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Web Directions @media 2010, Southbank Centre London, June 10 10.45am.

Presentation slides

Session description

This talk will be a comprehensive look at what you need to know to properly test your web applications on mobile devices. We’ll look at the different mobile phones that exist, what browsers they run, and what you can do to support them. Additionally we’ll examine some of the testing tools that can be used to make the whole process much easier.

About John Resig

John Resig PortraitJohn Resig is a JavaScript Tool Developer for the Mozilla Corporation and the author of the book Pro JavaScript Techniques. He's also the creator and lead developer of the jQuery JavaScript library.Currently, John is located in Boston, MA. He's hard at work on his second book, Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, due in bookstores soon.Follow John on Twitter: @jeresig
" ["post_title"]=> string(38) "John Resig - Testing mobile JavaScript" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(514) "

John Resig PortraitThis talk will be a comprehensive look at what you need to know to properly test your web applications on mobile devices. We’ll look at the different mobile phones that exist, what browsers they run, and what you can do to support them. Additionally we’ll examine some of the testing tools that can be used to make the whole process much easier.

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Web Directions @media 2010, Southbank Centre London, June 11 1.40pm.

Presentation slides

Session description

HTML5 is all the rage with the cool kids, and although there’s a lot of focus on the new language, there’s plenty for web app developers with new JavaScript APIs both in the HTML5 spec and separated out as their own W3C specifications. This session will take you through demos and code and show off some of the outright crazy bleeding edge demos that are being produced today using the new JavaScript APIs. But it’s not all pie in the sky – plenty is useful today, some even in Internet Explorer!Specifically we’ll be looking at scripting the video media element, 2D canvas and some of the mashups we can achieve. How to take our web apps completely offline, going beyond the cookie and HTML5’s answer to threading: web workers.

About Remy Sharp

Remy Sharp PortraitRemy Sharp is a developer, speaker, blogger, author of upcoming jQuery for Designers (Manning) and co-author of Introduction to HTML5 (New Riders). He also organises the Full Frontal JavaScript Conference and is one of the curators of HTML5 Doctor.jQuery team member (developer relations, formally evangelism) and the developer on a fistful of JavaScript related apps, Remy loves his JavaScript and he is keen as mustard to share it with other developers.Follow Remy on Twitter: @rem

" ["post_title"]=> string(44) "Remy Sharp - Browsers with wings: HTML5 APIs" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(641) "

Remy Sharp PortraitHTML5 is all the rage with the cool kids, and although there’s a lot of focus on the new language, there’s plenty for web app developers with new JavaScript APIs both in the HTML5 spec and separated out as their own W3C specifications. This session will take you through demos and code and show off some of the outright crazy bleeding edge demos that are being produced today using the new JavaScript APIs. But it’s not all pie in the sky – plenty is useful today, some even in Internet Explorer!

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Web Directions @media 2010, Southbank Centre London, June 11 2.40pm.

Presentation slides

Session description

Web 2.0 is adding more and more content to our pages, especially features that are implemented in Ajax. But our web applications are evolving faster than the browsers that they run in. We don’t have to rely on or wait for the release of new browsers to make our web applications faster. In this session, Steve Souders discusses web performance best practices from his second book, Even Faster Web Sites. These time-saving techniques are used by the world’s most popular web sites to create a faster user experience, increase revenue, and reduce operating costs. Steve provides technical details about reducing the pain of JavaScript, as well as secrets for making your page load faster in emerging markets where network connectivity is a challenge.

About Steve Souders

Steve Souders PortraitSteve works at Google on web performance and open source initiatives. He previously served as Chief Performance Yahoo!. Steve is the author of High Performance Web Sites and Even Faster Web Sites. He created YSlow, the performance analysis plug-in for Firefox. He serves as co-chair of Velocity, the web performance and operations conference from O'Reilly, and is co-founder of the Firebug Working Group. He recently taught CS193H: High Performance Web Sites at Stanford University.Follow Steve on Twitter: @souders

" ["post_title"]=> string(37) "Steve Souders - Even faster web sites" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(900) "

Steve Souders PortraitWeb 2.0 is adding more and more content to our pages, especially features that are implemented in Ajax. But our web applications are evolving faster than the browsers that they run in. We don’t have to rely on or wait for the release of new browsers to make our web applications faster. In this session, Steve Souders discusses web performance best practices from his second book, Even Faster Web Sites. These time-saving techniques are used by the world’s most popular web sites to create a faster user experience, increase revenue, and reduce operating costs. Steve provides technical details about reducing the pain of JavaScript, as well as secrets for making your page load faster in emerging markets where network connectivity is a challenge.

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Web Directions South 2009, Sydney Convention Centre, October 9 2.40pm.

Presentation slides

Session description

Increasingly, web-application behaviour is split between logic running on the server, and JavaScript logic running in the browser. Automated testing of the server-side component is fairly common, but too often the browser-side logic is left out in the cold.Mike Williams and Rob Mitchell will explain why you should test your JavaScript code, what to test, and how to go about it. They’ll talk about full-stack browser-based tests, as well as true unit tests, and explain where each are appropriate. They’ll also discuss integration of your tests into an automated build, and you’ll leave with a burning desire to try it out on your own projects.

About Rob Mitchell

Rob Mitchell PortraitRob Mitchell was exposed to Agile Software Development in 2001 and since then has been a strong advocate of automated testing of software, allowing quick feedback. He has extensive experience in writing and testing web applications as well as leading teams to deliver quality software.Follow Rob on Twitter: @rob_mitch

About Mike Williams

Mike Williams PortraitMike Williams has been developing software for about 20 years, in New Zealand, the UK and Australia. He became interested in eXtreme Programming and Test-Driven Development in 2001, shortly after moving to Australia, and has been promoting agile approaches to software development since then. Mike was an early contributer to Selenium, a popular web-application testing tool.Follow Mike on Twitter: @woollyams

" ["post_title"]=> string(51) "Rob Mitchell & Mike Williams - Test your JavaScript" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(685) "

Rob Mitchell PortraitMike Williams PortraitMike Williams and Rob Mitchell will explain why you should test your JavaScript code, what to test, and how to go about it. They’ll talk about full-stack browser-based tests, as well as true unit tests, and explain where each are appropriate. They’ll also discuss integration of your tests into an automated build, and you’ll leave with a burning desire to try it out on your own projects.

