://veerle.duoh.com/.../a_css_styled_table_version_2/

How fast does your website load for your visitors?

The Full Page Test loads a complete HTML page including all objects (images, CSS, JavaScripts, RSS, Flash and frames/iframes). It mimics the way a page is loaded in a web browser.

The load time of all objects is shown visually with time bars.

You can view the list of objects either in load order or as a hierarchy. The hierarchy view allows you to see which objects are linked to in for example a CSS file.

Every test also shows general statistics about the loaded page such as the total number of objects, total load time, and size including all objects.

Link:
http://tools.pingdom.com/

Time breakdown of modern web design

See it all here:
http://www.vilain.com/web-design.html

Secret Firefox Keyboard Shortcuts

OK, they probably aren't secret, but when I saw this list I was really amazed. I thought to myself, how could I have used Firefox all these years and not known about all of these?!!

Personally I like the Ctrl-Shift-T shortcut.

Link:
http://.../sarah/2008/01/secret-firefox.html

20+ practical and ethical tips to earn more revenue from Google Adsense

Making money online is the hot trend nowadays. In coming days I am sure you will see many working professional quit their day job and seat at home in their pajamas writing some blog posts to make their living.

There are tremendous opportunities to make money online. Currently Google Adsense is the best option for most of the publishers. Some basic optimization tips can double your Adsense revenue. Two sites having same traffic can have huge adsense revenue difference depending on the ad optimization.

Link:
http.../tips-to-earn-more-revenue-from-adsense/

The Ultimate Student Resource List

It’s back to school time, yet again. In the spirit of the season, I decided to gather together the best tools, websites, and advice I know of to help make you a more effective and relaxed student this semester. Since I know you’re broke, it’s all free!

Link:
http://.../the-ultimate-student-resource-list.html

Sysinternals Suite

The Sysinternals Troubleshooting Utilities have been rolled up into a single Suite of tools. This file contains the individual troubleshooting tools and help files. It does not contain non-troubleshooting tools like the BSOD Screen Saver or NotMyFault.

The Suite is a bundling of the following selected Sysinternals Utilities:

• AccessChk
• AccessEnum
• AdExplorer
• AdRestore
• Autologon
• Autoruns
• BgInfo
• CacheSet
• ClockRes
• Contig
• Ctrl2Cap
• DebugView
• DiskExt
• DiskMon
• DiskView
• Disk Usage (DU)
• EFSDump
• FileMon
• Handle
• Hex2dec
• Junction
• LDMDump
• ListDLLs
• LiveKd
• LoadOrder
• LogonSessions
• NewSid
• NTFSInfo
• PageDefrag
• PendMoves
• PortMon
• ProcessExplorer
• Process Monitor
• ProcFeatures
• PsExec
• PsFile
• PsGetSid
• PsInfo
• PsKill
• PsList
• PsLoggedOn
• PsLogList
• PsPasswd
• PsService
• PsShutdown
• PsSuspend
• RegDelNull
• RegJump
• RegMon
• RootkitRevealer
• SDelete
• ShareEnum
• SigCheck
• Streams
• Strings
• Sync
• TCPView
• VolumeID
• WhoIs
• WinObj
• ZoomIt

Link:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/...

pForm is a great online form builder

pForm is an online form builder that assists in building a form with some great effects and a very professional look. When you are done with building the form you can down the html code to use it on your website.

This is probably one of the better form builders around.

Link:
http://www.phpform.org

Another reason to get a Playstation 3

With the upcoming 2.0 player profile requiring Blu-ray players to be networked, Sony finally gets to play its trump card: the PlayStation 3, which has clearly emerged as one of the best Blu-ray players on the market—and is likely to remain so for some time. Why? Because the first player now becomes the most versatile, sporting a future-proof Blu-ray setup.

Link:
http://...ps3-the-most-future-proof-player

Three tips to protect your WordPress installation from Matt Cutts

Secure your /wp-admin/ directory
Make an empty wp-content/plugins/index.html file
Subscribe to the WordPress Development blog

I just did two of these on a WordPress blog I admin. Very easy to do and gives you a bit more piece of mind.

