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DCS-Media provides reviews, techniques, technologies, programming and design tips to help you conduct not just business, but smart business.
Fireday - Firefox extensions for June 30, 2006
Friday, June 30, 2006 6:03 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Fireday | Comments: 0
This week: Poster, Addictive Typing Lessons, and Pearl Crescent Page Saver.
Poster
When you first install the Poster Firefox extension, you may have some trouble finding it. The extension is installed under the View/Sidebar pulldown. You may need to resize your window, but for most developers, you get the idea of what happens next.
Poster's main function is to provide developers an interface for testing Web Services or interacting with other web resources. This extension is definitely not for end-users. The extension allows you to execute a GET, POST, PUT, DELETE or a HEAD postback and see the results returned.
The Scrutinizer
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 10:30 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Tools | Comments: 0
Run your web site through the tests and see how well you fare.
If you are looking to optimize your site, and I mean really optimize your site, visit the Scrutinizer.
The Scrutinizer can take your web site and run multiple tests in the following categories:
W3C Issues Mobile Web Best Practices
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 5:13 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Mobile | Comments: 0
Is your web site able to run on mobile devices? Make sure by viewing the W3C recommendation.
The web content you post on your site displays beautifully when it comes to laptops and desktops, but what about the other devices?
What if someone wanted to look at your website through a phone, PDA, or other mobile devices.
The Web 2.0 Design Kit
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 4:55 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Web 2.0 | Comments: 0
Need a place to start in taking your Web 2.0 idea to fruition? ProfitPapers can help.
Miles Evans over at ProfitPapers has put together a kit on Web 2.0 Design Tutorials. Since there was just a post on the Top 10 Web 2.0 Designs, I might as well follow up with this.
A good post for starting designers looking for the Web 2.0 look.
Exploring User Mental Models of breadcrumbs in Web Navigation
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 4:39 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Usability | Comments: 0
A solid usability study on the how the type of breadcrumbs can show users the breadth and depth of web sites.
Angela Colter from the University of Baltimore did a study on exploring user mental models of breadcrumbs in web navigation and posted the results on her site.
She also defined three types of breadcrumbs:
Top 10 Web 2.0 Designs
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 4:20 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Web 2.0 | Comments: 0
An exceptional list of top Web 2.0 sites.
One site I came across is Cameron Olthius's Top 10 Web 2.0 Designs and found it extremely useful. Yes, I know, I know....there's no such thing as Web 2.0. However, I do like the term "Open web."
I've heard of over half of them, but the remaining sites I need to visit.
50 Ways to become a better designer
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 4:13 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Career | Comments: 0
Taking breaks, using metaphors, and carrying a sketchbook are but a few of these ways to better yourself as a designer.
ComputerArts in the UK posted a great article on 50 ways to become a better designer. Using these techniques, this can stimulate more creativity and productivity.
One method they listed works wonders. Ask your significant other about how a design, logo, or site layout looks because you need to get a fresh perspective on what your working on. If the person doesn't have any experience, even better. The person will give their honest opinion about what they like and don't like. Perfect!
How to make time for a life, or Click mini-review
Monday, June 26, 2006 4:26 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Opinion | Comments: 0
Make time for your friends and family because you never know what may happen next.
If you think this is a review of the movie Click, you may be right, but for some of you part-time or full-time entrepreneur's, this movie may be a serious wake-up call.
Everyone has always said, "Gosh, I wish I had a remote control and rewind that part of my life and do things differently." The movie does just that, but it just takes you back to when the event happened. You can't interact with anything or anybody.
10 ways to relaxify your workspace
Monday, June 26, 2006 4:13 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Business | Comments: 0
Highly stressed on the job? Here are tens way to take it easy in your personal workspace.
Most people are stressed out in their jobs (some people more than others). :-)
Steve Pavlina.com has an article on 10 ways to relaxify your workspace so you can become more productive.
Coding Like a Cowboy
Friday, June 23, 2006 5:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Developers | Comments: 0
If you feel like coding like a cowboy, go ahead...but keep in mind, you need to do it properly.
One of my friends (Darell K.) from Erie, PA always told me that when he received requirements for a project, he would always start coding immediately. I asked him why he would always do this. You would need to code a prototype and then review the code, ask questions, then start building the code properly. I firmly agreed with his approach, but our supervisor at the time didn't (Sorry Fran). :-)
The idea that was explained to me was to find any gotchas in the feature/enhancement requested.