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Web Directions South 2009, Sydney Convention Centre, October 8 1.40pm.

Presentation slides

Session description

Since the earliest days of the web, perhaps the single biggest missing piece of functionality has been a standards based, browser native way for developers to do 2D (and 3D) rendering. Now, the Canvas element, supported in all contemporary browsers other than Internet Explorer, and part of the HTML5 specification, provides these capabilities, and is being widely adopted in cutting edge websites and applications.In this session, JavaScript ninja Dmitry Baranovskiy takes us into the heart and soul of Canvas, looking at what it does well, and not so well, how well it is supported, and how to use it in cross browser compatible ways. Developers with a good grasp of JavaScript will be able to add another dimension to their web solutions based on what they learn in this session.

About Dmitry Baranovskiy

Dmitry Baranovskiy PortraitDmitry has over 8 years experience in creating web applications. Having started as a back end developer, more recently he has changed his orientation to front end development and even pure design. These days he spends his working hours trying to embrace a wide range of front end technologies while working as a JavaScript Developer for Atlassian. He is also the creator of Optimus, the Microformats transformer, as well as Raphaël, a JavaScript Vector Library. At any given moment he is always working on three secret projects, though no one knows where he gets the time for any of this.Follow Dmitry on Twitter: @DmitryBaranovsk

" ["post_title"]=> string(27) "Dmitry Baranovskiy - Canvas" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(524) "

Dmitry Baranovskiy PortraitIn this session, JavaScript ninja Dmitry Baranovskiy takes us into the heart and soul of Canvas, looking at what it does well, and not so well, how well it is supported, and how to use it in cross browser compatible ways. Developers with a good grasp of JavaScript will be able to add another dimension to their web solutions based on what they learn in this session.

" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(25) "dmitry-baranovskiy-canvas" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2009-10-23 13:30:17" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2009-10-23 03:30:17" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(36) "http://www.webdirections.org/?p=2276" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "7" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [5]=> object(stdClass)#124 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(948) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "8" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-06-19 13:08:13" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-06-19 03:08:13" ["post_content"]=> string(2732) "

Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 26 2.40pm.

Presentation slides

Session description

Security design is an important, but often neglected, component of system design. In this session, Douglas Crockford, creator of Javascript Object Notation, will outline the security issues that must be considered in the architecture of Ajax applications.

The design of the browser did not anticipate the needs of multiparty applications. The browser’s security model frustrates useful activities and allows some very dangerous activities. This talk will look at the small set of options before us that will determine the future of the Web.

During this session, attendees will:

  • Learn why effective security is an inherent feature of good design;
  • Experience a real-time demo of a Ajax client/server system based on sound security principles
  • See how to apply secure design to rich web applications.

About Douglas Crockford

Portrait of Douglas CrockfordDouglas Crockford is a product of the US public school system. A registered voter, he owns his own car. He has developed office automation systems. He did research in games and music at Atari. He was Director of Technology at Lucasfilm. He was Director of New Media at Paramount. He was the founder and CEO of Electric Communities/Communities.com. He was founder and CTO of State Software, where he discovered JSON. He is now an architect at Yahoo!. He is the world’s foremost living authority on JavaScript.

" ["post_title"]=> string(33) "Douglas Crockford - Ajax security" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(1083) "

Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 26 2.40pm.

Douglas Crockford PortraitSecurity design is an important, but often neglected, component of system design. In this session, Douglas Crockford, creator of Javascript Object Notation, will outline the security issues that must be considered in the architecture of Ajax applications.
The design of the browser did not anticipate the needs of multiparty applications. The browser’s security model frustrates useful activities and allows some very dangerous activities. This talk will look at the small set of options before us that will determine the future of the Web.
During this session, attendees will:

  • Learn why effective security is an inherent feature of good design;
  • Experience a real-time demo of a Ajax client/server system based on sound security principles
  • See how to apply secure design to rich web applications.
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Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 25 1.40pm.

Session description

No longer are search engines the main contenders when you’re shopping for JavaScript solutions. For sophisticated, cross-browser effects which degrade gracefully and don’t impede accessibility, libraries are the new heavy weights. But which library do you want in your corner?
The crop of polished, opensource libraries bring a vast array of visual effects and functionality to leverage in your projects and we’ll introduce you to the power houses. We’ll run jQuery, the YUI, and Prototype up against pure Javascript in a tag team event that will challenge even the hardiest code warriors.
In this special 2 hour session local and international developers will run libraries through their paces giving you real world insights in to how a library can help you knockout the toughest scripting challenge.

Panelists

    About Craig Sharkie

    Portrait of Craig SharkieA degree in Fine Art may seem an odd stepping stone to a career in coding, but its a step that's led Craig Sharkie on a journey lasting over 13 years. With tenure at the Australian operations of Ziff Davis, AOL and Yahoo!, Craig's seen the Internet bubble, burst, and be reinvented, and at each turn his foundation in visualising the Web has stood him in good stead.

    Focussing on accessible, extensible, and usable HTML and CSS solutions to both leading edge and legacy development issues, Craig continues to use the best of JavaScript to deliver interfaces that marry a user's goals with corporate aims. From onclick to Unobtrusive Scripting, via the DOM and Ajax, he enjoys coding standards based solutions even more than championing them.

    About Cameron Adams

    Cameron Adams PortraitCameron Adams — The Man in Blue — melds a background in Computer Science with over eight years experience in graphic design to create a unique approach to interface design. Using the latest technologies, he likes to play in the intersection between design and code to produce innovative but usable sites and applications.

