Mastering CSS and moving to JavaScript

Posted on January 4, 2006

There is an interesting middle ground I think a lot of new designers get stuck in. They’ve read every blog and seen every hack. They read the new A List Apart article so fast that their RSS reader doesn’t even know it’s been updated. At this point they run out of blogs to read. It’s easy to keep up with invention since all you had to do was read it. It’s the other guy (or gal) who had to invent it.

It’s at this stage where designers start to feel they’ve learned all they need to know. Masters of CSS and the internet. The problem is that CSS isn’t as easy as just reading about it. The problems you run in to are always once that no one has written an article about. No matter how many blogs you read there is no substitute for experience and meeting the problem head on.

This is the problem I have run in to. I “know it all” but I have yet to be able to apply it all. The only way to make it over that last hill is to code and code and code till magically you can fix anything. I don’t have enough focus to code new and challenging web pages 24/7 as simply coding can be tedious work.

Instead I’ve turned to new subject areas and being the dawn of 2006 JavaScript is clearly a big part of the future. So while I’m learning CSS through sweat equity I’ve found a new subject to read everything I can on. Hopefully by the time I truly am a master at CSS I will be ready to start working on my black belt in JavaScript as well.

By continually switching off  and learning about the next wave of technology before it is truly a requirement for designers hopefully I will always be ready to see what is ahead and start learning it.

css, javascript

Google comes to Boston

Posted on January 3, 2006 

        <a href="http://www.sconex.com">Sconex</a> moved a couple of doors down the hall to an office twice the size of what we used to be in. Though we now have a small basketball court and a full time make shift ping pong table it still seems like we are going to fill the room up with people quickly.<br /><br />Just down the hall our tiny little old office has a shiny new <a href="http://www.google.com">google</a> sign on the door. <a href="http://www.cambridgeinnovationcenter.com/">CIC</a> is full of small start ups and I don't know any one who isn't excited to see google joining us in our small space. I'm not entirely sure who google will be moving in to that small space but the rumor is that it will be the mobile phone technology company <a href="http://www.android.com/">Android</a> that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google#2005">google acquired recently</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.android.com/">Their website</a> has little information about what their technology is and I hope they don't mind showing some of it around the office a bit.<br /><br /><tags>google, boston, sconex, office, Android, mobilephone, cellphone,  cic, cambridge</tags>

Google Calendar

Posted on December 27, 2005 

        If I was a calendar I would really really want to be released on January 1st as it's when most calendars start. This might just be wishful thinking on my part but It would be a great birthday <span id="misp_compose_2" class="hmd">present</span> for me. Though if google just wants to let me in to the beta that would also be a nice present.<br /><br /><tags>birthday, google calendar, calendar</tags><br />

Del.icio.us link roundup

Posted on December 21, 2005

Shared bookmarks for del.icio.us user STHayden on