Fireday - Firefox extensions for June 23, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006 4:15 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Fireday | Comments: 0
This week: Jybe, Peekko, and ScreenGrab.
First week of Summer (started Wednesday) and boy, did it get hot and humid! Wow!
Now for some Firefox extensions...
Humor: If Architects had to work like programmers...
Friday, June 23, 2006 4:04 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Humor | Comments: 0
Another classic...
Dear Mr. Architect,
Please design and build me a house. I am not quite sure of what I need, so you should use your discretion.
My house should have between two and forty-five bedrooms. Just make sure the plans are such that the bedrooms can be easily added or deleted. When you bring the blueprints to me, I will make the final decision of what I want. Also, bring me the cost breakdown for each configuration so that I can arbitrarily pick one.
Humor: Real Programmers don't eat Quiche
Friday, June 23, 2006 4:02 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Humor | Comments: 0
One of my favorite classics.
Real Programmers Don't Eat Quiche (They Can't Even Spell Quiche)
Real Programmers....
Speed Links - Jun-22-2006: Designer
Thursday, June 22, 2006 6:10 PM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Speed Links | Comments: 0
Designers! Here are some links geared especially towards you since I'm getting a lot of designer /graphic back links.
- How to make illustrations even if you can't draw
eirikso.com talks about how he easily takes his drawings and makes illustrations out of them and gives us some clue on how to draw even when we don't know where to start. - Mizuno's Super Airbrush Tutorial
One of the things you notice with the centerfolds is that in older times (oh, and today even) most models are air brushed so their freckles and moles on their body aren't seen. Here is a super tutorial on how to airbrush photos professionally. - How to create your own planet
Interested in making your own planet? Here is a tutorial using Photoshop and textures to make your own planet. Very kewl! - How Marlon Brando reprised his role in Superman Returns.
For you animators, this is right up your alley. If you haven't seen this from aintitcool.com yet, definitely check this out. - Add a "Sin City" look to your photos.
Want your photos to look like scenes from the movie "Sin City?" Here's how. (Jim W, this ones for you, Happy B-Day!). ;-)
10 things you should know about deploying a UPS
Thursday, June 22, 2006 4:09 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: General | Comments: 0
Good tips on how to deploy a UPS in a corporate environment
TechRepublic.com posted an article on 10 tips on how to deploy a UPS.
I definitely like the analogy of number 10. "UPSes are lifeboats, not bridges."
Clean up your CSS
Thursday, June 22, 2006 3:57 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: CSS | Comments: 0
Does your CSS look a mess? Try this new tool to clean it up.
The Clean CSS tool takes your existing CSS and cleans it by applying certain (excuse the pun) styles to the CSS.
You can take your CSS code and paste it into the workarea or use a URL to grab from a site. When you've entered your CSS into the Clean CSS, now you start to select how you want your CSS cleaned.
How to set salaries
Thursday, June 22, 2006 3:49 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Business | Comments: 0
Confused about what to pay future employees? Follow these steps to find out.
If you were king for a day and someone said that you need to set the salaries for your future employees, would you know where to start?
Entrepreneur.com has an article on how to set salaries of employees, even without the need for a calculus book.
New Features on Google Calendar
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 4:59 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Google | Comments: 0
Google enhances their online calendar app even further with 8 new features.
Google added more enhancements to their Google Calendar application, which includes the following:
- Add the calendar to your Google personalized homepage
- Publish your calendar and share it with the world (if you want)
- Access your calendar from your phone
- View your calendar with Google Desktop
- Support for Verizon
- Integration with GMail for your domain
- Simple Calendar and Event Publishing
- Google Calendar Data API
These enhancements are moving more towards an Outlook-style format...and I like it! I would rather be able to access my contacts and calendar online as opposed to fat clients.
Top 10 low-cost or free ways to promote your business
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 4:30 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Marketing | Comments: 0
10 ways to market your business on a shoestring (or free) budget.
If you are an entrepreneur, you understand how hard it is sometimes to market your business and how tough it really can be.
Workz.com provides the top 10 ways for you to promote your small business with either little or no cost to you.
Opera 9 is released!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 4:09 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: News | Comments: 0
The new Opera 9 has a lot of new features.
Opera 9 has been released and is packed with a lot of features. Some of the features include BitTorrent capabilities, custom search engines, widgets, and thumbnail previews.
