StringFoo :: Web Development Resources » News

Google’s New HTML5 Resource Site

sstringer — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 13:03:38 +0000

Not to be outdone by Apple's recent launch of their HTML5 playground, Google has launched their own HTML5 Developer Resource site called HTML5Rocks.com. The site has some useful tutorials and an interactive sandbox, but for the time-impaired, they also have an excellent presentation that shows you quickly what is new and different. As with most things Google, it's not the prettiest site, but it gets the job done. Check it out.

MapTechnica Try-Before-You-Buy

sstringer — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:04:38 +0000

If you've been considering buying a MapTechnica Tile Set (c'mon, you know I'm talking about you), you now have a risk-free way to try a sample tile set to see if it will work for your map project. I created a special tile set that contains the Rhode Island tile set and supporting data, along with sample files that help you get going quickly. For more details, visit the Free 5-Digit ZIP Code Sample Set Information page over at MapTechnica.

HTML5 Demos & Tutorials

sstringer — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:05:56 +0000

Apple has just launched an effort to support more widespread adoption of HTML5 in the developer community. This page showcases a bunch of cutting-edge demos, and this page digs into the demos more deeply and provides more resources to learn how to develop features using HTML5.

Standards aren’t add-ons to the web. They are the web. And you can start using them today.

DishNetwork.com: Thy Name is “Suck”

sstringer — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:28:38 +0000

I try to use this site for positive tips, tricks & posts about web development. No, really. I do. But every now and then I come across a site so horrible, so incomprehensibly broken, that I just need to call them out by name: Dish Network.

Scripps Network Douchebaggery

sstringer — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:10:45 +0000

Time to step up onto my organic soap box. HGTV's latest Green Home Giveaway web page represents web usability at its worst. They've sacrificed usability and accessibility in a needless effort to "force" their visitors into action. And they should be ashamed.

MapTechnica Updated With US City Boundary Maps

sstringer — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:53:03 +0000

Lots going on over at my side-project, MapTechnica, lately. In addition to the US 5-Digit Zip Code Maps and US County Boundary Maps, I've just turned on City maps.

Tutorial: Enabling Root Access in OS X (Snow Leopard)

sstringer — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:13:29 +0000

By default, the root account is disabled in OS X. If you are a developer new to the platform, you will be needing to access many things that are available only with root access. This tutorial walks you through the process of enabling the root account in Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6).

NOTE: This guide is specific to enabling root access on Snow Leopard, (10.6). To learn how to enable root access on Tiger (10.4), follow these instructions instead. To learn how to enable root access in Leopard (10.5), follow these instructions.

Enabling Root in Snow Leopard 10.6:

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences and click Accounts
Click Login Options
Click either Edit or Join in the Network Account Server section
Click Open Directory Utility
Click the lock icon to unlock it, and then enter your administrator name and password
Choose Edit > Enable Root User, and then enter a root password in the Password and Verify fields

Now, you are set to access protected areas of the system via the terminal.

Help Google Help You (Deal With Duplicate Content)

sstringer — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:54:26 +0000

If you have any dynamic sites that can display the same information through a variety of URLs (e.g. "somepage.php?category=cats&story=123" vs. "somepage.php?story=123&category=cats"), Google has provided a way for you to avoid the duplicate content issue by providing a "preferred link." Basically, you add a special link tag to the head of your page:

When Google finds duplicate content, it will transfer the page ranks and index data to your preferred link. Clap your hands and say yeah. You're done. Head on over to the Google Webmasters Central Blog for details on this tip.

Open redirect URLs: Is your site being abused?

sstringer — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:41:49 +0000

“The Art & Science Of CSS” free download from SitePoint

sstringer — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:42:24 +0000

(via @goatlady's tweet:) For the next 14 days, one of SitePoint's most popular books, "The Art & Science Of CSS," is available to download for FREE. The promotion is designed to get you to follow SitePoint on Twitter, but you can enter your favorite spam catching email address to get the download for free, too. Click here: Twitaway Free Offer [NOTE:] In fact, at the moment, the email signup is the only way to get the download link. Twitter spanked SitePoint for sending too many DMs with links, so following them won't do you any good at this point (unless you just want good karma points).