19January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Software.
Departing from web design, there are some software packages that we have begun to use with regularity. Burning a CD or DVD can be a complicated process, or friendly and simple. Many of these packages were free in the past, and there still are good free packages available. But sometimes you get what you pay for.
Nero is winning awards, and deserves your consideration.
17January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Web design.
Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the availability of Adobe® Flash® Player 9 for Linux, the next-generation client runtime for engaging with Flash content and applications on Linux open source operating systems.
17January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Web design.
I’ve written before about web standards, accessibility, and proper coding for web pages. These are crucial to solid web development, and requirements in government, at least here in the United States. That does not mean that all web pages validate, as is apparent from our own Whitehouse web site.
However, as eGovernment becomes more commonplace, the World Wide Web Consortium once again is at the forefront of ensuring that proper standards are in place.
Today, the W3C announced is holding a European Symposium on eGovernment on 1-2 February 2007 in Gijón, Asturias, Spain. Participants will discuss issues that governments and citizens currently face in their use of Web technology. The Symposium may lead to suggestions for improvements in W3C specifications or further W3C energies devoted to eGovernment initiatives.
eGovernment refers to the use of the Web or other information technologies by governing bodies to interact with their citizenry. Like any information provider, governments have found it useful and efficient to interact with customers — citizens — online, allowing them to file tax returns online, take drivers education classes, access forms, and vote. Access to information, and efficient and secure interactions, help ensure fair governance. Following interoperable, open Web standards helps ensure access to information to people with diverse capabilities, using various devices, and helps ensure that “the people’s data” will remain available long into the future.
10January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Education; Web design.
Those of us surfing the Web in English, or, for that matter, a Western, romantic language, forget sometimes that a very significant portion of the world’s population has a completely different understanding of language. The World Wide Web Consortium, an international consortium where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards, is looking at the big picture. Today, the W3C took steps to broaden support for the world’s languages in voice applications on the Web.
From the release:
It is forecast that within three years, the World Wide Web will contain significantly more content from Chinese and Indian language families, among others. In many of the regions where these languages are spoken, people can access the Web more easily through a less expensive mobile handset than through a desktop computer. Today the world has more than ten times as many cellphones as Internet-connected personal computers. With an improved SSML, people worldwide will have an increased ability to listen to synthesized speech through mobile phones, desktop computers and other devices, extending the reach of computation and information delivery to nearly every corner of the globe.
10January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Computer hardware; Education; Operating Systems; Windows.
If you don’t regularly sweep for spyware, you should. According to a decent article on Wikipedia, “Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about users without their informed consent. The term, coined in 1995 but not widely used for another five years, is often used interchangeably with adware and malware (software designed to infiltrate and damage a computer).” There are unscrupulous programmers who write code to infest your computer. Spyware is different than a virus, but equally as dangerous.
News today from Business Wire says that SC Magazine has named Webroot’s Spy Sweeper Enterprise 3.0 the best anti-spyware program of 2006. That’s quite a distinction. SC Magazine provides IT security professionals with in-depth and unbiased information through timely news, comprehensive analysis, cutting-edge features, contributions from thought leaders and the best, most extensive collection of product reviews in the business. Read the entire release here.
9January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Search Engines; Web design.
eNews Park Forest reports today that Google debuts at number one on FORTUNE’s 2007 list of ”100 Best Companies to Work For.” This is a very impressive honor for a company that started out providing a search engine. The story reports on some of the perks included in working for Google:
At Google you can enjoy free gourmet meals; do your laundry; drop off your dry cleaning; get an oil change and get a massage all onsite. Work is such a cozy place that it’s sometimes difficult for Google employees to leave the office, which is precisely how the company justifies the expenses, none of which it breaks out of its administrative costs. Engineers can spend 20% of time on independent projects—no wonder Google gets 1,300 resumes a day. “It’s easy for Google’s people to be energized, though, when their company is so stinking rich that it continues to ooze cash even while lavishing benefits on its staff,†says FORTUNE’s Adam Lashinsky. “Just eight years out of the garage, Google will surpass $10 billion in sales for 2006,†he adds.
