Web Development
Cyber Bullying - the dark side of the internet
Bullying is perhaps one of the oldest and most unpleasant human traits. With the rise of the internet we have moved from the playground and office bully, who is easy to identify, to the more anonymous cyber bully.
Sadly cyber bullying is something that is on the rise and schools and the workplace are still attempting to establish means to identify this and handle it appropriately.
Over the last year I have been working closely with several schools across the UK to raise awareness of the issue of cyber bullying and to establish policies and best practice to handle this appropriately and considerately.
Add a commentOnline or in person?
There are certainly benefits to both social networking and networking in person. Is one really better than the other? Well, I guess my answer is that in order to really develop quality relationships, face-to-face is the best way. Is that always possible in today’s technological age of communicating online all over the world? Not always.
Social networking makes it very convenient for the non-socialites to stay cocooned in their own little world. Sure, they talk to people on the phone, over Skype, they Twitter and blog, but I would argue that the bulk of that interaction with the outside world only creates a “surface relationship.” Whereas an interpersonal relationship requires getting to know the other person more deeply.
Add a commentDrop-down menus suck!
The other day I was conducting a review of a new web site and came across my favourite usability failure.
Drop Down menus suck!!
Not the whole menu of course just the bad habit of site builders who add functionality to the top level link.
Add a commentCross browser web site testing
With every web browser on the planet rendering differently it's a constant battle ensuring that your beautifully and painstakingly designed web site looks just as gorgeous on all browsers.
Personally I build a site entirely using Firefox and only at the end of the build process do I look at it in other browsers, curse and swear and then start to fix issues.
But what is the best way to check your site on multiple browsers?
Add a commentSticky fingers on your web site
If there is one thing I am fairly confident of this year is that touch will become an even hotter topic.
The recent CES saw a plethora of new touch enabled computers, Apple is still promising to release the iSlate (maybe even this week) and more people are browsing the web every day on their mobile phone.
So have you checked to see if your web site is touchable?
Add a commentScratching an itch - or - filling your pockets
In his now infamous book, The Cathedral and the Bazaar
, Eric S Raymond wrote "Every good work of software starts by scratching a developer's personal itch."
- Once you've started scratching does the itch go away?
- Do you reach a point where the itch has gone but the software is not complete.
- If you do what happens next?
Writing a new piece of software can be hard work and time consuming. You slave away at it in your spare time for days, weeks, months and even years until it works the way you need it to.
Add a commentRapid iPhone development - no code required
A few months ago I joined the dark side and bought a Mac because I had an idea to build an iPhone app for one of my largest clients.
I'm not a programmer although I like to think I am quite good at reading code and hacking it, I just don't have the skills to start from scratch.
But my app was fairly basic, really not much more than an on-line book, so how hard could it be? Surely I would be able to re-use some of the skills I have learnt over the years with Joomla.
With my shiny new Mac I downloaded the iPhone SDK, bought a few books, installed the IDE and stared at the blank screen not knowing where to start.
As with so many things in life this looked destined to be one of those ideas that never came to fruition. So I put the iPhone development on the back-burner and moved on to other projects.
Add a commentWhat the F**k is Social Media
So I have a blog, a twitter account, a facebook page, posted videos to youtube and vimeo and numerous other "social media" accounts but why?
I famously told one client that Web 2.0 is a "crock of sh*t" and a "waste of time (for them)" and for that client I was proven correct.
But is it really?
Should I be taking more notice of Social Media?
Does it matter?
Why is good content so important for my website?
This is a guest blog post by Samantha Bovat
Where do I begin…
There are so many reasons to have quality content on your website and your reputation is #1. Without a clear and effective message, you will lose visitors.
Take a step back and really look at your website’s home page. Just the home page. What do you see? If you landed here inadvertently- would you know what the business or service is that the owner is providing. Are you the intended audience for such services? If you are a potential client, do you know what to do next?
Add a commentI've taken a bite of the apple
On Friday I did something that I never thought I would ever do. I bought a Mac. To be more exact I bought one of the new aluminium Mac Book Pro.
I've been a PC user for more years than I like to remember and although I have dabbled with OS X on occasions in the past I have never before succumbed.
Right now I feel a little bit like Adam being tempted to take a bite out of the apple by Eve, I just hope it doesn't lead to the same result.
So what made me take the leap?
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