Technological Hodgepodge
Schedule
- 10:00 - 10:20 Weblog / Journal Question
- 10:20 - 11:00 Jakob Nielsen and web usability theory/practice (L and Q)
- 11:00 - 11:10 Break
- 11:10 - 12:00 Intensive work on website project
- 12 - 1 Lunch
- 1:15 - 2:00 XML/RSS, Part 2 Raymond Yee
- 2:00 - 2:30 Continue work on website project
- 2:30 - 3:00 Feel the wind.
- 3:00 - 3:30 Invited speaker: Dan Berger
- 3:30 - 4:00 More PS/Flash tips & tricks (Q and E)
- 4:00 - 4:30 Free period / website project
As we round the turn to the final homestretch of the summer session, you need to be focusing on completing your website design project. Remember, the 2 key ingredients for your website in this class to be truly considered an "advanced" design is the inclusion and integration of XHTML and CSS in it. If you're also doing your own Photoshop and/or Flash graphics, or some Javascript, that's perfectly fine as well. (We'll be covering Jscript and CGIs this coming Thursday.)
Today, we'll be focusing on the details and nuances of Web usability. Our focal point--and lightning rod--will be the ideas of Web guru Jakob Nielsen. People either love or hate Nielsen and his ideas. By the end of this morning's session, hopefully you'll get a good idea or at least a flavour, of Nielsen's thinking on web design.
Some useful links:
Weblog / Journal questions (see below)
Part 1:
In your own words, how would you explain XML to someone who doesn't know anything about it? What examples could you give to illustrate your explanation? From what you have seen of XML/RSS so far, how useful a technology do you think it is? Remember, XML may not be completely useful for individual or non-corporate websites, but there are intriguing applications that Raymond Yee in last Thursday's invited talk began to show us (more this afternoon, actually).
Part 2:
(Read/scan Tom Fletcher's essay here, then respond to these questions:)
Do you feel like you should be able to make a website about anything, and post it on the Internet? What if you wanted to make a website about your very strong religious convictions? Or if you wanted to create a site about bomb-making techniques? Or hate speech (there's a LOT of this on on the web)? Or pornography? Where do you draw the line? Do you feel that ATDP is obligated to host your website? Do you think free speech on the Internet is a constitutionally protected right?
Homework
In preparation for Thursday's talk and demo on Javascript and CGI, please read the very brief Chapter 22 of your textbook, "Introduction to Javascript."
Continue working on your website projects. Upload docs or bring them to the lab and upload them next Thursday.
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