Rethinking the way a web page HTML is constructed – using the new HTML 5 syntax to create a web page with better structure and leaner code. It allows grouping of elements and the ability to differentiate between sections of a page. Making tags uniform allows everyone to consistently define content, makes it easier for web applications and…
Social media and site promotion. Improving site visibility by using and updating social media such as Facebook, Twitter and others has become an almost required part of successful SEO. Methods for installing the buttons and links differ whether on static pages or CMS pages. See below for some interesting links on the how-and-why aspects. A…
With the ever increasing use of Content Management Systems, we need to consider how well do they perform when it comes to usability and download times. With the majority of the ‘page’ being constructed on-the-fly by multiple server requests, is it faster or slower than a standard HTML page? “Fast sites increase user satisfaction and…
Using a CMS system to create and manage a web site is becoming more desirable. There are many out there, and the decision on which to use depends on the web site’s requirements. Popular “open source” options include Drupal and WordPress. Both robust and well thought-out systems. However, deciding on which to use – then…
We see the writing on the wall.. the future of web site construction is firmly moving from hand-coded HTML pages to CMS driven sites. Systems such as Drupal, WordPress and Joomla etc., offer many advantages and dynamic features built-in, and with regular updates CMS-driven sites stay current with all the latest code, dynamic goodies, SEO…
Styling your websites with attractive and reliable fonts. In the past we had to play it safe and choose fonts we assumed were installed on viewer’s computers, Choices were limited to “serif” v/s”sans serif“, or Verdana v/s Times. Now there are many more options available now using the online @font system, and using HTML and…
The SIG meeting occurred as usual, however the planned subject – using the @font functionality – was shelved until our next meeting in October. (There is no web design SIG meeting in September.) Instead we opened up InDesign and edited, tweaked and improved the new and updated DACS tri-fold brochure. With input from all attendees,…
HTML 5 How does HTML5 differ from HTML4, and what is important to know. Is it ready yet? http://www.ishtml5readyyet.com/ HTML5 tries to address the deficiencies of HTML 4 The new and changed codes provides better support for current web requirements, reducing the need for plugins. User Application support still varies, but what can be implemented…
For those of us using WordPress installations to power our websites, it soon becomes apparent that there is constant maintenance to be done. Seems version updates – and plugin updates are needed almost weekly. This is a good thing, as security holes are tighened and improvements are activated. If you plan to upgrade to WordPress…
There are many image gallery plug-ins for WordPress which provide a way of showing images in galleries and albums and use the version of the ‘lightbox’ overlay. NextGen Gallery by Alex Rabe – Download the NextGen Gallery plug in. (The current version needs PHP 5.2 to run) http://alexrabe.de/wordpress-plugins/nextgen-gallery/ Older versions can be downloaded which run…