Web Development Articles
This page lists the articles I have written and published on this website. The list is not complete; you can read further articles by visiting the Blog section of the site. In general, these are shorter and simpler articles. You can also subscribe to the blog via RSS feed.
The articles I've written aren't anywhere near as thorough as what you might need to understand web standards and accessibility - for more information, you may want to consider these excellent books:
- Designing with Web Standards, by Jeff Zeldman
- Don't Make me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, by Steve Krug
- Constructing Accessible Web Sites with Jim Thatcher, Cynthia Waddell, and many others
- Building Accessible Websites, by Joe Clark
These works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs2.5 License.
General/Web Business Articles
- What is Web Accessibility?
Summarizes the elements of web accessibility and explains their importance.
- What is Web Usability?
A somewhat parallel article to the web accessibility review, summarizing the most salient points of usability-focused development.
- Choosing a Designer
Gives a few suggestions on how you may want to think when selecting your web designer.
- Planning Your Site
Provides tips for you to consider while you plan your new website.
- Hosting your Web Site
Describes very basically what hosting is and what services I provide to help you get your website running.
- SEO and Accessibility
Discusses the parallels between Search Engine Optimization and Accessibility. See also Search Engine Friendly vs. Search Engine Optimized, for more information in this area.
- Blogger Help
I have a number of clients who make use of the Blogger content management system as a portion of their site - I provide these pages primarily to assist those clients. (These articles have not been updated with Blogger version 2.)
Accessibility and Web Standards
- Designing Accessible Navigation
This article is a discussion of the most significant factors which must be considered in developing a navigation system which provides consistent accessibility.
- Accesskeys: Curse or Blessing?
Accesskeys are a well-known system of providing keyboard shortcuts for websites - but they carry some complicating risks for use.
- Web Semantics
The task of applying semantic meaning to HTML code is an important way of providing better access for your users and search engines.
- Optimizing Content for the Web
I presented this paper at the Spectrum 2005 conference of the Rochester Society for Technical Communication with Lori Wagoner of Wagoner Research.
Software and Programming
- Basic Boolean Search Engine in MYSQL and PHP
A simple, home-baked search engine for PHP and MySQL based dynamic websites. Provides basic Boolean searching and low-level security against SQL injection based website attacks. Requires a fair amount of PHP/MySQL knowledge to implement. Current version downloaded 1794 times. (Previous version downloaded 1954 times.)
- More About Boolean Queries in MySQL
If you aren't interested in the search tool above, but want to learn more about MySQL's BOOLEAN MODE queries, this should give you a wee bit of enlightenment.
- Simple poll using PHP and MySQL
Looking for a free and easy way to add a poll to your PHP website with MySQL software? This may help. Version 2, released April 14th, 2008, has been downloaded 310 times. Original script was downloaded 3607 times between May 25th, 2006 and April 14th, 2008.
- Processing Forms with PHP, a Beginner's Guide
A tutorial for the beginning programmer dealing with forms for the first time. Gives a basic introduction to form handling with MySQL, writing data to a file, and sending information by email. Script downloaded 539 times.
- Easy PHP Photo Gallery
A PHP script to create a photo gallery with one major advantage: it's easy to put together. It's not easy in the sense that you can do it blindfolded, but it's easy in that it requires very few steps to make your gallery. Requires good CSS knowledge to make it pretty, though! Current version downloaded 1967 times; original version was downloaded 422 times between March 2007 and July 2007.
- Semantic Webpage Structure as a Graph
A Java applet to graph the internal structure of the HTML used on a single webpage. Interesting way to view the use of particular elements on a web site.
Guest Articles Around the Web
No summaries provided for these, I'm afraid - you'll just have to go read them!
- Web Weaving (Chartered Quality Institute)
- Talkin' about user choices... (Cre8tive Flow Blog)
- Creating Accessible Navigation (Cre8tive Flow Blog)
- 5 Basic Steps Towards Website Accessibility (Improve the Web)
- Web Accessibility and International Law (Matt Bailey's Accessibility Blog)
- Almost Getting it Right with Access Keys (Matt Bailey's Accessibility Blog)
- Accessibility at Educational Institutions (Matt Bailey's Accessibility Blog)
- Accessibility Blog's New Design (Matt Bailey's Accessibility Blog)
- Going Mobile: Development and Preparation (Accessites Design Showcase)
- Improving Accessibility through Typography (Accessites Design Showcase)
- Ameliorer l'Accessibilite par la Typographie (French Translation - Pompage)
Interviews (of me.)
- How does it feel to be popular on Digg? (Design Interviews)
- Interview: Joe Dolson, New Moderator (Cre8tive Flow Blog)
