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Articles
- Extending the Revolution Message Path
An introduction to Revolution libraries, backscripts, and frontScripts.
- In Praise of Brochureware: How good listening skills can help your client get more bang for the Web buck and possibly save your reputation as a developer.
Many Web developers argue that clients presenting only marketing information at their sites are losing eyeballs to competitors with additional Web features like chat forums, newsletters, and the like. But the appropriateness of specific features really depends on the unique position of the company within its market, and the timing of their Web presence relative to other key components of their business plan.
- In Praise of Tools: Why Hand-Coding HTML is Usually Bad Business
Deep knowledge of HTML is essential for any Web development effort, but some developers advocate hand-coding all HTML, citing code size and efficiency as benefits of this practice. But given the state of modern HTML and JavaScript authoring tools, the majority of code for robust sites is not dramatically increased by such tools, and the use of such tools can reduce development costs by orders of magnitude with little or no increase in robust production-quality code.
- Beyond the Browser: Rediscovering the Role of the Desktop in a Net-centric World
While the Web browser may be ideally suited for viewing data, its design is not optimized for creating or manipulating data. With the advent of Web applications, many interface designers have been limiting their work to those systems which can be delivered in a Browser window. Using a wider range of tools, technologies, and protocols, a designer may find some tasks better served through Net-aware desktop applications.
- Market Differentiation: There's only one you, and communicating that is your strongest business asset.
A letter to another developer concerned about competition offers lessons for business owners in every industry.
- Scripting Style Guide
Useful tips for making code easier to write and maintain.
- Florida Voters Sue Over Ballot Design
In a strange series of events suitable for a Capra movie, the fate of the 2000 Presidential election appears to rest, at least in part, in reported usability issues with the ballot design in some counties in Florida.
- Pick a Card: RAD Tools for Mac OS
First published as a Viewpoint editorial for MacTech Magazine, this review of the state of Mac authoring tools asks questions of Apple regarding HyperCard and introduces SuperCard and MetaCard as viable alternatives.
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