Read about how at:
http://.../three-tips-to-protect-your-wordpress-installation/

Great collection of Lightbox scripts

Link:
http://www.designwalker.com/2008/01/lightbox.html

3,000 copyright-free images thanx to Flickr and the Library of Congress

3,000 copyright-free images have been added to Flickr thanx to the Library of Congress. Take a look and maybe you'll find something you like for your design.

Link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/

Cussing to get to the operator?

That's one way to do it.

Many IVR (interactive voice response) systems are programmed to recognize key words. Among those keywords are frequently a list of swear words, like the FCC's dirty 7. When asked to respond, use on of those epithets and you will likely be transferred directly to a live human being.

Link:
http://.../skip-straight-to-the-operator-with-your-dirty-mouth

Google Sitemaps FAQ

A great collection of common questions you may have when it comes to the use and need for a Sitemap on your website.

Link:
http://.../sitemaps-faqs.html

Sun to Buy MySQL for $1 Billion

Sun Microsystems Inc. has agreed to buy open-source software maker MySQL AB for $1 billion, beefing up the server maker's database offerings with a company whose technology is used by some of the world's biggest Web sites.

Link:
http://www.physorg.com/news119696227.html

Data Visualization and Infographics

Some pretty amazing data visualization techniques:
http://...data-visualization-and-infographics/

Ultimate guide to logo design

Logo design is arguably one of the most important and valued areas of design. A quality logo design combined with the branding of an organization or company can become one of the most powerful forces in today’s society. If you love logo design as much as I do, then I am sure you will enjoy these logo design tips and resources.

Link:
http://.../design-a-logo-the-ultimate-guide/

Free Logos:
http://.../create-logo-for-free-with-help-of-blank.html

Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages

If you're doing any kind of internationalization in your project stick with the ISO 639 approved language codes.

Link:
http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php

A look back at the technology of Wolfenstein 3D

Raycasting is a rendering technique to create a 3D perspective in a 2D map. Back when computers were slower it wasn't possible to run real 3D engines in realtime, and raycasting was the first solution. Raycasting can go very fast, because only a calculation has to be done for every vertical line of the screen. The most well known game that used this technique, is of course Wolfenstein 3D.

If you're into gaming and want to see the game that started the first-person revolution then this is a pretty interesting read.

Link:
http://student.kuleuven.be/~m0216922/CG/raycasting.html

PDFHammer online PDF editor

PDF Hammer is a website that allows you to edit your PDF files online for free. You don't need to install any additional software, you can edit PDF documents right now inside your browser. Once you start, you will be able to upload one or more PDF files into your project, arrange the pages in any order you wish, and delete any pages you don't want.

For example, you can create a PDF document that has the cover page of one PDF file, followed by all of the pages of another PDF file, and finally followed by the back-cover page of the first file.

Link:
http://pdfhammer.com/

What is this?

http://thesource.ofallevil.com/en/us/default.aspx

NirSoft offers a large collection of freeware

Highlights:

• Mail PassView - Recover the passwords of popular email clients
  
• IPNetInfo - Find all available information about an IP address:
• NirExt - Change the icon of any folder in your file system, Easily create shortcuts on your start-menu/desktop.
• WinUpdatesList - Displays the list of all Windows updates (Service Packs and Hotfixes) installed on your local computer.
• ShellExView - Displays the details of shell extensions installed on your computer, and allows you to easily disable and enable each shell extension.
• SysExporter - Grab the data stored in standard list-views, list boxes, and combo boxes from almost any application running on your system, and export it to text, HTML or XML file.
• ProduKey - Recover Office/Windows CD-Key
  

Link:
http://www.nirsoft.net/

Get free shipping in Amazon with an Amazon Filler Item

An Amazon Filler Item is a an item that is used to get to the $25 free shipping level in Amazon. The Amazon Filler website lets you choose the amount you need to fill and it will display a list of products that meets that value amount. What this does is make it easy to find those low value items that can get you to free shipping.

Link:
http://www.filleritem.com/index.html

What type of TVs can be found at CES 2008

Bigger sets? Sure, we'll have those in spades at CES come January, with another record-breaker undoubtedly being unveiled on day one. But more excitement is actually churning in the realm of core technologies. Here's a sneak peek at what to expect from TV tech.

