The Core Blog
JavaScript is not as scary as you think.
2009-05-30 19:46:00
In my last post I talked about the JavaScript library jQuery. The main focus of jQuery is manipulating the Document Object Model (HTML that makes up a web page). It is wise to learn how to swim in the fundamentals of JavaScript and how the DOM (Document Object Model) works before you dive right into the cold library.
If you think that JavaScript is a scary thing, or have been trying to learn it for some time and have been having some difficulty, I would like to recommend an excellent book for you to read called “DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model
“The book is aimed at designers rather than programmers. If you've learned the benefits of Web Standards through CSS and you're now ready to move on to the next level, this is the book for you. It will show you how to add stylish, usable enhancements to your web pages using Web Standards that guarantee future compatibility.”
In my opinion this book will take you step by step through everything you will need to know about DOM scripting and ends with you building a website enhanced with JavaScript. You will learn how to use JavaScript for good, not evil, and how to implement it safely so your site is still usable for people who don’t have JavaScript enabled on their browser. You will walk away from this book with the basics under your belt, as well as some great code you can use on all your websites.
Weston Shaw
How jQuery changed the way I look at JavaScript.
2009-05-22 17:32:00
Ok, I warned you that I was going to get geeky on you - so here it goes.
In the past, I thought JavaScript libraries were bloated with features and functions that made development time shorter but compromised the speed of load time for websites. It packed far more features than I would ever use in building websites that did not require a lot of scripting. So, I developed my own speedy set of functions like opening external links in a new window or making sure dropdown menus dropped down in Internet explorer 6 and below which accomplished the needed tasks without the added file size of a library. While those are still very good for simple websites, I prefer to use the JavaScript library from jQuery.
I was awestruck from the moment I looked at the example on jQuery’s home page. I thought, “How could something that seems so complicated be so easy to program?” I became more interested in jQuery when I saw more of it's very straightforward and consistent flow of attractive feature combinations like CSS3 and Xpath Selectors and Chaining. I’ve been using it for sometime now and it keeps getting easier and more effortless to employ it in creating functional and efficient websites.
jQuery is miraculous for websites that will be using any kind of Ajax (asynchronous JavaScript + XML) which is a geeky way of saying: Server Scripting and Client Side scripting working together to add functionality to a website without page refreshes. jQuery is perfect for animations and for people who are not that familiar with JavaScript.
For instance, let me show you an example of how it makes things easier. Look at the code for a simple drop down menu fix for Internet Explorer 6 written with regular JavaScript and jQuery.
JavaScript:
if (document.getElementById) {
navRoot = document.getElementById("nav");
for (i=0; i<navRoot.childNodes.length; i++) {
node = navRoot.childNodes[i];
if (node.nodeName=="LI") {
node.onmouseover=function() {
this.className+=" hover";
}
node.onmouseout=function() {
this.className=this.className.replace(" hover", "");
}
}
}
}jQuery:
$("#nav li").hover(
function(){$(this).addClass("hover")},
function(){$(this).removeClass("hover")}
);What its doing is finding the navigation, finding all the list items inside of it, then assigning an event to the list items on mouse over and mouse out. So when you mouse over the list item a class name of "hover is added, and when you remove your mouse it is removed
As you can see, jQuery gets rid of all the boring stuff and lets you get right down to the task at hand.
Both of these scripts work but jQuery makes it simpler, easier and more fun to accomplish the same task. It lets me spend valuable development time making things work instead of spending countless hours trying to figure out where I missed a comma and why the script doesn't seem to work in Internet Explorer.
If you come from the design side of web design and you are solid in your knowledge of CSS, look no further than jQuery. It is by far, the best choice when it comes to JavaScript libraries. Best of all, jQuery's functions and methods are supported in all the major browsers. This means that you will not have to worry about browser detection and branching code to support multiple browsers. In short, you write it once and it just works.
Weston Shaw
The Story of Avallo
2009-05-21 13:21:00
Every business has a start-up story. Avallo is no different. My friend Barb wanted to leave her sales tax business (due to law changes) and do something different. I was a freelance designer having started Direct Design in 1994. We investigated a few different options: buying a printing franchise (too many chemicals and smelly), starting a document scanning service (not much interest back then for those services), or starting a multimedia and website design company. I was already dipping my creative toes into web design and Barb had a lot of business contacts, so it made a lot of sense to go with the last option.
Our first choice for a name was "Avalon". It came from the Arthurian Legend based around the Island of Avalon. The artwork created from the Arthurian Legend story was both beautiful and inspiring, and the stories are timeless. Everyone knows of Merlin the magician and King Arthur's rise to power.
