Ajax makes for better, more usable, more interactive UIs Interaction can be designed JavaScript is a bit of a dirty word for many people, because of the useless fluff (and required code forking) of old-school JS However - CSS & valid HTML are a whole new world JS is a tool - not for evil. It’s not DHTML, with all the browser-specificity that implies. Make the web work better CSS - separation of structure & presentation. Read more...

From Future Platforms, which specialises in content delivery to mobile devices Used to work in web development, but got sick of it in 1999 ;) Got into mobile market instead A different perspective, as he’s never done any Ajax ;) Analyst quote. The gist: “there are lots and lots of mobile phones” Another view: convergence (Bill Gates) What’s Web 2.0? Reminded of “new media”, “4G”, “Java 5”, “New Ariel” - they describe what they’re not, rather than what they are. Read more...

I downloaded the latest version of everyone’s favourite Linux distribution yesterday, in both its install and Live CD versions. The install went on an old laptop I was donated, a Dell Inspiron 7000 (Pentium II 333 MHz, 128MB RAM). I installed at work, without a network card in the PC card slot, then popped the NIC in later. Ubuntu detected the card and I set up and activated it in about 30 seconds. Read more...

I signed up for Flock’s newsletter, and last night received an invitation to download the developer preview version of their “social browser”. “What’s a social browser?” I hear you cry. Well, as far as I can tell, it’s a version of Mozilla that includes a blog-posting tool, Del.icio.us social bookmark integration, and Flickr photo integration. It seems to work. The Del.icio.us bookmark browser is nice, and I’m writing this post from the blog tool. Read more...

Just a quick note (mainly for Google) to point out that I’ve created an iCal calendar of Southampton’s fixtures for the 2005/06 season. Subscribe - Apple iCal Download - Mozilla Sunbird/KDE/Evolution View the calendar at iCal Exchange

Phoebe, in common with many breech babies, was born with a not-fully-formed right hip socket. Thus she has been wearing a plastic splint, which keeps her legs pointing outwards, since day 2 of her life. Yesterday we took her to the RUHin Bath for her ultrasound scan. Her hip socket is now fine, and our paediatrician checkup tomorrow should confirm that the splint is no longer required. Phoebe will then be able to lie on her side, and the car seat will fit her for a few more weeks! Read more...

Phoebe was born at 1:16 PM on Sunday June 19th (Father’s Day!), weighing 7lb 4oz. She was born by emergency Caesarean section after it was discovered, late on in labour, that she was in the breech position. It all went smoothly, however, and mother and baby are mighty fine :)

Kathy’s bump is pretty large now: our baby is now 5 days overdue. Two other couples in our NCTgroup have given birth already. Over the weekend we started resorting to some of the reputedly-effective methods of hurrying labour along: gin (with tonic!), curry, pineapple and a drive on a bumpy road. But… nothing. Nada. Zip. With that Crazy Frog musical carbuncle still at number one in the charts, however, I’d be inclined to say to baby “just wait a bit longer”. Read more...

Kathy has complained that I’ve written 22 blog posts since my last baby-related one (back in January), so I’m attempting to redress the balance. Football has been rather distracting… I’m sure that you’ll know that the Baby Production Unit (Kathy) & I are currently engaged in a Baby-growing project. The milestone for the first public release of Baby has been set as June 8th by our Midwifery Contract Partner. Anyone fleet of mental foot will work out that this means we have two weeks and two days to go. Read more...