    In addition to the projects he’s currently tinkering with, Cameron writes about the Internet and design in general on his well respected weblog, and has written several books ranging in topics from JavaScript, to CSS, and design. His latest publication — Simply JavaScript — takes a bottom-up, quirky-down approach to the basics of JavaScript coding.

    About Earle Castledine

    Portrait of Earle CastledineSporting a Masters in Information Technology and a lifetime of experience on the Web of Hard Knocks, Earle Castledine's interests span all that is computery. A Senior Systems Analyst and Javascript flàneur - he is equally happy in the muddy pits of .NET code as in the fluffy fields of client-side interaction development.

    Having stuck with Javascript through the dark and dynamic times, he now recognises the Internet not as a lubricant for social change, but a vehicle for unleashing frivolous ECMAScript gadgets and time-wasting technologies.

    About Jason Crane

    Portrait of Jason CraneJason Crane is a self-confessed neophile. He also works on the web. His enthusiasm and passion for people and technology is a perpetual motion machine.

    Jason has worked for a number of businesses (including his own!) in varying capacities ranging from networking, through to back and front-end engineering. When not wrangling Ruby on Rails, or playing devils advocate with his peers, Jason enjoys cooking and eating food with his wife and dog.

    He doesn't take himself too seriously, and he blames his love of speaking in the third person on his internet exposure.

    About Ben Askins

    Portrait of Ben AskinsBen has been employed as a software developer in one form or another since leaving school in 1989. Not traditionally a web developer, he started dabbling with HTML and CSS about 6 years ago. Since 2006 he's been freelancing as a software developer, focusing on implementing business applications using Ruby on Rails. Funnily enough, he knows very little about Javascript, so little in fact that he agreed to take part in this panel on the one condition that he could perform a Vulcan Mind Meld with The Man in Blue, to assimilate just a smidgeon of his vast vast knowledge.

    Resources

    " ["post_title"]=> string(76) "Panel - Javascript libraries - putting the cross in cross-browser compatible" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(928) "

    Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 25 1.40pm.

    No longer are search engines the main contenders when you’re shopping for JavaScript solutions. For sophisticated, cross-browser effects which degrade gracefully and don’t impede accessibility, libraries are the new heavy weights. But which library do you want in your corner?
    The crop of polished, opensource libraries bring a vast array of visual effects and functionality to leverage in your projects and we’ll introduce you to the power houses. We’ll run jQuery, the YUI, and Prototype up against pure Javascript in a tag team event that will challenge even the hardiest code warriors.
    In this special 2 hour session local and international developers will run libraries through their paces giving you real world insights in to how a library can help you knockout the toughest scripting challenge.

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    Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 25 10.45am.

    Presentation slides

    Session description

    With the growth of interactivity in web applications we are pushing Javascript to its limits, not to mention the limits of HTML and CSS. And so we spend our days resorting to Flash, waiting for that distant time when browser support for CSS3 will come to our rescue and allow us to create the UIs we dream of. But this is not the way it has to be: there is a little known secret weapon right here in most modern browsers. Yes, even in IE6.

    Dmitry Baranovskiy is here to tell you about Canvas, SVG and VML. Come along and be amazed by standards based UI wizardry you can start implementing in projects right here, right now.

    About Dmitry Baranovskiy

    Portrait of Dmitry BaranovskiyDmitry has over 8 years experience in creating web applications. Having started as a back end developer, more recently he has changed his orientation to front end development and even pure design. These days he spends his working hours trying to embrace a wide range of front end technologies while working as a UI Developer for Atlassian.

    He is also the creator of Optimus, the Microformats transformer, as well as a Microformats based conference scheduler creator. At any given moment he is always working on three secret projects, though no one knows where he gets the time for any of this.

    " ["post_title"]=> string(58) "Dmitry Baranovskiy - Start using web vector graphics today" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(863) "

    Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 25 10.45am.

    Dmitry Baranovskiy PortraitWith the growth of interactivity in web applications we are pushing Javascript to its limits, not to mention the limits of HTML and CSS. And so we spend our days resorting to Flash, waiting for that distant time when browser support for CSS3 will come to our rescue and allow us to create the UIs we dream of. But this is not the way it has to be: there is a little known secret weapon right here in most modern browsers. Yes, even in IE6.
    Dmitry Baranovskiy is here to tell you about Canvas, SVG and VML. Come along and be amazed by standards based UI wizardry you can start implementing in projects right here, right now.

    " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(56) "dmitry-baranovskiy-start-using-web-vector-graphics-today" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-10-30 12:14:03" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-10-30 02:14:03" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "http://www.webdirections.org/?p=893" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [8]=> object(stdClass)#127 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(388) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-10 23:13:05" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-11 04:13:05" ["post_content"]=> string(1698) "

    A presentation given at at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

    Session description

    Whoever you are, if you're writing JavaScript, there's some aspect of your development that you would love to change if you had the chance. But the reality is you'll never find yourself working in this ideal environment: dealing with legacy browsers, platforms and content management systems will be your constant as a developer. Patrick Lee is going to show you some tools and techniques that will help you make your peace with this fact.

    This session will explore how you can find ways to do the cool stuff you really want to do with JavaScript whilst working in the real world. And you won't even have to sell your soul in the process.

    About Patrick Lee

    Patrick Lee PortraitPatrick was involved with entrepreneurial web pursuits before joining News Digital Media in what now seems like the distant past. When tasked with deciding his job title he jokingly suggested JavaScript Ninja. The title stuck and that's now what the business cards say.

    Patrick spent some time being an engineer when he really wanted to be a philosopher. Somehow the little scripting language with a soul, that we all misunderstood, is a happy medium.

    " ["post_title"]=> string(67) "Patrick Lee - One paper clip, a box of matches, and some JavaScript" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(891) "

    A presentation given at at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

    Patrick Lee PortraitWhoever you are, if you're writing JavaScript, there's some aspect of your development that you would love to change if you had the chance. But the reality is you'll never find yourself working in this ideal environment: dealing with legacy browsers, platforms and content management systems will be your constant as a developer. Patrick Lee is going to show you some tools and techniques that will help you make your peace with this fact.

