I am always on the lookout for good resource websites to pass along to my readers.
For those of you looking for additional assistance sharpening your CSS and web design skills, then CSS-Tricks is the website for you.
Let me break down all that CSS-Tricks offers.
On the surface, CSS Tricks offers regular how-to content via their blog. Examples, include such topics as Rounding Out Borders or how to rotate headers 90 degrees.
It would be easy to glance over the blog and miss a lot of excellent content.
First, they have organzied their content according to your level. They have level based learning based on Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced CSS concepts.
Second, they offer Code Snippets, chunks of code you can implement on your own website. These snippets are not just reserved for CSS code, but cover .htaccess, HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, PHP and WordPress. This is quite an awesome collection of handy code bits to help you accomplish a wide variety of tasks. Examples:
- Standard CSS Font Stacks
- Define canonical URL in .htaccess
- HTML5 Page Structure
- Make HMTL5 Elements work in old IE
- Use JQuery to cycle through a list
- Build a Calendar Table in PHP
- Apply Custom CSS to the WordPress Admin Area
In the Downloads section, you have access to larger chunks of code. For example, you can download the code for a fully functional Jquery Slider.
For those of you who are visual learners, there is a whole section of screencasts where a wide variety of how-to’s and tutorials are offered.
Lastly, if you can’t find what you are looking for, post your question to the Forum.
I really appreciate the effort sites like CSS-Tricks have put into building a very solid resource website. AS you can see, it is FAR more than just CSS. The site covers all the key components of web development and design. Add it to your short list of reference websites.
- RT @econsultancy: Mozilla turns its attention to the tablet http://t.co/EqmyTpt #webtools #
- RT @minervity: Where Google Is Making Money [Infographic] – http://t.co/AJBPSLX #webtools #
- Google Algorithm Change History: http://ow.ly/6jkIV #
- is it just me, or do the current versions of #chrome and #firefox have issues with javascript? #
- RT @smashingmag: Email marketing best practices to double your response rates and profits – http://t.co/O3coBDc #webtools #
- RT @chrisgarrett: Check out this WordPressbackup software http://t.co/B6yxmvL I paid $97 for something that does 5% of this #webtools #
- RT @kikolani: Guest Blogging Faceoff: MyBlogGuest and BloggerLinkUp http://t.co/xyFFTbO via @LiveUrLove by @SHurleyHall #webtools #
- Optimize Images with HTML5: http://ow.ly/6jl7F #webtools #
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 09/03/2011 – http://t.co/R3zBhTq #
- My @Peerindex is 40. What is yours? Why not get your personal profile here? http://t.co/THc3Vzi do i feel dirty when i tweet this stuff #
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 08/22/2011 – http://t.co/eDNwS2j #
- Read this RT @mattmcgee
on’t Get To The Point Where You Need to “Reclaim” Your Blog http://t.co/q4heamF then this: http://ow.ly/67WAv # - Google Plus invite: http://ow.ly/69py7 #
- RT @pwringger: This is a great tool for web developers: Remove unused CSS with "Unused CSS (http://t.co/R0aPMFP). #css #webdesign #
- How to Conduct a Social Media Review: http://ow.ly/67VYr Signup to get this whitepaper. Interesting stuff. #
- Tweet Optimization: http://ow.ly/67PdY #
- RT @kissmetrics: The Conversion Optimisation Toolbox http://t.co/rvgfWWE #measure #
- How to Write Awesome Blog Post Headlines: http://ow.ly/6aY64 #
- 30+ Cool Content Curation Tools for Personal & Professional Use http://ow.ly/6bN13 #
- RT @remarkablogger: The Complete Guide to E-mail Marketing: You won't believe what you will learn http://ow.ly/67Ixo #
- Some good solid, basic, #WordPress #SEO. Good little intro for beginners http://ow.ly/6aX69 #webtools #
- Mega Collection Of Cheatsheets for Designers And Developers | Sp… http://t.co/C23nTMa via @pearltrees #
- Wordle – Beautiful Word Clouds http://t.co/ecM9rJr via @pearltrees #
