Readings on XHTML (29 November 2004)

• Chapters 5-8 of Designing With Web Standards (page 141-210)

Basic XHTML should have been covered in your 320 class. These chapters will provide a refresher on basic XHTML, as well as a more extensive explanation of its importance. (We'll go back and cover chapters 1-4 next week for the discussion on web standards.)

Readings on Weblogs and CMS (29 November 2004)

• Wikipedia entries on blogs, wikis, and content management systems.
• Chapter 2: The Read-Write Web (PDF) from Dan Gillmor's book We, the Media
• Blogs open doors for developers (ZDNet)
• Why Content Management Fails

Readings on Web Standards ( 6 December 2004)

• Part I of Designing With Web Standards (pages 1-137)
• Fix Your Site With the Right DOCTYPE
• Why We Won't Help You
• Semantic Obsolescence
• The Business Benefits of Web Standards

Optional (added late):

• Better Living Through XHTML

Readings on Typography and CSS Formatting ( 6 December 2004)

• Chapters 9 and 13 of Designing With Web Standards (pages 211-233 and 299-326)
• Web Page Design for Designers: Typography
• A List Apart: Typography Matters
• A List Apart: The Trouble With EM 'n EN (and Other Shady Characters)
• The Noodle Incident: Sane Text Sizing

And a how-to for CSS text properties:

• CSS Guide: CSS Properties

Readings on CSS Positioning (13 December 2004)

• Chapters 10-12 of Designing With Web Standards (pages 235-297)
• Bill Merikallio: Why Tables for Layout is Stupid
• Brainjar: CSS Positioning
• a list apart: Flexible Layouts with CSS Positioning
• Webreference.com: Advanced CSS Layouts, Step-by-Step
• The Noodle Incident: CSS Box Lessons

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And a late addition:

• Relatively Absolute @ The Autistic Cuckoo - a very clear explanation of the difference between relative and absolute positioning, as well as the default (static) positioning and use of float properties.

Readings on Visual Design (13 December 2004)

• Boxes & Arrows: Visible Narratives: Understanding Visual Organization
• Web Page Design for Designers: Taming the Electronic Page

Useful color tools:

• Man In Blue: Technicolor Tool
• Hex Color Chart: Visibone
• Colour Tools Roundup

Readings on Information Architecture ( 3 January 2005)

• The Myth of User-Centered Information Architecture and Information Architecture is not Usability, from Digital Web Magazine
• Webmonkey's Information Architecture Tutorial
• Information Architecture the Adaptive Path Way: An Interview with Indi Young
• Web Site Architecture 101

Readings on Accessibility (10 January 2005)

• Chapter 14 from Designing With Web Standards (pages 327-360)
• Dive Into Accessibility (30 Days to a More Accessible Web Site)
• CNN Article on Web Accessibility

Readings on Usability (10 January 2005)

• "How we really use the Web," a chapter from Steve Krug's wonderful book, Don't Make Me Think!
• Jakob Nielsen's "Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 2003" and "Ten Most Violated Homepage Design Guidelines"
• Jeff Lash's Information Architecture is not Usability
• Lane Becker's 90% of All Usability Testing is Useless

Readings on DOM and Basic Javascript (17 January 2005)

• BrainJar.com: Introduction to the DOM
• Thau's JavaScript Tutorial, Lessons 1-3
• Chapter 15 of Designing With Web Standards (pages 361-381)

Readings on HTML Forms (17 January 2005)

• W3Schools HTML Forms and Input
• Simon Willison's Simple Tricks for More Usable Forms
• The Man in Blue's Accessible, Stylish Form Layout
• Enhancing Forms - Unobtrusive Javascript

Readings for Advanced Javascript & DHTML (24 January 2005)

There are lots of great sites on javascript, both tutorials and repositories.

I've collected a number of useful links at http://del.icio.us/mamamusings/javascript/.

In particular, take a look at:

• Simple Tricks for More Usable Forms (also listed as a reading for last week)
• Unobtrusive Javascript
• Brainjar's Revenge of the Menu Bar

DHTML: Studio Exercise (26 January 2005)

In class, we'll be working through the "Revenge of the Menu Bar" DHTML tutorial on BrainJar. This is one of a number of excellent tutorials on the site.

As your CSS becomes more complex, you may find this CSS Selectors guide useful. There's also this CSS Hacks page.

I've also linked to a number of DHTML and Javascript resources over on del.icio.us.

Useful Resources for Web Server Operation (31 January 2005)

• Web-Sniffer - Allows you to see HTTP request and response headers for any web page.
• Comprehensive guide to .htaccess
• WWW FAQs: What are MIME types?

Readings for Basic PHP (14 February 2005)

• PHP Tutorial from Hudson Valley Community College
• PHP Basic Syntax (from Builder.com)
• Webmonkye's PHP From the Ground Up (PHP3 compatible)