PageToScreen - On paper its one thing, on screen its another http://www.pagetoscreen.net/ On paper its one thing. On screen its another. en chris@pagetoscreen.net Copyright 2008 2008-11-09T21:24:00+00:00 Validation: Why bother? http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/validation_why_bother/ If you give your web page a doctype, then you can make use of a validator to see that the markup is in good condition. Smarten up your act. Validate your web pages so that web browsers know what they are getting and can interpret your HTML correctly. Validation is an important part of web site implementation because if a page validates it means that the main browsers will be getting well formed markup and (in theory) should be able to render your design as expected. Ideas, Web Technology Smarten up your act. Validate your web pages so that web browsers know what they are getting and can interpret your HTML correctly.

Validation is an important part of web site implementation because if a page validates it means that the main browsers will be getting well formed markup and (in theory) should be able to render your design as expected.

]]> 2008-11-09T21:24:00+00:00 Start of the Page Navigation http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/start_of_the_page_navigation/ Where pages are very long, like a list of events or news items, we might want a way to quickly move back the top of the page. You will have seen ‘back to the Top’ or some such phrase used on web sites. I have always hated seeing that phrse, because ‘top’ doesn’t really make a lot of sense. Words lke this just distract from the real content. There are often times, though that pages become very long when lots of items (like in a blog) are listed, and it really does help if there is a quick way to get back to the navigation and menus etc. Here is what I am doing on a few sites. ExpressionEngine, How I do things, Ideas You will have seen ‘back to the Top’ or some such phrase used on web sites. I have always hated seeing that phrse, because ‘top’ doesn’t really make a lot of sense. Words lke this just distract from the real content.

There are often times, though that pages become very long when lots of items (like in a blog) are listed, and it really does help if there is a quick way to get back to the navigation and menus etc.

Here is what I am doing on a few sites.

]]> 2008-07-08T12:25:00+00:00 New BBC Website for wider display http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/new_bbc_website_for_wider_display/ Ho hum. The BBC have delivered a new web site and it sits in the middle instead of ranged left. I think this looks really good. It really is just plain simple and the layout is not too busy. The best feature has to be the customisation. It is possible to change the colour scheme and choose alternative categories for the site.One important change; this is set up as fixed width - fitting into a 1024 pixel wide display. Most sites I work on are still kind to users with 800 pixel widths.You can find the BBC web site here. Noticed I think this looks really good. It really is just plain simple and the layout is not too busy. The best feature has to be the customisation. It is possible to change the colour scheme and choose alternative categories for the site.

One important change; this is set up as fixed width - fitting into a 1024 pixel wide display. Most sites I work on are still kind to users with 800 pixel widths.

You can find the BBC web site here.

]]> 2008-04-09T17:44:01+00:00 Public or Private http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/public_or_private/ I have set up a few forums and blogs with commenting and I have had some thoughts and issues about what should be private and what should be public. This can often lead to confusion. Why should things need to be kept private and how do you manage different levels of privilege? Ideas I have set up a few forums and blogs with commenting and I have had some thoughts and issues about what should be private and what should be public. This can often lead to confusion. Why should things need to be kept private and how do you manage different levels of privilege?

]]> 2008-02-04T10:40:01+00:00 Cables Cobbled http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/cables_cobbled/ Internet links to the middle east and beyond are broken because of 2 broken undersea cables. We don't tend to think about it that often but our connections around the world are actually reliant on cables laid on the ocean floor. It turns out that 2 cables running side by side have been severed by a ship's anchor off the coast Egypt.There are conflicting reports about the cause but what seems strange to me is that the cables are near enough to one another to have sustained the same damage.  Noticed We don't tend to think about it that often but our connections around the world are actually reliant on cables laid on the ocean floor. It turns out that 2 cables running side by side have been severed by a ship's anchor off the coast Egypt.

There are conflicting reports about the cause but what seems strange to me is that the cables are near enough to one another to have sustained the same damage. 

]]> 2008-02-03T20:08:00+00:00 Coda-ing http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/coda_ing/ I am now using Coda. Used up the tryout period and have now committed some money for real!What a tremendous tool this is but wait.... I still have some niggles. I love it but how can I deal with all the other lovely tools that now clutter my applications folder. What shall I do with BBedit? And what of TextMate? My students need to use Dreamweaver (unfortunately), so I still need to know all about that too.  Software Used up the tryout period and have now committed some money for real!

What a tremendous tool this is but wait.... I still have some niggles. I love it but how can I deal with all the other lovely tools that now clutter my applications folder. What shall I do with BBedit? And what of TextMate? My students need to use Dreamweaver (unfortunately), so I still need to know all about that too. 

]]> 2007-11-11T19:54:00+00:00 The $100 Laptop http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/the_100_laptop/ I heard more about this on David Pogue's Podcast. David Pogue, who now says that he will stop his podcast for a while elaborated on the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).Earlier on Pogue reviewed the laptop and you can see this on YouTube. Take look ...  Noticed David Pogue, who now says that he will stop his podcast for a while elaborated on the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).