- Tiled backgrounds designer http://t.co/kBzIESt via @pearltrees #webtools #images #
- RT @portentint: Buffer Finds Tweet Scheduling Can Increase Clicks by 200% http://t.co/fS6b1z5 #
- RT @kissmetrics: New blog post: 10 Twitter Tools Used by Social Media Experts ?http://t.co/ZTtRjg7 #
- Firefox 6 is ready for download: http://ow.ly/62SgY #
- Firefox 6: no major interface changes. Breaks a boatload of addons. #
- FF6 Tip: RT @goodguydan:Most addons can be easily hacked to work by changing maxversion or installing Add-on Compatibility Reporter #fxhelp #
- My answer on @Quora to: Does internet traffic tend to decline over the summer? http://qr.ae/7yhBt #
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 08/15/2011 – http://t.co/h3xJgPi #
- An oldie but a goodie: Co Citation – understanding how it effects your SEO http://ow.ly/60SUj #
- Didn't even know Google had its own merchandise store: http://ow.ly/63SXr via RT @rustybrick: Earlier today Google Ankle Socks ser.bz/qbevkH #
- Things I want from the #googlestore http://ow.ly/63T3r, http://ow.ly/63T6r, http://ow.ly/63T72, http://ow.ly/63T8d #
- Idea: Google Merchandise might be good blog give-a-way stuff depending on your audience: http://ow.ly/63Tak #
- Link Development vs Traffic Development http://ow.ly/60T9Y #
- RT @copyblogger: Stop Talking About Yourself on Twitter – http://t.co/uwagO2T #
- Check this Out: http://t.co/Apn0tBD | 7 Reasons You Should Use #
- Twitter Psych: Some TIps herein to improve your tweeting: http://ow.ly/64Vn8 #
- Note to self to check this out. RT @chriscoyier: Been using http://t.co/uwaviaz forever to back up my cloud stuff. #
- Eclipse Link Cloaker Review – for affiliate marketers http://ow.ly/62W1T #
- RT @studio1c: 10 Tips on Getting and Keeping Permission http://t.co/oeUZSPh #
- RT @ashmarketing: Great tutorial on how to track social actions on your website using new feature on Google Analytics. http://t.co/fc0q4Jt #
- Learn Photoshop with PSDFAN: I discovered this handy site the other day and I thought I would… http://t.co/Fh0aA7S #
- http://t.co/rO0SJrO Transitions and Animations on CSS Generated Content #
- http://t.co/Xuh50dn A Whole Bunch of Amazing Stuff Pseudo Elements Can Do #css #
- Cool, I'm about to reach 800 tweets! See the rest of my stats at Twitter Counter: http://t.co/WFjbFi5 #
Photoshop Tutorials and Resources
I discovered this handy site the other day and I thought I would pass it along to all the potential PhotoShop Gurus out there. I confess that I am not a highly skilled Photoshop kinda guy nor a PSD to website kinda guy. HOWEVER, I know many people who are and I left compelled to find a good resource to recommend. I was impressed with the clean look and feel of the PSDFAN site as well as the clarity of the articles and tutorials.
PSDFAN is an Adobe Photoshop Resource and Tutorial website that offers a lot of great information for free as well as a member supported section for premium content.
Let me break down what they offer:
Tutorials
Tutorials are broken down into the following categories:
Designing
Text Effects
Drawing
Photo Effects
Web Design
Icon Design
Basics/Tools
All tutorials are very easy to read with lots of images. Here are a couple of examples:
Master a Professional Photo Retouching Workflow
Complete Guide to Photo Sharpening in Photoshop
If you are a member (see below), you can download the corresponding file(s) (if any) for each tutorial.
Articles
Just like any blog, PSDFAN offers regular content on topics such as web design and product reviews. One of the more unique features is a regular series called 30 Minute Redesigns, which according to Tom, the site owner, is “a weekly post series where I take a visitor’s website, analyze it’s design and then provide a redesign free of charge – all in just 30 minutes!”
It is pretty cool to see what he does with websites. Plus, if you get selected, you get the PSD he designs for free!
PSDFAN also offers Free Thursday Textures.Every Thursday they offer free downloads of .jpg image textures. A little something each week to spur your creativity.
