Internet Explorer Must Be Stopped
Casual web users probably find this chart amusing, but my fellow web professionals know how close it comes to the truth. Today, I’d like you to take note of the giant yellow section in the top, right-hand corner that indicates, “Time spent trying to get the bastard to work in Internet fucking Explorer.” In case [...]
Guess Who Owns Information Online
I’ll give you a hint: It’s not you. The AP is making a big hubbub about fair use of its material. The music industry is waging war against the Pirate Bay. What the people behind these headlines fail to realize is that, on the web, information cannot be contained. It flows and propagates, spreading across [...]
The Big Problem of “Little Things”
Most of us have been there. You’ve got a busy week ahead of you, full to the brim with big projects. Inevitably, though, someone asks if you can, “Do this one little thing real quick.” You take a few minutes to do so. After all, what’s the harm? Then another “little thing” pops up. And [...]
Bridging the Digital Divide to Combat Poverty
What can a person do to elevate him or herself from poverty? What can the rest of us do to help the less fortunate and combat poverty on the local, national, and even global levels? Everyone has a different opinion. Certainly, there are many good answers to this question, and you’ll probably hear a lot [...]
Float vs Position in Layout: My Gripe with Andy Clarke
In his book, Transcending CSS: The Fine Art of Web Design, author Andy Clarke argues in favor of content-out markup. This approach centers around defining the content on the page in a semantic way that makes sense to those using browsers without style information. The base XHTML should be as free of layout coding as [...]
Aside: Working in Moderation
Work to live; don’t live to work. – Steve Povlish Don’t get me wrong; I value a job well done as much as the next person. In fact, I feel unfulfilled at the end of the day if I don’t do something meaningful at work. I don’t have to get everything done, but as long [...]
A Value-Based Approach to Website Strategy
If you examine a website closely enough, you can almost always identify some form of commercial interest behind it. This is often overt, as in e-commerce websites or content sites with advertising. Sometimes, however, the commercial interest is more subtle. Ward on the Web, for instance, is a professional blog devoid of advertising. Because its [...]
Death of the Computer Guy
(Rant Warning: This article is a departure from my normal tone. I’ve dealt with this issue far too many times to word it less strongly. I hope you’ll bear with me.) You wrote the cover letter. You submitted the resume. They knew who you were, what you could do, and why you were interested in [...]
The Secret to Blogging for Money
For many, professional blogging is a dream job where you sit at home, work your own hours, and earn boatloads of money with little effort. You can live freely and make your living writing about your passions, all without changing out of your PJs. These starry-eyed dreamers look up to the greats and say, “Me [...]