This is pretty interesting, but can someone please tell me the advantage of using CSS instead of Javascript? Is it to reduce code cruft in each page, or because some people turn Javascript off?
It's mostly a cruft/style issue. Some people prefer to have as much of their style-related code in pure css as possible. People having javascript off is not really a concern anymore as long as you're providing them with a baseline experience.
For more complicated animation, css can perform better than javascript because the browser is allowed to optimize css animation as it sees fit.
For example: a browser will stop trying to figure out the position of an element animated using css when you switch to a different tab. It will then "catch up" when you switch back. With javascript, it does not have that option an will continue to animate all elements even when you can't actually see the tab. This can eat into battery life.
This is unrelated to some of the demos, but one advantage to using CSS as opposed JavaScript, particularly regarding animations, is that CSS animations can be hardware-accelerated.
In addition to the argument for keeping your styles together, CSS is declarative while Javascript is imperative. There are just less moving parts in CSS, and the browser keeps track of any "state" that you would be tracking in Javascript.
While I haven't used many of the techniques described in the article, I would imagine in many cases that using the CSS option would produce a smaller web page. This is because all the elements you are modifying (in some way) with JavaScript also are likely to have styles associated with them.
Also, if you're using jQuery (or some other framework) you necessarily add several kB to the file size before you even write any code. While a single style might be on the order of a few hundred bytes. Remember, bandwidth is money and cutting down anywhere you can is important (just ask Google).
This won't hold true for all cases, but seeing these examples has already cause me to think of several ways in which it would. Anyway, creativity loves options! So it’s definitely worth reading.
This is only the case if the user has not got a cached version of jQuery, which is likely if something like google's hosting service. In this case the jQuery code may well be shorter than the css especially with all the browser specific rules. In addition the jQuery version will work in all browsers.
Tempurpedic all the way. We've had one for 8 years, and it's the only mattress my wife, who has a chronic back condition, sleeps well on.
Your choice of pillow is important as well, and Tempurpedic's pillow is also top notch. Also, a lot cheaper than the mattress, if you want to start there.
Despite Sir Howard's pretensions, Sony still doesn't really 'get it,' instead they just want to fight the old way, kind of like the English redcoats marching rank and file through Indian country.
Read Geohot's blog response to the hack, and you'll get a much better read on the problem:
Traditionally the trust boundary for a web service exists between the server and the client. But Sony believes they own the client too, so if they just put a trust boundary between the consumer and the client(can't trust those pesky consumers), everything is good. Since everyone knows the PS3 is unhackable, why waste money adding pointless security between the client and the server? This arrogance undermines a basic security principle, never trust the client.
How would people respond if the article were changed to this:
'Dear Writer, You Aren't That Special'
"In essence, writing is not a chaotic expression, it’s a measured approach to creation. We cannot create a good writing solution by shuffling elements randomly around a blog until something happens to work."
Think about it that way, and the author disproves his own point. Yes, his post is grammatical, and contains thoughts that are communicated, but not very well. The best one can say is that it is passable, and worth the price paid. This is true for design as well; most companies claim to want great design, but are secretly willing to accept the passable, as long as the price is right.
It's in vogue to desire developers who have a 'design sensibility,' as if this is the answer, but would it make as much sense to ask for a developer with 'copyrighting sensibility?' After all, design and writing have much more in common than developing and designing.
Meanwhile, here is a much more cogent post on the original topic, that counters this argument much more clearly and eloquently...because it was written by a professional writer, not just somebody who has a blog.
I appreciate that Kadavy actually delves into the technical deficiencies of Comic Sans before he gets to the real heart of the matter at the end.
He misses the larger 'hacker design' point, however - unless you are an experienced designer, you are much better off picking a standard classic font, such as Helvetica, than trying to get all 'design-y' and picking some weird display font, in the mistaken belief that somehow this is adding 'personality' to your design.
It seems that people associate meditation with Zen-style sitting meditation, which seems to be the canonical example. However, there are also standing, walking and moving forms of meditation, as practiced in Tai Chi, Chi Kung, Ba Gua and Yoga.
These practices emphasize mind-body unity and alignment, and focus on the moment, and the results are very similar to sitting meditation, with the added advantage of physical involvement, and less time per session.
I do a Tai Chi short form at different times throughout the day, as a stress break. It only takes 5 minutes or so, and is very helpful in calming the mind and aligning the body. The down side is that the learning curve is long, and a teacher is needed, in order to ensure that ur doing it right.