    This session will explore how you can find ways to do the cool stuff you really want to do with JavaScript whilst working in the real world. And you won't even have to sell your soul in the process.

    " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(11) "patrick-lee" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-07-21 01:29:41" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-07-21 06:29:41" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(57) "http://westciv.com/webdirections08/resources/patrick-lee/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [9]=> object(stdClass)#128 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(376) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-10 21:55:12" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-11 02:55:12" ["post_content"]=> string(2018) "

    A presentation given at at Web Directions User Experience, Melbourne Town Hall, May 16 2008, and Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

    We’re sorry, but slides and podcast for this presentation are unfortunately not available.

    Session description

    While elections can be exciting times, the underlying data - swings, booth counts, and the like is probably only riveting to psephological tragics. Yet the ABC's election web site managed to take this raw data and make it attractive, compelling and interactive.

    In this session, the ABC's Andrew Kesper takes us through the election site, looking at the design decisions, and uses of technology like Ajax, Flash, and interactive maps - tools which have wide applicability for government sites looking to present data in more user-friendly and attractive ways.

    About Andrew Kesper

    Andrew Kesper PortraitAndrew Kesper has been working at the ABC for the past two years. Andrew's first project was the redevelopment of ABC News Online that launched in mid-2007. This was followed back-to-back by the development of the ABC's Federal Election site, Australia Votes 2007, which launched in September 2007.

    Andrew has also developed sites for several ABC current affairs programs including The 7.30 Report, Lateline and Insiders. Pre-ABC, Andrew worked for a web design firm in London, developing web sites for clients such as the British Film Institute and local government organisations. He graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology from the University of Queensland in 2003.

    " ["post_title"]=> string(64) "Andrew Kesper - ABC's election site: making the most of dry data" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(887) "

    A presentation given at at Web Directions User Experience, Melbourne Town Hall, May 16 2008, and Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

    Andrew Kesper PortraitWhile elections can be exciting times, the underlying data - swings, booth counts, and the like is probably only riveting to psephological tragics. Yet the ABC's election web site managed to take this raw data and make it attractive, compelling and interactive.

    In this session, the ABC's Andrew Kesper takes us through the election site, looking at the design decisions, and uses of technology like Ajax, Flash, and interactive maps - tools which have wide applicability for government sites looking to present data in more user-friendly and attractive ways.

    " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(13) "andrew-kesper" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-07-21 01:36:51" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-07-21 06:36:51" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(59) "http://westciv.com/webdirections08/resources/andrew-kesper/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "2" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [10]=> object(stdClass)#129 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(531) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "8" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-01-22 22:37:58" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-01-23 03:37:58" ["post_content"]=> string(3706) "

    A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 8, 2007.

    • MP3 of presentation (Kaitlin Sherwood)
    • MP3 of presentation (Steffen Meschkat)
    • Session description
    • About Kaitlin Sherwood
    • About Steffen Meschkat

      • Session description

      Mashups are the hottest web development topic today. Hear about the front-end, back-end, and business issues of mashups with these two experts who know more about them than just about anyone.

      Kaitlin Sherwood: Overview of Maps Mashup Technologies

      In the past two years, there has been an explosion of tools for conveying geographic information to the masses. In this talk, Kaitlin Duck Sherwood will introduce major concepts and issues, and discuss the pros and cons of each of the major mashup frameworks. Attendees will gain an appreciation for their mapping options, and information to help them better choose between them based on their particular needs.

      Steffen Meschkat

      A central topic of “Web 2.0” is browser-side web application programming interfaces (APIs) and the specific type of web application they give rise to: mashups.

      Using the Google Maps API as an example, I put this development into a perspective that allows one to appreciate how this, on the one hand, is a natural and coherent evolution of the Web that, on the other hand, significantly alters the ways of organizing the world’s information that the Web makes possible. I also discuss the specific technologies that web APIs for mashups are based upon, and their sometimes challenging idiosyncrasies.

      About Steffen Meschkat

      Steffen Meschkat joined Google in 2004 and currently works on maps.

      He earlier co-founded ART+COM AG and datango AG . At ART+COM, he worked on industry funded application research projects of Virtual Reality and, since 1993, the WWW. For datango, he built the client side components of the navigation suite, a technology that augments web applications by simulated user interaction fragments. He has an MSc (”Diplom”) in Physics from Humboldt University in Berlin.

      Kaitlin Sherwood

      With a keen eye for how people interact with technology now and the creativity to see how they could be using it in the future, Kaitlin Duck Sherwood started developing innovative Web sites in 1994. In addition to winning a 1995 GNN Best of the Web award, she developed one of the first webmail applications and the first navigation system for a large campus that integrated maps and floorplans.

      Most recently, she developed the first mashup to feature thematic (area-based) maps, overlaying census bureau data on Google Maps. On the strength of this, she earned a summer internship at the Maps group of Google, and no, she’s not yet allowed to tell you what she worked on. She has since returned to her graduate studies at the University of British Columbia.

      Sherwood spent several years as a “email anthropologist”, studying how people use electronic mail. From those experiences, she wrote two practical books and provided training to corporate and governmental clients on how to manage email better. She and her advice have been featured in the the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Tech TV, and many others.

      " ["post_title"]=> string(76) "Kaitlin Sherwood & Steffen Meschkat - The Business and Technology of Mashups" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(1432) "

      A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 8, 2007.

      Mashups are the hottest web development topic today. Hear about the front-end, back-end, and business issues of mashups with these two experts who know more about them than just about anyone.

      Kaitlin Sherwood: Overview of Maps Mashup Technologies

      In the past two years, there has been an explosion of tools for conveying geographic information to the masses. In this talk, Kaitlin Duck Sherwood will introduce major concepts and issues, and discuss the pros and cons of each of the major mashup frameworks. Attendees will gain an appreciation for their mapping options, and information to help them better choose between them based on their particular needs.

