Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category


How Will CSS3 Improve the Web?

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) were introduced to the Web world roughly 13 years ago. They have changed the way we program Web sites and have made our lives easier in many ways. Improvements are of course always being made and the latest of these is CSS3. If you want to make use of the features of this new version, keep in mind that not all browsers will support CSS3. As of now, Safari 4 is pretty safe and so is Firefox 3.5.

CSS3 has many new features. In this series I’m going to point out the ones that will really make a difference. (more…)

What is a CMS anyway?

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

I recently wrote a post about an increased interest in sites with CMS on board.  I thought I should take a moment to describe the technology in a little more depth.

For those of you who don’t know, CMS is short for Content Management System.  Like the name implies, this tool enables a site manager to easily maintain content on his or her site with little to no programming skills required.

A CMS can aid in the management of a variety of types of content, including Web page content, audio and video files, images and documents. They can also provide work flow control as well as manage user permissions. CMS prices run the gamut, from free software like Joomla! or Drupal, to completely custom-developed systems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. (more…)

Me and My CMS

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

Lately I’ve noticed an increase in the number of clients looking for solutions that include CMS’s or content management systems.  Having been responsible for content on a number of Web sites, most recently a large e-commerce site, I certainly appreciate the value of one.  On the other hand, I also know the pitfalls of putting too much stake in a CMS.

Time
A CMS can make life much easier but it doesn’t do the work for you.  You still need to invest the same time and effort in crafting your content. It will certainly allow you to do more, faster.  Unfortunately, now you’ll be expected to make all the changes too! (more…)

Communicating in the Age of the Blackberry

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

I recently switched to the Blackberry after spending the last couple of years on two other models of Smartphones.  At first I felt as though I were driving a Hummer—it just seemed like way too much phone for me.  Of course, I quickly got used to the various bells and whistles and have already begun to take them for granted.

The Blackberry has provided me some important insights into the lives of our clients and how they receive our emails.    In today’s understaffed corporate world, many people shuttle from meeting to meeting, keeping in touch primarily through their Blackberry.  Desks have too often become the place to deposit a briefcase in the morning and retrieve personal belongings at the end of the day. (more…)