Downloads
Similar to downloading the Free Texture Thursday images, PSDFAN offers a fullset of downloads for premium and free members. You can download a variety of brushes, wallpapers, vectors, icons and textures.
Member Content
If you decide to become a member, it costs $9/month. Your membership includes:
- Over 100 Source files to accompany our huge collection of Photoshop tutorials
- Weekly members-only tutorials
- Dozens of high-res textures
- Members-only brush sets
- Members-only vector packs
- Regular discounts from design-related sites/services (these alone save you more than your membership fee.)
If you work with Photoshop either as a web designer or a graphic artist, then
PSDFAN is worth a look. I recommend it for the beginner as it is very easy to navigate, all the tutorials are pretty straight forward and content is very current.
CSS3.info will provide you with the core knowledge you need to begin learning and using CSS3.
CSS3.info keeps a very handy list of all the modules that exist in the CSS3 specification.
Why check the status of a module? If you are just being introduced to CSS3, this list will help you know which modules are being recommended and thus, eventually supported by modern web browsers. For the beginner, you may not want to learn particular modules that are considered low priority and have not been updated in eight years.
Since there are pieces of the CSS3 spec that may not be implemented by particular browsers, it is helpful to check to see if your particular browser will work. Use the CSS3 Selectors Test to see your browser compatibility. As of this writing it runs 550+ tests, testing 41 different CSS selectors. Selectors that pass are shown in green. A moderate level of failure is shown in orange. A total failure is shown in Red.
Chrome Version 14 results:
IE 8 results:
As you can see, the CSS Selector Test will give you a heads up in dealing with any issues in a particular browser.
The CSS Preview section is where you can begin to learn and play with CSS3.
Choose the particular feature you are interested in:
Each features has a lengthy page that provides a code example and then a very verbose explanation of that feature. The beginner should be satisfied with the example. The advanced user will gain from reading the more detailed explanations.
Box-Shadow example:
CSS3.info is a good place to begin to dip your toe into the water. If you have not been exposed to CSS3 now is the time as most major browser have been making inroads to implementing the CSS3 spec.
Visit our CSS Tutorials page for other CSS tutorials and information.
Killersites has been one of my recommended web design tutorial sites for a long time. I thought I would take the time to write a little bit more about this excellent resource.
There are two things about Killersites that I appreciate.
First, the tutorials are offered either as a monthly subscription OR as a package download (or DVD). I think it is helpful to offer customers a range of possibilities. For those on the go, a web based monthly subscription may make more sense. If you are more methodical, the DVD’s may fit your need to watch things over and over.
Second, they understand the difference between a designer and a developer and offer separate courses for each. Plus, they also teach the necessary ancillary database skills (MySQL) and JavaScript.
I am going to focus on two DVD packages as well as discuss their online subscription service.
The two packages below focus on taking someone from a very beginner level to an intermediate level.
The Complete Web Programmer focuses on learning PHP and Javascript skills. If you are interested in being more of a coder than a designer, than this series of classes are for you. Topics covered:
- PHP Basic
- PHP Misc.
- PHP and MySQL Basics
- PHP CRUD + Pagenation
- PHP Login
- PHP Tag Cloud
- PHP Shopping Cart
- PHP OOP discussion
- PHP Login Using OOP & MVC
- PHP and Javascript Form Validation
- Advanced PHP
- Advanced MYSQL
- Beginners Javascript
- JQuery
There is a total of 33 hours of video.
The Complete Web Designer takes a different approach and focuses on core skills of web design: CSS and Photoshop. These modules also introduce the user to basic javascript and PHP. The modules included:
- Web Design 1 – the basics.
- Dreamweaver CS5 – learning how to web design with dedicated software.
- CSS Layouts – going deeper into web layouts using CSS.
- CSS Lists – learn to harness the power of HTML lists with CSS.
- Photoshop for the Web – learn to transform your Photoshop based layouts into web pages.
- HTML Forms – learn to create HTML forms to collect information.
- Horizontal Lists with CSS Sprites – go deeper into creating cool menus with CSS.
- Beginners Javascript – learn the basics of this key tool in modern web design.