Congratulations Google!
3January2007
Posted by Gary K under: Web design.
ZDNet is reporting today on an error in Adobe’s Acrobat Reader that could allow cybercrooks to take advantage of websites that link PDF documents.
An error in the Web browser plug-in of Adobe Systems’ tool lets cybercrooks co-opt the address of any Web site that hosts an Adobe PDF file for use in attacks, Symantec and VeriSign iDefense said. An attacker could construct seemingly trusted links and add malicious JavaScript code that will run once the link is clicked, they said.
For example, an attacker could find a PDF file on a bank Web site and then create a hostile link to that file along with malicious JavaScript, Ken Dunham, director of the Rapid Response Team at VeriSign iDefense, said in a statement.
“This vulnerability makes it possible for cross-site-scripting (XSS) attacks to occur, to steal cookies, session information, or possibly create a XSS worm,” he said. XSS attacks put online accounts at risk of hijack and feed information-thieving phishing scams by allowing miscreants to use seemingly trusted links to point to fraudulent Web sites.
To mitigate against the new threat, users can upgrade to Adobe Reader 8.
As I look at my web statistics for various sites that I operate, I’m still amazed at how many people are running Internet Explorer 5.5, sometimes 3.x. It’s always a good idea to upgrade. Given a choice — and you do have a choice — I would recommend Firefox for Windows users. But if you do use Internet Explorer, you should upgrade to the latest Internet Explorer 7 if your system can handle it.
Yes, there are still some people using Windows 98.
But certainly upgrade your Adobe Reader.
1January2007
Posted by Gary K under: CSS; Web design.
This is very cool. A List Apart has an innovative article on a technique that allows one web design to suffice for a number of screen resolutions. The technique allows for a truly liquid layout. The page changes on the fly as the resolution of the browser changes.
It’s not all CSS. The Switchy McLayout technique uses a bit of unobtrusive javascript, separating behavior from markup.
To give you an idea of what is possible, try the example page first. When this page loads, resize it and watch the purple bar above the layout. You’ll see the pixel measurement at the top change, representing the current width of your browser window.
Even more fascinating to me is the second example in this article. Notice how the four articles jump to an Ajax-like box as you size them down. First, the tabs are on top. Then, as the screen shrinks even more, the tabs jump to the side. Finally, the articles simply stack one on top of the other for very small resolutions.
This is innovative web design, truly on the cutting edge.
29December2006
Posted by Gary K under: Operating Systems; Windows.
The horror stories from Microsoft’s new operating system, Vista, just keep coming in. This one is just weird.
Microsoft now gives you 15 — count ‘em — 15 different ways to leave your computer. For all you Paul Simon fans, there’s got to be a song in there somewhere. From an article by Joel Spolsky:
Every time you want to leave your computer, you have to choose between nine, count them, nine options: two icons and seven menu items. The two icons, I think, are shortcuts to menu items. I’m guessing the lock icon does the same thing as the lock menu item, but I’m not sure which menu item the on/off icon corresponds to.
Do you know the difference between “hibernate” and “sleep” in the computer world? More power to you if you do. I don’t care.
I know MS Vista does not pass the “Mom” test. This one is too geeked-out even for me.
Read Joel’s full article and learn more about Microsoft’s Brave New World.
29December2006
Posted by Gary K under: Search Engines; Web design.
Page rank has always perplexed me. I know it’s important, but it is not a terribly easy concept to grasp. Of course, the formula Google uses is clear as day:
PR(A) = (1-d) + d(PR(t1)/C(t1) + … + PR(tn)/C(tn))
That’s just clear as a bell.
Actually, there is a complete explanation here, at the WebWorkshop. And, I suppose, I’m contributing to their page rank by citing them here in this blog.
And the wheel goes round and round.
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