Category: Know the Code

What Were They Doing?

I have had 3-4 comments in the past month or so that look like this:

Explorer Generation Generation , Window . Using Common New color Explorer Window Help port . Information system List. your Wrong , . . and None . Keys dialog . Window Window logged order , to , . Window Needed , – SSH1 ANSI authentication column . , Enrollment displayed Settings Keys Toolbar Block control icon Public-Key , line blocking window the CA , Windows layer Transfer to modification SFTP reply . Root Failed Downloading files Icons saved files Profiles SSH #11 them multiple installed, Wizard ,

That is just a snippet of what they included. What were they trying to do?

Damn stupid evil spammers.

Geek Love Know the Code

Since arriving at SXSW, I’ve been thinking a lot about that night that I told Tantek that CSS makes my eyes bleed. I’ll admit it, I’ve only been lightly reading the CSS book I got over a year ago. Why? It still wasn’t clicking for me. I just didn’t get it. At all.

Two weeks ago I had my, “Ah ha! I get it!” moment where I could understand how the CSS on a site was working to format the table-free layout. But I only got how it was working, not why it was working that way. I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those people that needs to know why in addition to how.

Of course there is lot of talk at SXSWi about CSS, semantics, how to code great pages, how to trick out your blog, and so on. There is also a Borders bookstore here featuring the books of the authors that are presenting on the panels. Today while killing time, I stopped in there and browsed the books. As my work is changing, I need to build up my skill set in this area.

One of the books that I picked up was Web Standards Solutions: The Markup and Style Handbook. In just reading a few pages, I realized it was the book I’ve been missing all along. It not only covers how to do things, more importantly it covers WHY. Why using is better than using Why you should lay CSS out a certain way. Why, why, why.

I approached Dan Cederholm in the hallway to thank him. (Well, that and to sign my book, of course.) Finally, a book that made it all clear. If you are like me, and you want to improve your web skills, I highly recommend this book. I am excited about building a better web.

Know the Code

Old School WordPress…

Now that WordPress 1.5 is available, I need a copy of WP 1.2.1 or 1.2.2. Does anyone have a copy of Old School WordPress laying around that they can share?

Know the Code

Snow Flurries…

The snow flurries on my site are brought to you courtesy of Kurt’s Free Dynamic HTML and Javascripts. Now if only I could get the Dynamic Drive script or this one to work, I could have big, pretty snowflakes. Oh well, at least I have some snow!

Know the Code

Links, Links, Links…

I guess I should formally declare today the “WordPress Plugin Day” of 2004. I’ve got a long post in the works about the whole “should I switch back to MT?” thing, but for now, I’m doing research. I’ll talk about that later once I make a final decision. I want to go through the CMS Matrix too for a comparision.

Even with all the links I’ve already posted, I still have a bunch of tabs open in my browser, so I’m just knocking them out in one post:

– Top/Recent Commenters

– Scott Reilly’s WordPress Plugins

– Post Pop-Up Windows in WP

– RSS-to-WordPress Aggregator.

– WordPress Comment Verification using blog author’s name or some other knowledge word.

– Another anti-spam measure.

– Del.icio.us Smart Tagging plugin for WordPress.

– Manji is another design option for WP.

– Alex King’s plugins include a WP Mobile Edition! I need to get this set up soon – Promo will be so happy! Also includes “Since Last Visit,” the “Style Switcher,” and more.

– Improved pluginsused Plugin.

– WP Code Viewer

– Brian’s Latest Comments.

Whew! I know there are tons more out there, and lots and lots of goodies at ScriptyGoddess. For now, these will do.