- Beginners PHP – learn the basics of language that powers so many web sites.
- WordPress Basics – learn how to set up and run this powerful blogging engine.
There is a total of 29 hours of video.
Lastly, at a greater value for the price our the subscription packages. Two are offered. The basic subscription is $29 for 3 months. This includes access to 700+ videos. The premium subscription is for 12 months, costs $99, and includes access to 900+ videos plus project files. The list of videos is too lengthy to include here. However, you can get a taste of the material as they offer several demo samples on their website.
I promote resources like Killersites because they offer an outstanding value to the potential pupil. I remember when I first broke into the field of IT. I took a 6 month classroom course at the cost of almost five thousand dollars ($5000). Crazy!!!
Consider Killersites the next time you are looking to improve your web development and web design skills.
See my recommended web design tutorials, html tutorials, and css tutorials page for additonal resources.
Keep Helpful Content Coming to Your InBox - Subscribe Today!
As someone who is interested in building, maintaining and promoting your own website, a subscription to the Recommended Web Tools newsletter will keep you informed about the tools you need to get the job done.
An email subscription includes a weekly blog posts update, keeping you informed of the topics being discussed on the blog. You will also receive the Recommended Web Tool of The Week. Once every week (or two) you will receive a short email focused on informing you of particular recommended tool.
- What is Evergreen Content – http://www.wolf-howl.com/g9e via @Graywolf #
- Short Term Content Versus Evergreen Content – http://www.wolf-howl.com/g9s via @Graywolf #
- Top Differences between WordPress vs. Blogger – http://goo.gl/WLy41 #
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 08/08/2011 – http://eepurl.com/e9LS6 #
- Best look is at 16 secondsL RT @wearetabco: You'll get a glimpse into our tablet’s UI – stay tuned. http://t.co/ydQsHK2 #
- "The reality is that social media measurement is a very public dick measuring competition": http://ow.ly/5XLJ9 #
- How To Set Up Your Own Listening Post | Search Engine People | Toronto: http://t.co/aHv6fnh via @AddThis #
- Stupid Things We (I mean I) Do: Setting a post to schedule at 3 pm forgetting WordPress uses Military time. Posts at 3 AM. Doh!! #
- A Look at a Successful Year of Blogging: http://ow.ly/5TfKw #
- Owning your local web presence. An infographic: http://ow.ly/5TfcF #
- 10 Top Reasons People Prefer Online Email Providers http://ow.ly/5Th2N #
- RT @wpmayor: The Ultimate Guide to WordPress Taxonomies http://bit.ly/qGezzJ #
- I have Google+ invites for those interested. http://ow.ly/5Yb6I #
- RT @sejournal: SEJ News : Should Bloggers Be Nervous about Google Plus? http://bit.ly/nCs3Sn #
- Web Designers Roadmap for 2011 – Web design video tutorials for beginners – Killersites.com Blog http://t.co/IBXbZLa #
- Add snippets to posts. Very handy WordPress plugin http://ow.ly/5TChZ #
- 6 Reasons Why You Will Never Make Money Online http://ow.ly/5TA7k #
- RT @bill_slawski: Just saw a Design site w/Design misspelled as "Deisgn". take just 1 step to improve your site, proofread your homepage. #
- I need some feedback on my site. Pleaseeeeee take the survey! http://ow.ly/5Z4SV #
- Increase Conversions with Call-to-Action Buttons | Pixify – http://bit.ly/nNicJV #
- Cool black and white icons at the NounProject – http://bit.ly/hWlQni #
- so when is @hootsuite going to add google+ as a social network? #
- RT @kissmetrics: 7 principles that make your website more engaging http://kiss.ly/qngbaV [Video] http://ow.ly/601zc [Poster] #
- Read more ebooks. Use the new Kindle Cloud Reader for your Chrome/Safari browser: http://ow.ly/602h5 #
- RT @simplewordpress: Set up Your First WordPress Website – New Free Tutorial Course: . http://bit.ly/njYtyT #
- RT @seosmarty: Free Resources to Learn Photoshop Online http://t.co/7LvNviw via @machoarts #
- Walmart closing MP3 download service http://ow.ly/60k9e: I dont know. Is it good to see them fail at something?? #
- RT @mongoosemetrics: 5 Plus Google +1 SEO Tips from Googleplex in Mountain View http://bit.ly/n76u6C #
- RT @remarkablogger: How to Change the Embed Color of YouTube Video Player – Black or White http://ow.ly/5WT6X #
- Absolutely true. RT @chrispirillo: A good anti-virus can help, but good habits are more important. http://bit.ly/oZRqiS #virus #virii #
- Getting Started with Google Plus: http://ow.ly/5XORo #
- While very cool, I think the article is reaching way too far RT @patrickmoorhead: Time to rethink every website http://pulse.me/s/17FZo #
- How to Actually use Google Analytics Video for $0 http://t.co/R7vmGY8 via @appsumo #
- RT @sugarrae: NEW: Finding the Money to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing http://t.co/7xsQrUm (or why "I'm broke" is a BS excuse)
