tips
A Photoblog
Hey so I just found this blog as I was procrastinating working and It has a very similar look and feel as my site. Its much more spartan than mine but I do like how the photograph is the main focus of the page and the text is really secondary. I think this should definitely help me flesh out my design. Never underestimate the power of random link clicking…
http://outafocus.my-expressions.com
CP
PHP dates for use in WordPress.
Though this isn’t directly related to CSS, it is a styling issue of sorts. I found while messing around with the WordPress templates that I wanted to change the date formats from something like [February 18, 2008] to something like [18 Feb 2008]. WordPress uses PHP, so it’s just a matter of checking the online PHP manual for which letters will create which date format (easy enough to find on your own, but now we have a direct link). See also this WordPress documentation page for how to use the characters in WordPress.
hosting
I thought I’d mention a couple of additional hosting options… I’ve used both of these companies with great results.
- Reliability of Pair Networks (who I’ve also used) without the additional expense
- Slightly better than WestHost in terms of uptime and communication
- Minimal control panel, which I think is good: simple and powerful
- No one-click WordPress install, but they are configured for manual installation; it took me less than 5 minutes.
- One type of account offered, can host up to 10 domains (again, simple and powerful)
- Better documentation, some better tools
- Control panel interface is clunky, but might be more user-friendly than Pair if you’re new to web hosting
- One-click WP install (according to their site)
- Better support, should you end up needing it.
- Cheapest accounts only allow one domain (not good)
I’ve been using Pair/Pairlite for the past two years and was with Westhost for a couple of years before that. Both have free domain registration and both are good about letting you know when your site may be down (usually for less than an hour at times when few people would be accessing it – 2am Sunday morning or similar).
There are a LOT of a web hosting providers out there and some are absolutely terrible. Paying $1/month probably isn’t going to get you great service, but some of the $20/month providers will be just as bad. I still think the best recommendation is from someone you know who has used the service in question.
Stick it to the Man (in the Adobe hut that is…)
Man that was a killer pun….
I am presenting on Open Source alternatives to the ubiquitous Adobe Suite of design applications. There are a number of image editing apps out there that intend to replicate Photoshop, but the one that far and away is the best is called the GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Project): http://www.gimp.org/.
The Illustrator alternative that offers the best functionality is called Inkscape: http://www.inkscape.org/.
The alternative to InDesign is called Scribus: http://www.scribus.net.
Finally, something that will actually be useful to all of you (using a Mac at least) is NeoOffice a very well polished open source alternative to Microsoft Office: http://www.neooffice.org/
Here are a couple of programs that I use on a daily basis that are all Open Source:
Adium: An IM program that covers all the major IM kinds. I like it because of its customization options and the fact that it is not made by AOL (which I personally despise). Best of all its Open Source and Free!
Text Wrangler: A free text editor that is really useful for editing HTML and CSS. It color codes the code you write so its easier do read HTML and CSS and even more techie types of coding.
Quicksilver: This is that launcher program that I was using during the demonstration in class today. I think its probably the most amazing program ever. If only because it saves you from always going to the Applications folder and then hunting for the right program. I find it impossible to use computers without quicksilver now though so keep in mind that it spoils you! This very elegantly designed program has an equally spare and elegant website. Just click on the quicksilver button and click the dowload button in the tab that pulls out and you are set.
