Thursday, July 03, 2008

Though quite technical but....

Points to know while you work in a team for a web based product

Yesterday, I got some insights on standards to follow when we design a website or a web portal. Out of my limited memory, I am putting few of those here for our reference whenever needed.

Why do we need a "div" based web development rather than the old fashioned "table" based one?
We might want to say that in the present context when websites are becoming more and more dynamic with a variety of media, the "table" based approach falls short. Dynamism with faster download time can be well achieved by using "divs" rather than "tables" due to one or other of the following:

a) The "table" being a nested approach adds a lot of code behind a web interface. A nested approach involves using few elements of code again and again. This ultimately results in web interfaces with heavy code file and eventually a large download time at the browser end.

b) Also, it has been noticed that different browsers react to "tables" in many different ways. The way a browser application like Mozilla Fire fox downloads a web code with too many of "tables" widely differs from the way it can download the same web code written using a "div". In the former case, it is more a large bunch download which might result in nothing on a user's screen in an event of internet going off for any reasons while during download. While in the later case when a code is written using "div", it is more a smaller packet download (but many in number) and would ensure that at least a portion of the website is visible on a user's screen even when internet goes off accidentally.

c)Third and the most known fact, quite contrary to "tables", a web code with "div" support "CSS based styles". It lessens the code length, ensures a better consistency through out the interface and makes the code a bit comprehensible for "designers" too :)

d) Also, to comply to different usability and accessibility norms, we should check using section 508 evaluator. Using "jaws" can also help you in testing your product for specific requirements of people with blindness.

So, enjoy and add value to your products. Add your comments and suggest corrections if I am wrong somewhere. Kothari, I am looking forward to you for further additions not as links but as written text here :) if needed and so as Damera.

Credits: Dr G Dalvi, IDC IIT Mumbai

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Wednesday, July 02, 2008

"satisficing" Digital Photography tips for Beginners

I constantly read,forget,get confused, try later fidgeting with settings on my digital camera, then make a sad face at the silly result and switch back to auto shooting mode...

This is one thing I finally decided to change... started again... to look for a decent online guide and tried what I learn instantly by keeping my camera by my side as I read...

Of all the various guides I looked at this seemed most "satisficing"-> satisfying and sufficient =just enough...

So read on all the articles if you want a comprehensive understanding... its pretty quick to read them... Digital Photography tips for Beginners

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