# - I hate when I hose my site. Should be put back and properly functioning by the evening.
# - Google Algorithm Change History: http://ow.ly/61Yrv #
- RT @kissmetrics: Finding The Right Calls-To-Action For Your B2B Website http://t.co/rWLGh1a #webdesign #measure #
- site back up. Phew! #
- Please help me improve my website. Share your opinion: http://t.co/HwAnSFE #usabilla #usability #
- We suck at teaching internet marketing. Why?!!! – http://t.co/RSUPgaO #
- Follow @orangeapple and @swankcity, then RT this msg for your chance to win a Mac Mini or iPad 2! http://t.co/3ZGOx73 #
- AOC Aire LED Monitor Twitter Sweepstakes http://t.co/0hBa7Ao #
- The Ultimate List of SEO Blogs | Yellow Robin Blog – http://t.co/079n8Pj #
- HTML Kit Tools Video Tutorials http://ow.ly/5YfGy #
- How To Become A Winner | Addicted 2 Success – http://t.co/Lbm2kFN #
- CSS 3 Border-Radius & Rounded Corners | Zen Elements – http://t.co/AIXuy1B #
- SEOmoz | The Professional Guide to Link Building – http://t.co/u8NwH5V #
After a series on HTML Kit Tools, it should be clear what I think is the best html editor. However, I want to take a step back from that and look at the field of HTML Editors and give you some guidelines for doing some of the research on your own.
First, understand the two basic categories of editors: WYSIWYG and Code based editors. WYSIWYG editors hide the code and provide drag and drop capabilities. While these might be suitable for total non-techies, they have some inherent problems. Generally, they produce crappy code and if you need to troubleshoot something, it almost becomes near impossible to find the bug in the code that is generated. Code based editors are for those of you willing to learn to hand code your own stuff. Even if you don’t feel comfortable coding something from scratch (which I admit, I am not very good at), a Code based editor is very helpful for seeing what is going on, understand the code, and make minor adjustments and customizations (something I am very good at). So if i am to answer the question: what is the best HTML editor?, I would automatically throw out the WYSIWYG editors and focus only on Code based editors. You may have a different opinion.
Second, consider that MOST modern websites are not serving strict HTML pages (as in, the pages don’t end in with a .html or .htm suffix). These days, HTML is a generated language, having been generated by some other server side language like PHP or ASP.NET. Any content management system uses some other language to generate its HTML. This opens up a whole other world of editors. I will mention some below.
So where can you go to find out about other HTML Editors?
- Of course, start with RWT and check out our recommended free html editor as well as my series on HTML Kits Tools.
- Head over to Gizmo’s techsupportalert. They maintain a good list of html editors.
- If you are coding in ASP.NET, then you really should be using the latest version of Visual Studio. Just makes sense. Though I would love to know if there were other ASP.NET IDEs and editors that developers used.
- If you happen to be a PHP Developer, then check out CodeLobtster. While it is meant to be a PHP IDE, it can be used to do your basic HTML editing. Can be integrated directly with WordPress or Drupal.
- If you use a CMS of any kind, chances are you may not need an editor of any kind. Many are coming with the functionality to peer into and change the CMS code from within the CMS’ interface.
