Archive for March 2003

I told the story of the birth of my first born at { fray cafe 3 } march 9, 2003. It’s 31 minutes into Part Two (second link). Immediately after me is Paul telling a high school story. The file is in Real Audio (.ram).

Wired did it. ESPN is doing it. Web standards isn’t just for personal Web sites. It actually makes good business sense as demonstrated in The Business Benefits of Web Standards.

Aw, dangit. Blog experts keep coming up with ways to try to tie up our time reading blogs and I keep taking a willpower pill to avoid sucking what little spare time I have into blog reading. It happened again. Its just code : Saturday, June 15, 2002″ href=”http://www.pocketsoap.com/weblog/2002/06/15.html”>Simon Fell has created BlogToaster, in which you can use MSN to notify you when a blog on your list is updated. When it updates, MSN sends a message. To boot, you can import another user’s list.

Blame Chris for bring this cool tool to my attention and sharing his HUGE file for importing. Well, I guess if I don’t get Windows Daily, GnomeTomes, and other LG stuff done… you know whose fault it is. I did wrote a Tome, but it has not been posted yet since poor Jake doesn’t have time to spare.

Those of you who used websitegarage.com may be missing some of its features now that it’s defunct. Another free service has launched called Web Page Analyzer. It helps Web designers analyze pages for any speed bottlenecks.

The site analyzes Web page size and composition, and then gives advice for improvement based on these page characteristics. The script also incorporates the research into response time and flow in Web design as noted in Speed up Your Site: Web Site Optimization book, which I’m currently reading and learning new things. Review is forthcoming.

Hear what Cynthia Says how a Web site’s accessibility. It’s a free resource for testing Web sites for accessibility issues. <looks down shamefully> Cynthia doesn’t like this site. Will have to examine issues closely when I get some other projects done.

I do have one caveat — it references the W3.org documents for the rules. I know it’s the official place for that stuff, but it isn’t English for most people.

Businesses that want to succeed have to consider the personality of their audience or prospects when it comes to designing a Web site or drafting an enewsletter. See which W belongs with which personality in Personality Types and How to Design Your Web Site.

In the newest issue of the eNewsletter Journal, we presented the first VIZible Value Award to Bernstein Communications, Inc. I wrote up why the newsletter is a success and interviewed the person behind the newsletter. If you want to submit a newsletter for an award consideration or just for an evaluation in a future issue, drop us an e-line.

I hate criticism, but I highly value it because there is always room for improvement. Even if a newsletter isn’t a winner, it’s good to see the areas for improvement and the things done right at no cost except for publishing the review. It is not bad PR if a newsletter doesn’t get hot reviews. It demonstrates a company’s willingness to improve for its customer and its own sakes.

Hey, if nothing else… you guys know I avoid conflict or fights when I write, right? Well, the rants and raves of newsletters column is where I try to let it all out and be as honest as possible. Yeah, I sweat a bit when I write these reviews, but it’s a challenge. Does that make me Ebert and Roeper of enewsletters?

Though I rely heavily on my eyes to make up for my ears, I just don’t have an eye for taking pictures or design… hence, this place is all about content. Here’s one for the bookmarks and maybe I’ll find time to get a tip or two from TAKEgreatPICTURES.com.

Whoa, Nellie! Before you think I’m asking that question about me (riiggghttt), this is a cute and geeky parody of the other thing… AMI BIOS or NOT?

Version 2.01 of the NCAM/Media Access Generator (MAGpie), a free, do-it-yourself captioning, subtitling and audio-description software for digital multimedia developed by the CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)– is now available for downloading. Read more in the press release.