      Steffen Meschkat

      A central topic of “Web 2.0” is browser-side web application programming interfaces (APIs) and the specific type of web application they give rise to: mashups.

      Using the Google Maps API as an example, I put this development into a perspective that allows one to appreciate how this, on the one hand, is a natural and coherent evolution of the Web that, on the other hand, significantly alters the ways of organizing the world’s information that the Web makes possible. I also discuss the specific technologies that web APIs for mashups are based upon, and their sometimes challenging idiosyncrasies.

      " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(72) "kaitlin-sherwood-steffen-meschkat-the-business-and-technology-of-mashups" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-06-22 22:46:28" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-06-23 03:46:28" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "http://www.webdirections.org/?p=531" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [11]=> object(stdClass)#130 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(518) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "8" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-01-19 00:21:41" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-01-19 05:21:41" ["post_content"]=> string(2388) "

      A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 7, 2007.

      Session description

      Traditionally, CSS has been the domain of designers while JavaScript was for programmers, but these technologies can and should work together to improve your visitors’ experiences. After all, you can do amazing things with CSS, but when you start to use CSS in concert with DOM Scripting, there’s almost no limit to what you can achieve.

      MOD-ern web designer Andy Clarke and DOM/Ajax developer Aaron Gustafson will take your CSS skills and supercharge them with JavaScript magic, exploring how you can make CSS and JavaScript work together to make beautiful (and functional) results.

      About Andy Clarke

      Andy Clarke is a sought-after speaker, designer and consultant focusing on creative, accessible web development. Andy is passionate about design and passionate about web standards, often bridging the gap between design and code. He regularly trains designers and developers in the creative applications of web standards and writes about aspects of design and popular culture on his personal web site, And All That Malarkey.

      About Aaron Gustafson

      After getting hooked on the web in 1996 and spending several years pushing pixels and bits for the likes of IBM and Konica Minolta, Aaron Gustafson decided to focus full-time on his own web consultancy, Easy! Designs LLC. Aaron is a member of the Web Standards Project (WaSP) and the Guild of Accessible Web Designers (GAWDS). He also serves as Technical Editor for A List Apart, is a contributing writer for Digital Web Magazine, and is quickly building a library of writing and editing credits in meatspace. He has graced the stage at numerous conferences including An Event Apart, COMDEX, SXSW, and The Ajax Experience and is frequently called on to provide web standards training in both the public and private sector.

      " ["post_title"]=> string(75) "Aaron Gustafson & Andy Clarke - Transcendent Design with Javascript and CSS" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(692) "

      A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 7, 2007.

      Traditionally, CSS has been the domain of designers while JavaScript was for programmers, but these technologies can and should work together to improve your visitors’ experiences. After all, you can do amazing things with CSS, but when you start to use CSS in concert with DOM Scripting, there’s almost no limit to what you can achieve.

      MOD-ern web designer Andy Clarke and DOM/Ajax developer Aaron Gustafson will take your CSS skills and supercharge them with JavaScript magic, exploring how you can make CSS and JavaScript work together to make beautiful (and functional) results.

      " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(71) "aaron-gustafson-andy-clarke-transcendent-design-with-javascript-and-css" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-06-19 00:51:38" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-06-19 05:51:38" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "http://www.webdirections.org/?p=518" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [12]=> object(stdClass)#131 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(517) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "8" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-01-18 23:44:29" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-01-19 04:44:29" ["post_content"]=> string(3239) "

      A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 7, 2007.

      Session description

      Where can you find Ajax enlightenment? At the mystical point where a kick-ass application connects perfectly with the Flow of the best user experiences. Let Masters Jeremy and Derek guide you there.

      You seek to infuse your work, whether an app or a web site feature, with the power of Ajax. But, taking the wrong path at the beginning of your project will lead to frustration for visitors, rather than a graceful, intuitive experience. True Masters start with the right questions: When is Ajax an enhancement? When is it a hindrance? How can its energy be channeled elegantly? This insightful session will be grounded in real-life examples and demonstrations, revealing the impact of the choices we make. Above all, you’ll learn the strategical thinking and higher perspective that will ensure a brilliantly user-centered web site.

      About Jeremy Keith

      Jeremy Keith is a web developer with the web consultancy firm Clearleft in Brighton, England where he enjoys building accessible, elegant websites using the troika of web standards: XHTML, CSS and the DOM. His online home is adactio.com.

      Jeremy is a member of the Web Standards Project where he serves as joint leader of the DOM Scripting Task Force. He wrote the book DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model.

      When he’s not building websites, Jeremy plays bouzouki in the alt.country band Salter Cane. He is also the creator and curator of one of the Web’s largest online communities dedicated to Irish traditional music, The Session.

      About Derek Featherstone

      Engaging, surprising, and inspiring, Derek Featherstone has a gift for taking a fresh look at virtually every aspect of web development and teaching it in a way that renews our passion for making the web better for everyone. Featherstone is an internationally-known authority on accessibility and web development, and a respected technical trainer, and author.

      Creator of in-depth courses on HTML, CSS, DOM Scripting, and Web 2.0 applications, his approach never fails to champion the cause of web standards and universal accessibility. As founder of Furtherahead, he has been an in-demand consultant to government agencies, educational institutions and private sector companies since 1999. His wealth of experience and insight enables him to provide audiences with immediately applicable, brilliantly simple approaches to everyday challenges in website design. He serves on the Accessibility and DOM Scripting Task Forces of the Web Standards Project, and comments on a variety of subjects at the popular boxofchocolates.ca.

      " ["post_title"]=> string(89) "Jeremy Keith & Derek Featherstone - Web Apps - Ajax Kung Fu Meets Accessibility Feng Shui" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(1790) "

      A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 7, 2007.