If you have a favorite editor, please post it in the comments. If it is half-way decent I will add it to this list.
Some folks prefer just using a power text editor to do their HTML work. But that is a post for another day…
Web Development Tutorials to Increase Your Skills
Seeking to improve your HTML and CSS skils? The resources below can help you become a better web developer and designer and help you make your website superior to your competitors:
- Learn CSS3: In CSS3 First Look, staff author James Williamson provides an in-depth introduction to the newest CSS standard, detailing its modular format, history, and current level of browser support, while also demonstrating its capabilities and applications. The course includes tutorials on using new selectors, modifying typography and color, working with the box model, and understanding media queries.
- XHTML and HTML Essential Training: Bill Weinman helps designers and coders understand XHTML and HTML. In the process, Bill covers document structure, block and inline-level tags, floating images, controlling white space, phrase and font markup, and tables and frames. He even provides a good introduction to CSS. Bill offers step-by-step guidance for building a complete working web site
- Learn HTML5: Author James Williamson introduces the newest HTML specification, providing a high-level overview of HTML5 in its current state, how it differs from HTML 4, the current level of support in various browsers and mobile devices, and how the specification might evolve in the future.
- The Complete Web Designer: Ten modules/courses compiled to teach you everything you need to know to become a commercial web designer. Hands-on practical training that simplifies and targets the key techniques needed to build modern web sites. Training from experienced web designers who KNOW what is required in the real world of web design
- The Complete Web Developer: With so many languages and technologies out there, it is really hard for someone to know what to study and in what order - especially if you want to be able to make a living at it! Course focuses on using PHP and MySQL. The Complete Programmer package is designed to guide you along to the way, step-by-step, towards becoming a professional web programmer.
There are a few features of HTML Kit Tools I thought would be worthy to highlight. These are a little more advanced but are helpful to know about. The following are all video based tutorials.
Versioning Your Files:
Working With Snippets:
Working with Lists:
For additional help with HTML Kit, visit the HTMLKitSupport channel on YouTube.
Ok, I know this is not a post about a web tool or a blogger you should be reading. It is a post about a singer THAT YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO! I thought this post might be an appropriate break for those of you who need a distraction on a Monday afternoon.
I confess, I am not a country and western fan AT ALL. Though, it is quite possible that her music is labeled as bluegrass. Whatever category she falls into to, (Bluegrass Soul? (shrugs)), she is worth your time.
I listen to a fair amount of videos on YouTube and I see videos that have been watched hundreds of thousands, if not millions of times. Frankly, some of them are not worth the time of day. My goal in this post is to help boost this artist’s exposure and boost those numbers on YouTube. She is worth your time, believe me.
If you are not moved by her heart, soul and passion then frankly my friend, you are probably not alive!
Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the 10 reasons why you should listen to Amanda Shires:
Purchase Amanda’s latest album Carrying Lightning
Previous Albums:
Keep Helpful Content Coming to Your InBox - Subscribe Today!
As someone who is interested in building, maintaining and promoting your own website, a subscription to the Recommended Web Tools newsletter will keep you informed about the tools you need to get the job done.
An email subscription includes a weekly blog posts update, keeping you informed of the topics being discussed on the blog. You will also receive the Recommended Web Tool of The Week. Once every week (or two) you will receive a short email focused on informing you of particular recommended tool.
