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Friday Feast #11: Blogs, CSS, Design, Usability, Fonts, Computer Injuries, Music, and More
09:45 AM - May 31, 2002

Before I get into today’s Friday Feast, I first must congratulate Jeffrey Zeldman Presents for entering its 8th year online today! Congratulations go to not only the time length but on consistently having some of the finest, most interesting, and most helpful information available anywhere. (Plus Jeffrey does this nearly every weekday and then some!)

On to today’s feast:
Today’s Friday Feast includes a few recently discovered sites but some of the sites I visit regularly, too, that I just have to mention here and there. Visit the Friday Feast archives for lots more, too!

* = one of my regulars

Blogs

• GraphicsNews
  Latest news in the graphics world, reviews, resource links, downloads, fonts, more. Sponsored by ArtToday (but not invadingly so).
• Saila.com: New Media Matters *
  by Craig Saila. Weblog and top-notch information, tips, and tools on design, CSS (especially table-free designs that even work in Netscape 4), and building standards-based sites. Craig also often contributes great tips and help on at least a few discussion lists to which I also belong.
• WebJives
  by Monica and Deepak Sharma. Short notes almost daily on programming, usability, the Web, interesting sites, personal, more. Also has links, resources, book reviews. The design also especially appealed to me—clean, simple, good white space, and table-free except for their top header.
• WebWord *
  by John Rhodes. All about usability, technology, the Web.

Computer Use and Injuries

• Alternative Keyboard FAQ
  Would an ergonomic keyboard be beneficial, whether or not you have any pain or problems with your current keyboard? How should you be positioned at your keyboard? Dozens of questions are answered here.
• The Facts About Repetitive Strain Injuries
  John Rhodes interviews Scott Wright, Webmaster and Primary Caretaker of the Typing Injury FAQ. Informative information about using computers—ergonomics, keyboards, repetitive strain injuries (RSI), web design to help reduce strain to users, links, and more. Interesting reading.

CSS

• Cascading Style Sheets, Separating Content from PresentationCompanion site: Cascading Style Sheets, Separating Content from Presentation
  Companion site for this new book by Owen Briggs, Eric Costello, Steve Champeon, and Matthew Patterson. Download all the code shown in the book, read more information, check out any Errata, and more information.
  [hat tip: css-discuss]
• [cover for Designing CSS Web Pages by Christopher Schmitt, published by New Riders, coming September 2002.]Designing CSS Web Pages, a new book by Christopher Schmitt coming out September 2002, published by New Riders. You can pre-order via Amazon.com now, too! See also Christopher’s companion site for the book and make note for future updates and information.
  [hat tip: css-discuss]
• MacEdition CSS Guides *
  by CodeBitch for MacEdition. Documentation and examples for cross-browser, cross-platform bugs and crashes for CSS for several main browsers.

Design, Usability

• All the leaves go down, rudy.ca
  Good insight from Rudy Limeback about planning a site hierarchy and database, breadcrumb trails, and when to take a break to brainstorm.
• Location, Path & Attribute Breadcrumbs
  From a presentation given by Keith Instone. Informative information about the types of breadcrumbs, their purposes, user feedback, plenty of screenshot examples, more.
• Macro-Typography: A Style Guide
  by Jean-Baptiste Piggin. Helpful, concise guide for information architecture and layout. In addition to content readability, this guide also includes footnotes, poetry, glossaries and plenty of examples. Well done, informative.
• Usable Web Site Index *
  I often check this page at Usable Web to quickly and easily find usability articles. Speaking of usability, that page is a good example.
• Usability: the Site Speaks For Itself
  [book cover for Usability: the Site Speaks For Itself, Glasshaus Publishers, May 2002]Excerpt at WDVL of the new book of the same title by Kelly Braun, Max Gadney, Matt Haughey, Adrian Roselli, Don Synstelien, Tom Walter, David Wertheimer, Molly E. Holzschlag, Bruce Lawson. This excerpt covers important points on designing for the user, testing, and soliciting feedback, using case studies on eBay, BBC News, The Economist, SynFonts, evolt.org, and metafilter. Helpful information on usability and a glimpse at what the book is like.

Fonts

• Mac KeyCaps
  Very well done shareware dingbat font of all the Mac keyboard keys, designed and created by Highway 57’s Chris Sansom. Large, small and combined versions. Mac format only in PostScript Type 1 and TrueType. Maybe if they get enough requests (hint, hint!) they’ll provide a PC version, too!

Independent Web

• Matt Haughey
  is the latest interviewee at the head lemur’s pixelview. Matt created and runs metafilter, Haughey.com, and more.

Internet Radio, Music

• RAIN: Radio and Internet Newsletter
  by Kurt Hanson, Publisher. Everything you want to know about Internet radio, music on the Web, the latest news, plus so much more. Subscribe to the newsletter, read the latest directly at the site. Amazing resource.

Netscape 4

• CodeBitch’s Netscape 4 Crasher Pages *
  MacEdition’s CodeBitch has compiled a collection and information about what valid markup crashes Netscape 4.x browsers.

Reference

• HTMLCompendium.org *
  by Ron Woodall. This has been a main reference for countless users for quite some time. Includes HTML, CSS, MathML, server stuff, testing stuff, more. “We are trying to make the Compendium one of the most comprehensive works on HTML on the net.” And they’ve succeeded.
  
  Would you be willing to pay a subscription to use their site? Other ideas on how they can continue to manage financially? Let them know.
• Webopedia *
  Helpful online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet technology.

Updates on My Weekly Haunts

A List Apart *

continues its double issue:

• Simple Content Management
  by Christopher Ross-Gill. Learn how to build a simple content management system.
• Win the Spam Arms Race
  by Dan Benjamin. Learn how to make a good effort at staying ahead of the SPAM robots and pick up Dan’s helpful script while you’re there.

Digital Web *

offers two new reviews this week:

• Everyone in Silico
  A review by James McNally. Terrific book review that he says isn’t really a book review. Either way, you’ll learn a lot about this interesting-sounding book.
• Electric Rain Swift 3D 2.0
  A review by Jesse Nieminen of this 3D software.

WebReference *

Here are just a few of the highlights from this mainstay top site:

• Production Graphics with Wendy Peck
  Quite a repository here of well done graphics tutorials by well-respected and top-notch author Wendy Peck. Whether newbie or advanced, you’ll pick up plenty of great tips and insight about design and layout for several graphics programs.
• The Multi-Feed RSS Sidebar Tab
  By Dan Ragle. Not just for Netscape 6. Check this one out to provide your own tab to your visitors.
• WML Links and Resources
  has been updated. Good resource to check out WebReference’s articles and elsewhere around the Web.

Unique Site of the Week

• AirlineMeals.net
  Here’s something totally off-the-wall and unique. This site is all about airline food. They collect photos of airline food, currently with 148 photos for 53 airline companies. Submit yours today! There’s voting on the best photos for each week. Some of it actually looks good. Obviously I’m taking the wrong flights.
  
  AirlineMeals.net is the creative work of Marco ’t Hart, a 31-year old graphic designer / web designer from Rotterdam, Holland.

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