      Where can you find Ajax enlightenment? At the mystical point where a kick-ass application connects perfectly with the Flow of the best user experiences. Let Masters Jeremy and Derek guide you there.

      You seek to infuse your work, whether an app or a web site feature, with the power of Ajax. But, taking the wrong path at the beginning of your project will lead to frustration for visitors, rather than a graceful, intuitive experience. True Masters start with the right questions: When is Ajax an enhancement? When is it a hindrance? How can its energy be channeled elegantly? This insightful session will be grounded in real-life examples and demonstrations, revealing the impact of the choices we make. Above all, you’ll learn the strategical thinking and higher perspective that will ensure a brilliantly user-centered web site.

      Where can you find Ajax enlightenment? At the mystical point where a kick-ass application connects perfectly with the Flow of the best user experiences. Let Masters Jeremy and Derek guide you there.

      You seek to infuse your work, whether an app or a web site feature, with the power of Ajax. But, taking the wrong path at the beginning of your project will lead to frustration for visitors, rather than a graceful, intuitive experience. True Masters start with the right questions: When is Ajax an enhancement? When is it a hindrance? How can its energy be channeled elegantly? This insightful session will be grounded in real-life examples and demonstrations, revealing the impact of the choices we make. Above all, you’ll learn the strategical thinking and higher perspective that will ensure a brilliantly user-centered web site.

      " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(83) "jeremy-keith-derek-featherstone-web-apps-ajax-kung-fu-meets-accessibility-feng-shui" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-06-19 00:28:22" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-06-19 05:28:22" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "http://www.webdirections.org/?p=517" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "2" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [13]=> object(stdClass)#132 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(29) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2007-09-29 23:41:16" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2007-09-30 04:41:16" ["post_content"]=> string(3434) "

      A presentation given at Web Directions South, Sydney Australia, September 28 2007.

      We're sorry, but slides and podcast for this presentation are unfortunately not available.

      Session description

      When Version 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines is finally released, the status of Javascript will be quite different to that assigned to it in Version 1.0 back in 1999. Back then, Javascript was to “degrade gracefully”. Currently AJAX offers increased usability for visual users, but may detract from accessibility. In future, use of JavaScript will be encouraged but, of course, must enhance rather than detract from accessibility.

      During this presentation, Andrew and Grant will demonstrate how Javascript, when implemented well, offers enhanced accessibility. By way of balance, they will also present examples of scripting that causes problems. Importantly, they will provide corrections to the errant coding.

      In these days of web-based multimedia extravaganzas, participants will also have the opportunity to experience some of the very helpful things that can be achieved with Flash, including screen reader accessibility. One of the issues to be covered is embedding of Flash into IE following the EOLAS versus Microsoft case – Javascript to the rescue.

      Andrew and Grant will also showcase the potential of AutoHotkey, a free scripting language for Windows as an accessibility tool. While scripts can be written to meet a wide variety of needs in various circumstances, we will concentrate on one which provides fast and accurate coding for web pages.

      About Andrew Downie and Grant Focas

      Andrew Downie PortraitAndrew Downie is a psychologist and also has a post-graduate diploma in education. He has, for both personal and professional reasons, a keen interest in making products and services available to the widest possible range of people. Andrew has worked for the NSW Department of Education and Training since 1992, providing adaptive technology resources to staff and students. As the world wide web has become more important in the educational environment, Andrew’s role has increasingly involved evaluating website accessibility.

      Andrew is totally blind and uses screen readers to access computers. He has developed a working knowledge of HTML and is currently frustrated at his slow progress with Javascript.

      Grant Focas PortraitGrant Focas is a Senior Educational Programmer for the Centre for Learning Innovation. He helped develop OptionKeys - a website provided by the NSW Department of Education and Training for students, teachers and resource developers to assist in the production of accessible online resources. For the past 6 years Grant has been a keen advocate of web standards. Though known to dabble in the dark arts of .NET he is happiest when eating the web trifle of XHTML, CSS and JavaScript with an entree of XSLT.

      " ["post_title"]=> string(76) "Andrew Downie and Grant Focas - Javascript and other coding for good or evil" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(1122) "

      A presentation given at Web Directions South, Sydney Australia, September 28 2007.

      Andrew Downie PortraitGrant Focas PortraitWhen Version 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines is finally released, the status of Javascript will be quite different to that assigned to it in Version 1.0 back in 1999. Back then, Javascript was to “degrade gracefully”. Currently AJAX offers increased usability for visual users, but may detract from accessibility. In future, use of JavaScript will be encouraged but, of course, must enhance rather than detract from accessibility. During this presentation, Andrew and Grant will demonstrate how Javascript, when implemented well, offers enhanced accessibility. By way of balance, they will also present examples of scripting that causes problems. Importantly, they will provide corrections to the errant coding.

      " ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(12) "downie-focas" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-07-24 21:19:01" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-07-25 02:19:01" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(58) "http://westciv.com/webdirections08/resources/downie-focas/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [14]=> object(stdClass)#133 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(26) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2007-09-29 23:25:59" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2007-09-30 04:25:59" ["post_content"]=> string(2434) "

      A presentation given at Web Directions South, Sydney Australia, September 28 2007.

      Presentation slides

      Session description

      Forms. We all have to make ‘em, but few of us love ‘em. Aaron Gustafson believes that this is because we don’t understand them. In this session, we will explore forms from top to bottom, examining how they work and how their components can be incorporated with other elements to maximize accessibility, improve semantics, and allow for more flexible styling. You’ll get to see the complete picture with forms, including error, warning and formatting messages, styling and its implications, as well as best practices for manipulation with Javascript and Ajax.