However, Toyota had the Avalon, so we decided not to go there. Try searching for Avalon and you will see there are millions of results, many of which are companies. We also wanted our domain name to be the businessname.com (no dashes, no inc. on the end, just our name.com). Back in 1997, you could still do that. Not wanting to get confused with a car, or lost in the crowd, we did some research, and found some variations of the word "Avalon": Abhlach, (yuck), Avallen, (Okay, but not strong) and Avallo. We chose Avallo because the only other company was Avallo Humidors. Avallo was easy to spell, easy to remember, and avallo.com was available. At one point there was also a porn star named Avallo, but thankfully she quickly disappeared from the web, hopefully finding a new line of work.
Our logo is inspired by the artwork of the legend. Barb had gorgeous art books where we got our inspiration. As the story goes, the island had a magic tree full of golden apples (hence our gold logo with the apple on the end). Also, we have an office full of Apple Computers, iPhones, iMacs, and software, so the apple seemed very appropriate.
When you come visit our office, you will enter through castle doors to be greeted by our knight, King Arthur. Okay, it's a lot cooler than it sounds. So email me to stop by and see us. (We don't come to work in costumes - I promise) Our brand is displayed on all of our print advertising, website and other materials. A good brand makes advertising almost easy and always fun. If you need help finding your brand, contact us and we will help your business tell your story.
I leave you will the poem written by a friend back in 1997... Enjoy!
by long-ago Celtic legends,
some say ancient memories,
of Uther Pendragon and King Arthur and Merlin Emrys
and the Faery world of Avalon.
Avalon, Isle of Paradise, last resting place
of Arthur the Sleeping King.
Avalon, with Magic Orchards of Golden Apples
where time stands still in mystery and wonder.
Abhlach. Avallen. Avallon. Avallo - Island of Apples.
Avallo, land of The Dream Time;
of harmony and magic and poetic enchantment,
a legend resonating with all that is hopeful and good;
where anything and everything is possible.
Avallo. The Magic lives on.
Through us.
For you.
Come, let us weave you a legend.
Julie
If You Build It, They Won't Just Come
2009-05-14 14:08:00
So you came up with a clever domain name, spent some money on a website, added Google Analytics check visitor statistics, waited a couple weeks and found out... not many people are coming to your site. We have heard this again and again. Many people have no way of tracking visitors and therefore have no clue who is coming, or how customers are finding their website. You do need to take care of the technical parts of your site (clean web standards code, optimize site for search engines, have great content), but what can you do as a business owner right now to bring people to your site?
Here are 10 ways to get people to your site that just about anybody can do:
- Start a Google Ads campaign. (Pay per Click) It is the fastest way to get new visitors - but it costs money. There are other programs but Google is the biggest.
- Put your website on everything you hand out to potential customers. Letterhead and business cards are obvious - but also on apparel, invoices, envelopes, flyers, coupons, labels, signs, trucks and autos, voicemail messages, on-hold messages, everything.
- Network like crazy. Visit your Chamber, join a network group like BNI and visit as many groups as possible. Schedule your networking time every week. Create new realtionships. Work hard on networking and it will pay off.
- Start a referral program for your business. Run the program through your website.
- Join LinkedIn, select related groups to be a part of, stay as active as possible. If you are too busy, assign it to an employee.
- Attend events that are related to your business, be a sponsor or a speaker - become an "expert in your field."
- Link to other sites including partners, associations, industry & trade magazines, and have a resource and white papers section with links.
- Support a high profile non-profit you believe in that has a large exposure and shows your logo and whose website links back to you. Givers will always get back even more.
- Advertise wisely. Where do your clients shop, what do your clients read? Use a pointed approach for where you are advertising, so every dollar you spend is money well spent.
- If you do not have a brand for your company...it's time to think about it. You need to stand out from your competition. More on that later.
Of course, all the networking and marketing in the world won't make up for a website that is lacking on the technical end. You don't just want people to come to your website, you want them to keep coming back. Clean code and comprehensive content will generate organic clicks - traffic that is invaluable for any business. However, you only have a few seconds to keep their attention. If your website is not visually appealing, is difficult to navigate, or if they can't immediately find what they are looking for, these potential clients are only one click away from visiting a competitor's website.
If you feel you need help marketing your website, whether rebuilding your website from the ground up, writing copy that moves clients to act, or if you need to work on your branding, contact us. We will help you build the foundation that will not only get customers to your website, but will keep them coming back.
Julie
Beginning Web Development
2009-05-02 01:44:00
Ian Lloyd’s book "Build Your Own Website The Right Way Using HTML & CSS
Yes Ian, you hit the nail on the head. Not too long ago we at Avallo hired a graphic designer but needed a graphic designer slash web designer. Instead of hiring another student straight out of college, we decided to experiment and handed her your book
Weston Shaw