Archive for March, 2010


Mar
17

5 Excellent Web Developer Tools

March 17th, 2010 by Elliot Reeve

As web developers we all use a range of different programs and tools to help us go about our day to day work. As time goes on new programs are released which take away that really annoying problem which you wish wasn’t there. However as soon as that problem is eradicated we tend to forget what it was like before.

So if you didn’t have the use of the programs, tools and knowledge which you have gained over the years how would this have effected your development of becoming a web developer that you are today? Below I will be looking at 5 different programs or tools which I use on a daily basis to make my life that little bit easier.

Coda

Coda is a superb text editor for Mac OS X, its so easy to use, allowing you to manage multiple sites and format your code in a way in which suits you. Coda also allows you to preview your site, write beautiful CSS and even includes a built in terminal. Without Coda coding websites would take us alot longer and require alot more tools, don’t hesitate to try it! Download Coda >>

Tiny Grab

Tiny Grab automatically uploads screenshots you take and copies them to your clipboard so that you can easily send them to a friend for quick viewing. This is an excellent tool if you work with other web developers on the internet as it allows you to quickly show examples of something you have seen to help explain/describe/show the matter being discussed. Download TinyGrab >>

Subversion

Subversion is a revision control system which allows you to work on a new revision of a website whilst still showing your current users a previous revision. Once you have finished making the necessary changes you can commit your latest revision and the changes made will go live. This excellent tool therefore allows you to make changes to a website without effecting your users until its complete. If at any point you make a mistake you simply role back to a previous version!

Dropbox

Dropbox is another tool which is very useful for web developers who outsource work, for example to graphic designers. Dropbox allows you to share files between users avoiding the hassle of sending large files through email. If a file is added or modified a notification is displayed. Although limited to 2GB simply invite some friends to use Dropbox and this gets increased. Download Dropbox >>

Mozilla Firebug

Mozilla Firebug allows you to inspect elements of a website within the browser, this is excellent tool for diagnosing display problems as you can inspect the element of section which is incorrect and view the css etc of that element in order to solve the problem. This can save large amounts of time when developing a new website, its a must have for any web developer. Download Mozilla Firebug >>

If anyone has any other programs or tools they want to share, or think they have a program/tool which does a better job than the ones listed here be sure to leave a comment with your recommendations it would be great to hear some different opinions.

Mar
03

We Are A Greedy Society Of People

March 3rd, 2010 by Dave Heward

After an argument with a friend about the movie Avatar it made me realise that society has become ever more greedy! A machine hoovering and gobbling up all that is offered on a plate and un-politely shouting back “more please…..oh and next time make it better”.

Think back to the days when the human race marvelled at our own achievements for example landing on the moon, space, power of flight, learning the earth was infact round not square and medicinal revolutions. All of these things were celebrated around the world as near on miracles never before being more than a dream.

Think back to the days when movies were black and white or had no visual effects in them what so ever, most people would never have dreamed movies would have progressed to what they are now. This doesn’t make these movies bad movies at all, but they lack revolutionary techniques and abilities that films have available to them in the modern day industry. So lets use this as an example……Star Wars comes out, first movie of its kind and scale, nothing is comparable to it, and its now hailed as a revolutionary masterpiece and probably will be for the rest of time. Now lets compare that to Avatar and in this case my friend whos view was this……


“The 3-D aspect and the ‘world’ are impressive for the first half hour.”


Notice how he admits to the marvel that is Avatars world, but as he has slowly been exposed to similar lesser visual effects through previous movies and although impressed initially soon loses interest. Now put into perspective the Star Wars movies and how they are still viewed as great movies despite being very dated. It almost points to a certain fact which is key to alot of businesses around the world.

“Be the first and be original”


Now think about this, if you were fortunate enough to have been alive the day the first ever landing on our wonderful moon took place, as a world stood still to witness a landmark in human kinds achievements, you would hold this date and memory vividly in your mind. Then think about humans landing a space craft on Mars, this is a massively more significant mission, much more complex, costly and daring than landing on the moon, but do you remember it? The date? Maybe you remember reading something about it? But there was no stand still for sure. And you know why? Its not new news anymore…….you’ve heard alot about space missions and your bored…..until something totally revolutionary or significant comes along you probably won’t be interested again.

After going on a bit of a mazey helter skelter of a ride you’ll hopefully now be seeing my point, which I believe can be pinned to almost any product, any type of service or any entity.

In most cases no matter what it might be, the average person is not bothered about the complexity of how you deliver a product or service, but that you do deliver it.


Its key to remember, only you and other like minded people will be impressed by the complexity, cost and how you implement a product, story or service. Others, generally speaking are more interested that the product does what it says it does, and it does so well.

Which now leads me back to the overall point of this post, in a society where only the very new of the new seem to make people stop and wonder, how does a business, service or entity using non revolutionary techniques get themselves recognised…..i’ll leave you with that thought.