TextAreaExpander Class for MooTools
It does exactly what is says: expand textareas. No more, no less.
Providing the same UI across browsers
If you change the default controls to match the look and feel of something your visitor has never seen before, you run the risk of creating confusion, distrust, or alienation. Even worse, if the controls are poorly made or conceived — and many are — you might make your site less usable. A cardinal sin.
The more I think about it, the real beneficiaries of a uniform UI across browsers aren’t the site visitors, but rather the designers who demand artistic control and the clients who insist the product looks the same everywhere, without understanding that it’s okay (even expected) to have some differences.
What feature is missing from your e-learning development tool?
I’m curious about what people are looking for in their e-learning authoring tools.
Changes to pipwerks.com, part 2
In case you hadn’t heard, pipwerks.com was hacked last week. The entire database was erased. Bastages. Luckily, I had a recent backup. While going through the pains of a new WordPress install (with new plugins, extra security, and imported posts/comments), I decided “why not throw a new layout in the mix, too?” I mean, if I’m going to make changes, I may as well do them all in one shot, eh?
Constructive criticism for the new whitehouse.gov
The new whitehouse.gov site has received a lot of press since its unveiling a few days ago. Many have rightly given it kudos for bringing a modern sense of design and “Web 2.0”-style social practices to the White House. I agree that the new site is a big improvement, but upon looking under the hood, there are a number of things I’d have done differently. Here’s a quick-hit list (not comprehensive at all)…
Fixed-width layouts
While working on a recent web project at work, I wondered if I should go for a fixed-width layout or stick with my preference for fluid layouts. Fixed-width layouts are certainly easier to manage, but they just feel so… rigid. With the boom in larger monitors, I also wondered if fluid sites start presenting a problem due to being too wide. I decided to check around the web to see what others are doing.
Adding SCORM code to an HTML file using the pipwerks SCORM wrapper
Learn how to add SCORM code to a plain HTML file. This example uses SCORM 1.2 syntax, but can be converted to SCORM 2004 without much effort.
How to add basic SCORM code to a Flash movie
Here’s a quick tutorial for adding basic SCORM functionality to an existing Flash file. This tutorial aims to demonstrate just how easy it can be to add SCORM functionality to an existing Flash movie.
Please note that this tutorial uses ActionScript 3 and SCORM 1.2, but the same principles apply for ActionScript 2 and SCORM 2004.
Creating simple ungraded quiz questions with feedback using HTML and JavaScript
For those who are willing to give it a shot, I present to you a simple HTML and JavaScript template for inductive learning-style questions (ungraded, customized feedback for each answer selected).
HTML 5: The strong element
In the new HTML 5 proposal, the strong element is being modified to represent “importance rather than strong emphasis.”