      About Aaron Gustafson

      http://easy-reader.net/

      Aaron Gustafson PortraitAfter getting hooked on the web in 1996 and spending several years pushing pixels and bits for the likes of IBM and Konica Minolta, Aaron Gustafson decided to focus full-time on his own web consultancy, Easy! Designs LLC. Aaron is a member of the Web Standards Project (WaSP) and the Guild of Accessible Web Designers (GAWDS). He also serves as Technical Editor for A List Apart, is a contributing writer for Digital Web Magazine, and is quickly building a library of writing and editing credits in meatspace. He has graced the stage at numerous conferences including An Event Apart, COMDEX, SXSW, and The Ajax Experience and is frequently called on to provide web standards training in both the public and private sector.

      " ["post_title"]=> string(40) "Aaron Gustafson - Learning to love forms" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(817) "

      A presentation given at Web Directions South, Sydney Australia, September 28 2007.

      Aaron Gustafson PortraitForms. We all have to make ‘em, but few of us love ‘em. Aaron Gustafson believes that this is because we don’t understand them. In this session, we will explore forms from top to bottom, examining how they work and how their components can be incorporated with other elements to maximize accessibility, improve semantics, and allow for more flexible styling. You’ll get to see the complete picture with forms, including error, warning and formatting messages, styling and its implications, as well as best practices for manipulation with Javascript and Ajax.

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      Web Directions @media 2010, Southbank Centre London, June 10 10.45am.

      Presentation slides

      Session description

      This talk will be a comprehensive look at what you need to know to properly test your web applications on mobile devices. We’ll look at the different mobile phones that exist, what browsers they run, and what you can do to support them. Additionally we’ll examine some of the testing tools that can be used to make the whole process much easier.

      About John Resig

      John Resig PortraitJohn Resig is a JavaScript Tool Developer for the Mozilla Corporation and the author of the book Pro JavaScript Techniques. He's also the creator and lead developer of the jQuery JavaScript library.Currently, John is located in Boston, MA. He's hard at work on his second book, Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, due in bookstores soon.Follow John on Twitter: @jeresig
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Presentations about javascript

John Resig — Testing mobile JavaScript

John Resig PortraitThis talk will be a comprehensive look at what you need to know to properly test your web applications on mobile devices. We’ll look at the different mobile phones that exist, what browsers they run, and what you can do to support them. Additionally we’ll examine some of the testing tools that can be used to make the whole process much easier.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Remy Sharp — Browsers with wings: HTML5 APIs

Remy Sharp PortraitHTML5 is all the rage with the cool kids, and although there’s a lot of focus on the new language, there’s plenty for web app developers with new JavaScript APIs both in the HTML5 spec and separated out as their own W3C specifications. This session will take you through demos and code and show off some of the outright crazy bleeding edge demos that are being produced today using the new JavaScript APIs. But it’s not all pie in the sky – plenty is useful today, some even in Internet Explorer!

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Steve Souders — Even faster web sites

Steve Souders PortraitWeb 2.0 is adding more and more content to our pages, especially features that are implemented in Ajax. But our web applications are evolving faster than the browsers that they run in. We don’t have to rely on or wait for the release of new browsers to make our web applications faster. In this session, Steve Souders discusses web performance best practices from his second book, Even Faster Web Sites. These time-​​saving techniques are used by the world’s most popular web sites to create a faster user experience, increase revenue, and reduce operating costs. Steve provides technical details about reducing the pain of JavaScript, as well as secrets for making your page load faster in emerging markets where network connectivity is a challenge.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Rob Mitchell & Mike Williams — Test your JavaScript

Rob Mitchell PortraitMike Williams PortraitMike Williams and Rob Mitchell will explain why you should test your JavaScript code, what to test, and how to go about it. They’ll talk about full-​​stack browser-​​based tests, as well as true unit tests, and explain where each are appropriate. They’ll also discuss integration of your tests into an automated build, and you’ll leave with a burning desire to try it out on your own projects.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Dmitry Baranovskiy — Canvas

Dmitry Baranovskiy PortraitIn this session, JavaScript ninja Dmitry Baranovskiy takes us into the heart and soul of Canvas, looking at what it does well, and not so well, how well it is supported, and how to use it in cross browser compatible ways. Developers with a good grasp of JavaScript will be able to add another dimension to their web solutions based on what they learn in this session.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Douglas Crockford — Ajax security

Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 26 2.40pm.

Douglas Crockford PortraitSecurity design is an important, but often neglected, component of system design. In this session, Douglas Crockford, creator of Javascript Object Notation, will outline the security issues that must be considered in the architecture of Ajax applications.
The design of the browser did not anticipate the needs of multiparty applications. The browser’s security model frustrates useful activities and allows some very dangerous activities. This talk will look at the small set of options before us that will determine the future of the Web.
During this session, attendees will:

  • Learn why effective security is an inherent feature of good design;
  • Experience a real-​​time demo of a Ajax client/​server system based on sound security principles
  • See how to apply secure design to rich web applications.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Panel — Javascript libraries — putting the cross in cross-​​browser compatible

Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 25 1.40pm.

No longer are search engines the main contenders when you’re shopping for JavaScript solutions. For sophisticated, cross-​​browser effects which degrade gracefully and don’t impede accessibility, libraries are the new heavy weights. But which library do you want in your corner?
The crop of polished, opensource libraries bring a vast array of visual effects and functionality to leverage in your projects and we’ll introduce you to the power houses. We’ll run jQuery, the YUI, and Prototype up against pure Javascript in a tag team event that will challenge even the hardiest code warriors.
In this special 2 hour session local and international developers will run libraries through their paces giving you real world insights in to how a library can help you knockout the toughest scripting challenge.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Dmitry Baranovskiy — Start using web vector graphics today

Web Directions South 2008, Sydney Convention Centre, September 25 10.45am.