Earlier on Pogue reviewed the laptop and you can see this on YouTube. Take look ... 

]]> 2007-10-17T11:34:00+00:00 Realistic Electronic Books http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/realistic_electronic_books/ Veronica Liesaputra presenting her PhD work on user-interfaces for eBooks. This is a Google TechTalk from Google's YouTube channel.An electronic book is defined as a digital book that not only captures the affordances of a physical book, but also transcends the limitations of its paper counterpart. There is much debate as to whether the use of the book metaphor is appropriate for an electronic document. - Veronica Liesaputra  Reading, Technology This is a Google TechTalk from Google's YouTube channel.

An electronic book is defined as a digital book that not only captures the affordances of a physical book, but also transcends the limitations of its paper counterpart. There is much debate as to whether the use of the book metaphor is appropriate for an electronic document. - Veronica Liesaputra

 

]]> 2007-07-31T15:15:00+00:00 Announcing the Open Library http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/announcing_the_open_library/ Aaron Swartz has announced a demo of the Open Library Project. I really admire this idea and wish him and the team the very best of luck with it. The technology looks really good and the team includes designer Rebecca Malamud who's work I have admired before at MappaMundi.net Visit the Open Library site Sourced at Aaron Swartz Books, Noticed, Publishing, Reading Aaron Swartz has announced a demo of the Open Library Project. I really admire this idea and wish him and the team the very best of luck with it. The technology looks really good and the team includes designer Rebecca Malamud who's work I have admired before at MappaMundi.net

Visit the Open Library site

Sourced at Aaron Swartz

]]> 2007-07-30T22:06:00+00:00 Talk to the Sichuan Media and Journalism Programme http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/sichuan_media/ I gave a talk on Digital Publishing today for Oxford University The group of journalists were from Sichuan provence in China and were undertaking a course in the department of continuing Education at Oxford.Here is the lecture  Talks The group of journalists were from Sichuan provence in China and were undertaking a course in the department of continuing Education at Oxford.

Here is the lecture 

]]> 2007-07-19T15:08:00+00:00 Digital Da Vinci Codes: Thousands of Leonardo’s Papers Go Online http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/digital_da_vinci_codes_thousands_of_leonardos_papers_go_online/ A small library in Leonardo Da Vinci’s hometown uploads a large portion of the Renaissance man’s notes into a searchable digital archive, free for all the world to pick through. Sourced at Wired News Education, Noticed A small library in Leonardo Da Vinci’s hometown uploads a large portion of the Renaissance man’s notes into a searchable digital archive, free for all the world to pick through.

Sourced at Wired News

]]> 2007-06-23T18:26:27+00:00 Home and Away http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/home_and_away/ Been away from posting up here for a bit. Two reasons: We had a great holiday in Mallorca and I had a lot of catching up to do. Also I have been busy getting started on the rebuild of the school (within our university) home page. Loads more to do on the layouts across the site.I thought I would share some of the CSS / XHTML issues that have come up. This has been a case of taking other folks work and building on it and making a few changes that seem important to me.  CSS, How I do things, Web Technology We had a great holiday in Mallorca and I had a lot of catching up to do. Also I have been busy getting started on the rebuild of the school (within our university) home page. Loads more to do on the layouts across the site.

I thought I would share some of the CSS / XHTML issues that have come up. This has been a case of taking other folks work and building on it and making a few changes that seem important to me. 

]]> 2007-06-21T11:17:00+00:00 BBC Jam in a jam http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/bbc_jam_in_a_jam/ Great pity that the row between public and private has caused the demise of the BBC's educational online resource, known as BBC jam. At a recent OPuS meeting in Oxford Richard Pietrasik, Head of BBC Education and Phil Hemmings, Director of Corporate Affairs at RM, gave their own points of view on this very complex conflict.  Education, Events At a recent OPuS meeting in Oxford Richard Pietrasik, Head of BBC Education and Phil Hemmings, Director of Corporate Affairs at RM, gave their own points of view on this very complex conflict. 

]]> 2007-05-24T11:19:00+00:00 SecondLife Books http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/secondlife_books/ Me, I am Page Raymaker. You might find me for a chat in SecondLife. Today I am visiting Book Island owned by Selina Greene. Here is the SLURL. Books, Noticed, Offsite Links You might find me for a chat in SecondLife. Today I am visiting Book Island owned by Selina Greene. Here is the SLURL.

]]> 2007-05-13T16:44:00+00:00 eMarketing http://www.pagetoscreen.net/journal/more/emarketing/ I am having a look at some eMarketing services today. It is interesting to see how you can subscribe to services for setting up and sending out email marketing newsletters and the like.I really want to try and set this up with ExpressionEngine if possible. I notice that Solspace has a link to Constant Contact so this could be a way forward.  ExpressionEngine, Offsite Links I am having a look at some eMarketing services today. It is interesting to see how you can subscribe to services for setting up and sending out email marketing newsletters and the like.

I really want to try and set this up with ExpressionEngine if possible. I notice that Solspace has a link to Constant Contact so this could be a way forward. 

]]> 2007-05-01T17:16:00+00:00