“2014” Archive

The One Assumption About Our Reality

We’re bringing 2014 to an end, and just as with 2013 I like to close with something constructive, something encouraging.

#35 · Dec 31, 2014 philosophy

My Year in Cities, 2014

This is going to be a bit, lengthy. I told you I had traded activities for locations. Continuing the trip around the world that I began last year, here’s where I went in 2014.

#34 · Dec 28, 2014 adventure

My Year in Activities, 2014

At the end of every year I’m recollecting new things I’ve done and new places I’ve seen. Here’s what I tried in 2014.

#33 · Dec 27, 2014 adventure

I love what technology has allowed all of us to do, from writing and publishing for the masses to designing and coding for the masses to photography and arts for the masses. But as a professional in an industry that is easy for people to enter…

#32 · Dec 22, 2014 design

Maintainable Social Script Integration

In my book a website embeds all those third-party share and like and +1 scripts, whether from Facebook or from Twitter or from Google (or from AddThis) like this:

. That’s it. The reason for this brevity is maintainability.

#31 · Dec 19, 2014 development

Ground Rules for Working With Web Agencies

After we identified inherent problems of working with agencies, let’s look at some of our options. We may still need to hire an agency after all, or make the best out of a project. The leg work we’ve done in the first part will help us keep this brief…

#30 · Dec 15, 2014 misc

The Problems of Working With Web Agencies

I started my career in a small agency, I later worked for a big agency, and I at other times collaborated with or managed agency staff. I’ve never enjoyed working for nor with agencies. That was not because of the people, but because of some inherent issues…

#29 · Dec 11, 2014 misc

CSS and Specificity

On one of CSS’ greatest features, going from using graphs for greater understanding to affirming fundamentals for saner coding.

#28 · Nov 27, 2014 development

Electronic Data as Evidence

We need better defenses against assaults on our rights and privacy. In a world in which most happens electronically, one such defense gets surprisingly little attention: Everything electronic can be forged.

#27 · Oct 29, 2014 misc

Google and HTML/CSS Code Quality

For much of Google’s life time there have been few Google web pages of high code quality. That had changed over the last years, but now there are regressions. On the rise and fall of Google’s websites.

#26 · Oct 21, 2014 development

CSS, DRY, and Code Optimization

Why we should minimize repetition in style sheets—perhaps through using declarations just once—, focus more on CSS optimization, and consider that avoiding problems is also a way of solving them.

#25 · Oct 9, 2014 development

On Declaration Sorting in CSS

I keep on seeing people advocate to sort declarations “by type.” And every time I wonder, why is this idea still going around? Type sorting is extraordinarily ineffective, for it’s extremely slow and consistently unreliable…

#24 · Sep 24, 2014 development

On Net Neutrality

We need net neutrality, and we need to insist on net neutrality. Everywhere, not just in the United States. Throttling internet access, or charging select content providers extra, much appears like a brazen combination of profiteering, extortion, and, effectively, censorship.

#23 · Sep 17, 2014 misc

On Privacy

A few theses on a critical subject. The most important ones: One cannot be free without privacy, all living beings have a right for privacy, and we shall punish intentional violations of privacy.

#22 · Sep 15, 2014 misc

On America

The United States have so far engaged in 71 wars in which they killed 13.8 million people; not counted are the World Wars they ended with nuclear strikes on Japan. The U.S. have led 26 proxy wars in which they took 1.4 million lives…

#21 · Sep 9, 2014 misc

How to Travel the World and Stay Healthy

For long travels, another key beside safety is health. And as my track record in this regard is flawless, essentially, I thought to share a few quick ideas on this, too.

#20 · Sep 8, 2014 adventure

How to Travel the World and Stay Safe

I’ve traveled for the last 13 months, with no end in sight, and have so far visited around 150 locations in 30 countries. I’ve stayed safe the entire time even though I didn’t lock myself up. Here are a few thoughts and tips.

#19 · Sep 3, 2014 adventure

HTML and Specifying Language

Questioning the importance and ways of marking up language in HTML documents, in particular changes in language.

#18 · Aug 25, 2014 development

Sources

I always like to learn what people turn to for information, education, and also entertainment. In particular what they deem most excellent. That’s part of trying to be open. Yet, learning about people’s sources typically requires inquiring directly. Here I’m extrovert and share…

#17 · Aug 8, 2014 misc

Code Responsibly, Explained

A professional web developer focuses on at least ten priorities in his work. That’s the populist claim Code Responsibly has made since 2008. It was time to explain why these things matter.

#16 · Jul 30, 2014 development

How to Prepare to Travel the World

I’ve written about what I deem important in order to quit and travel the world. One of the points I called out was “Planning and Preparation,” and it’s what I like to explore a bit more here.

#15 · Jul 28, 2014 adventure

Animated Traffic: My 10 Favorite Travel Photo Animations

Last December I launched Animated Traffic. Animated Traffic is an experiment in which I play with photo animations that feed off my eternal journey, of which I’ll share the results. The material, as of this moment, made for 302 posts covering 4 continents…

#14 · Jul 25, 2014 · adventure, design

On Web Documents and Web Apps

I’ve just elaborated about research and production code, and why that distinction matters. And I hinted at but put off another distinction: that between web documents and web apps. Pronounced distinction seems important to protect existing document practices…

#13 · Jul 22, 2014 development

All Code Is Not Equal: On Research and Production Code

Web development is at a point at which we need to make more fundamental distinctions. One of them is a more determined one between web documents and web apps, another one is between research and production code…

#12 · Jul 16, 2014 development

The Law of Travel

The longer you travel, the lighter you should pack.

#11 · Jun 17, 2014 adventure

On Writing

Frankly, on fears.

#10 · Apr 28, 2014 misc

5 Questions Web Developers Always Need Answers For

In web development, just as in other fields, it can easily appear as if there are clear-cut solutions for everything. That’s at least the case for many of us neurotic perfectionists, as our world is built on clear-cut solutions. Alas, there aren’t always, and here are five general questions to consider.

#9 · Apr 9, 2014 development

The 6 Most Useful Books I’ve Ever Read

I love reading, and over time I’ve been lucky to read many useful, and then a handful quite extraordinary books. Here I like to share my current non-fiction favorites: The Nature of Personal Reality, Getting More, Public Opinion, and, you can tell, three more.

#8 · Apr 1, 2014 misc