Dmitry Baranovskiy PortraitWith the growth of interactivity in web applications we are pushing Javascript to its limits, not to mention the limits of HTML and CSS. And so we spend our days resorting to Flash, waiting for that distant time when browser support for CSS3 will come to our rescue and allow us to create the UIs we dream of. But this is not the way it has to be: there is a little known secret weapon right here in most modern browsers. Yes, even in IE6.
Dmitry Baranovskiy is here to tell you about Canvas, SVG and VML. Come along and be amazed by standards based UI wizardry you can start implementing in projects right here, right now.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Patrick Lee — One paper clip, a box of matches, and some JavaScript

A presentation given at at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

Patrick Lee PortraitWhoever you are, if you’re writing JavaScript, there’s some aspect of your development that you would love to change if you had the chance. But the reality is you’ll never find yourself working in this ideal environment: dealing with legacy browsers, platforms and content management systems will be your constant as a developer. Patrick Lee is going to show you some tools and techniques that will help you make your peace with this fact.

This session will explore how you can find ways to do the cool stuff you really want to do with JavaScript whilst working in the real world. And you won’t even have to sell your soul in the process.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Andrew Kesper — ABC’s election site: making the most of dry data

A presentation given at at Web Directions User Experience, Melbourne Town Hall, May 16 2008, and Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

Andrew Kesper PortraitWhile elections can be exciting times, the underlying data — swings, booth counts, and the like is probably only riveting to psephological tragics. Yet the ABC’s election web site managed to take this raw data and make it attractive, compelling and interactive.

In this session, the ABC’s Andrew Kesper takes us through the election site, looking at the design decisions, and uses of technology like Ajax, Flash, and interactive maps — tools which have wide applicability for government sites looking to present data in more user-​​friendly and attractive ways.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Kaitlin Sherwood & Steffen Meschkat — The Business and Technology of Mashups

A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 8, 2007.

Mashups are the hottest web development topic today. Hear about the front-​​end, back-​​end, and business issues of mashups with these two experts who know more about them than just about anyone.

Kaitlin Sherwood: Overview of Maps Mashup Technologies

In the past two years, there has been an explosion of tools for conveying geographic information to the masses. In this talk, Kaitlin Duck Sherwood will introduce major concepts and issues, and discuss the pros and cons of each of the major mashup frameworks. Attendees will gain an appreciation for their mapping options, and information to help them better choose between them based on their particular needs.

Steffen Meschkat

A central topic of “Web 2.0” is browser-​​side web application programming interfaces (APIs) and the specific type of web application they give rise to: mashups.

Using the Google Maps API as an example, I put this development into a perspective that allows one to appreciate how this, on the one hand, is a natural and coherent evolution of the Web that, on the other hand, significantly alters the ways of organizing the world’s information that the Web makes possible. I also discuss the specific technologies that web APIs for mashups are based upon, and their sometimes challenging idiosyncrasies.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Aaron Gustafson & Andy Clarke — Transcendent Design with Javascript and CSS

A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 7, 2007.

Traditionally, CSS has been the domain of designers while JavaScript was for programmers, but these technologies can and should work together to improve your visitors’ experiences. After all, you can do amazing things with CSS, but when you start to use CSS in concert with DOM Scripting, there’s almost no limit to what you can achieve.

MOD-​​ern web designer Andy Clarke and DOM/​Ajax developer Aaron Gustafson will take your CSS skills and supercharge them with JavaScript magic, exploring how you can make CSS and JavaScript work together to make beautiful (and functional) results.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Jeremy Keith & Derek Featherstone — Web Apps — Ajax Kung Fu Meets Accessibility Feng Shui

A presentation given at at Web Directions North, Vancouver, February 7, 2007.

Where can you find Ajax enlightenment? At the mystical point where a kick-​​ass application connects perfectly with the Flow of the best user experiences. Let Masters Jeremy and Derek guide you there.

You seek to infuse your work, whether an app or a web site feature, with the power of Ajax. But, taking the wrong path at the beginning of your project will lead to frustration for visitors, rather than a graceful, intuitive experience. True Masters start with the right questions: When is Ajax an enhancement? When is it a hindrance? How can its energy be channeled elegantly? This insightful session will be grounded in real-​​life examples and demonstrations, revealing the impact of the choices we make. Above all, you’ll learn the strategical thinking and higher perspective that will ensure a brilliantly user-​​centered web site.

Where can you find Ajax enlightenment? At the mystical point where a kick-​​ass application connects perfectly with the Flow of the best user experiences. Let Masters Jeremy and Derek guide you there.

You seek to infuse your work, whether an app or a web site feature, with the power of Ajax. But, taking the wrong path at the beginning of your project will lead to frustration for visitors, rather than a graceful, intuitive experience. True Masters start with the right questions: When is Ajax an enhancement? When is it a hindrance? How can its energy be channeled elegantly? This insightful session will be grounded in real-​​life examples and demonstrations, revealing the impact of the choices we make. Above all, you’ll learn the strategical thinking and higher perspective that will ensure a brilliantly user-​​centered web site.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Andrew Downie and Grant Focas — Javascript and other coding for good or evil

A presentation given at Web Directions South, Sydney Australia, September 28 2007.

Andrew Downie PortraitGrant Focas PortraitWhen Version 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines is finally released, the status of Javascript will be quite different to that assigned to it in Version 1.0 back in 1999. Back then, Javascript was to “degrade gracefully”. Currently AJAX offers increased usability for visual users, but may detract from accessibility. In future, use of JavaScript will be encouraged but, of course, must enhance rather than detract from accessibility. During this presentation, Andrew and Grant will demonstrate how Javascript, when implemented well, offers enhanced accessibility. By way of balance, they will also present examples of scripting that causes problems. Importantly, they will provide corrections to the errant coding.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

Aaron Gustafson — Learning to love forms

A presentation given at Web Directions South, Sydney Australia, September 28 2007.

Aaron Gustafson PortraitForms. We all have to make ‘em, but few of us love ‘em. Aaron Gustafson believes that this is because we don’t understand them. In this session, we will explore forms from top to bottom, examining how they work and how their components can be incorporated with other elements to maximize accessibility, improve semantics, and allow for more flexible styling. You’ll get to see the complete picture with forms, including error, warning and formatting messages, styling and its implications, as well as best practices for manipulation with Javascript and Ajax.

See the slides and hear the podcast »

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