Link:
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/61004

gOS Rocket Beta

Will gOS become something huge in the OS market?
Have you downloaded it and given it a try?

I haven't had the chance yet but am interested in it and when I get some time will probably do so. I just wanted to do a quick post since its move a bit more forward with the Rocket Beta release.

Link:
http://www.thinkgos.com

Even Bill Gates doesn't truly like Vista

What did Bill Gates just say?
http://gizmodo.com/342920/holy-crap-did-bill-gates-just-say

Get your brain on at MIT

MIT is committed to advancing education and discovery through knowledge open to everyone.

OCW shares free lecture notes, exams, and other resources from more than 1800 courses spanning MIT's entire curriculum.

How cool is this. You can access the course information for more than 1800 MIT courses.

Link:
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm

Bombshell: Google and Facebook Join DataPortability.org

The DataPortability Workgroup announced this morning that representatives from both Google and Facebook are joining its ranks. The group is working on a variety of projects to foster an era of Data Portability - where users can take their data from the websites they use to reuse elsewhere and where vendors can leverage safe cross-site data exchange for a whole new level of innovation. Good bye customer lock-in, hello to new privacy challenges. If things go right, today could be a very important day in the history of the internet.

Link:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/goog-fb-data.php

IE7 JavaScript library

IE7 is a JavaScript library to make Microsoft Internet Explorer behave like a standards-compliant browser. It fixes many HTML and CSS issues and makes transparent PNG work correctly under IE5 and IE6.

Link:
http://code.google.com/p/ie7-js/

See it in action:
http://ie7-js.googlecode.com/svn/test/index.html

Windows Home Server Power Pack 1

The first minor release of Windows Home Server was announced today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Power Pack 1, formerly code named "UR1", will ship in the first half of 2008 and be made available to existing customers of Windows Home Server via Windows Update.

Power Pack 1 has some great new functionality. A high level overview is included below and we will share additional details in more blog posts throughout the week.

Link:
http://.../windows-home-server-power-pack-1.aspx

Large list of font managers

One very large list of font managers:
http://cg.scs.carleton.ca/~luc/fontmanagers.html

Mentioned because my Font Manager, Cfont Pro, is mentioned.

Email Standards Project

The Email Standards Project works with email client developers and the design community to improve web standards support and accessibility in email.

• Outlook 2007 - Poor rating
• AOL Webmail - Excellent rating
• GMail - Poor rating

Surprised?

Link:
http://www.email-standards.org/

IDEA: Playlist processor

Create a website that accepts uploads of a music playlist and provides:

• A list of songs I like. Basically just a very friendly listing of the songs contained within my playlist
  
• An analysis of the type of music I like to listen to (kinda of like what WTF Music Info does)
• Suggestions of music that may appeal to me

How to be profitable:

• Use an affiliate link to songs and music I may like
• Advertising to key music websites

What it needs to be successful:

• Access to a very large song database (like CDDB) for comparing and extracting information from a song list
  

Code Monkey

5 useful Windows XP tricks

• Organize your files into groups
• Make your own icons
• Don't just maximize your windows—go full screen
• Add the Links toolbar to My Computer
• Arrange windows on your desktop

Link:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/5xptricks.mspx

Accounting Basics for a Freelancer

Step 2 - You need to know who owes you money.
You need to know who is past due, who is paid up. Some of these invoicing apps allow for due date tracking. Or you can use a calendar app (gcal, ical etc) to do that.

Let me add my #1 tip: Get QuickBooks as it will save you so much time and make things so much easier. It will also lower the cost of an accountant at the end of the year since your books are in a format they are comfortable with. I used to track expenses and invoice by hand. Man that was a mistake. Quickbooks has made it so much easier.

Read all at:
http://freelanceswitch.com/.../accounting-basics-for-a-freelancer/

Apache, MySQL, PHP on Windows with WAMP

Easy as 1-2-3

• 1. Download the latest release of Wampserver 2
• 2. Optionally add as much Apache, PHP and MySQL releases as you want
• 3. Work with a development environment that reproduces exactly your production server

Link:
http://www.wampserver.com/en/

Best freeware games of 2007