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 08/01/2011 – http://eepurl.com/e2huc #
- RT @smashingmag: Prezi: allows you to create impressive presentations online – http://prezi.com/index/ #
- RT @wpcandy: WordPress 3.3 scope published, includes media updates and a responsive Dashboard http://wpcandy.com?p=24764&wt=3 #
- RT @portentint: How Different Age Groups Are Interacting Online http://portent.co/nd44Tl – some great insights #
- RT @b2bbloggers: Time To Stop The 'Social Media' Prejudice http://bit.ly/jYVUrL #
- IE usage continues to decline: http://ow.ly/5Soyh #
- Firefox usage is flat/declining. Probably not the best news for Firefox. Firefox 4, frankly, was a let down. http://ow.ly/5SoEl #
- Chrome is the browser with significant growth. http://ow.ly/5SoKh Ii is my main browser now. still some annoying issues though #
- Opera is a good browser. Why hasn't it taken off around the world???http://ow.ly/5SoMx #
- "Help us in our global revolution to trim the excess from frivolous, wasteful URLs" http://ow.ly/5Swxd #
- ironic i just shortened a URL to a URL shortener but didnt use the URL shortener I referenced. #
- Get 25% off web hosting at @hostgator http://ow.ly/5SAuA discount good only for August 2011 #
- just joined Google+. This is funny: "You're a part of a small group of people who are helping to test Google+" 10 mil+ is small? #
- Hilarious! RT @rosshudgens: Now that's a 404 page – http://t.co/dsbuSSA /via @gruber #
- RT @kissmetrics: The 2011 B2B Marketing Guide http://kiss.ly/oph1VY [Infographic] #
- RT @themelab: http://wppaintbrush.com/ looks interesting. Will have to check it out in more detail later. #
- Phenomenal: RT @nybooks: Google makes more money from advertising than all the nation’s newspapers combined. http://bit.ly/o7A2Rt #
- New Google Analytics Report: Social Plug-in Analytics http://ow.ly/5Tf8w #
- W3 Total Cache Guide: http://ow.ly/5R7tX This is extremely helpful! #
- Seeking feedback on my website. Take a few minutes to complete this survey: http://ow.ly/5ThTe
Survey is thru usabilla.org # - RT @thelinkmedic: 25+ Outstanding Blog Directories You Can Submit Your Blog To Today – http://t.co/8a40d0X – #promotion #linkbuilding #
- Get my brand new iPhone app http://t.co/fIyB121 http://t.co/fIyB121 #
- RT @smashingmag: Useful: Northsocial Facebook apps for designing and launching custom Facebook Pages – http://bit.ly/oqiw2O by @NorthSocial #
- RT @smashingmag: A Few Notes from Usability Testing: Video Tutorials Get Watched, Text Gets Skipped – http://bit.ly/nWa7dz #
- http://tinyurl.com/3c8go4z How to Think Outside the Box With Your Blog Photos #
- http://tinyurl.com/3cawq7r WordPress Installation : What to Expect #
- RT @wpbeginner: How to Disable Trackbacks and Pings on Existing #WordPress Posts – http://wpbeg.in/pMLiVl #
- I have mixed feelings about this ability. RT @rosshudgens: Google Spam Report http://goo.gl/lkGDl #
- The site that is helping me be organized. Just works with my mind! Thoughtboxes – http://bit.ly/oCaMCA #
- Is advertising that doesn't really advertise your product really advertising? http://bit.ly/ofNkNL #
- Another reason why Tweet Old Post is bad: Tweeting Outdated and Irrelevant stuff http://bit.ly/6xZ5fi #
- RT @vandelaydesign: 22 Examples of Fixed Position Navigation in Web Design – http://ow.ly/5RXVR (via @webdesignledger) #
- RT @wpbeginner: How to Change the Login Logo in #WordPress – http://bit.ly/rcfmRw #
- RT @stacykinney: What is a Quality Twitter Tweet? http://is.gd/B52KZy #
- New Post:: Tumblr Links with Post Formats http://bit.ly/oB19Dz #
- New Post:: FeedWordPress | simple and flexible Atom/RSS syndication for WordPress http://bit.ly/qDxd9Z #
- Kissmetrics' Infographic Archive. Some awesome stuff here: http://ow.ly/5SuU7 #
- RT @problogger: What I Think About Sponsored Posts – http://bit.ly/qBZI44 #
- Illustrator How to: RT @vandelaydesign: Quick Tip: How To Create a Simple Web Badge – http://ow.ly/5T574 (via @envatovectors) #
- Adobe Launches HTML5 Web Animations Tool http://ow.ly/5SArB #
- RT @problogger: 11 Questions to Ask Before Publishing Your Next Blog Post http://bit.ly/nDHu3h #
- RT @problogger: 10 MORE Questions to Ask Before Publishing Your Next Blog Post http://bit.ly/rqXsz5 #
- Useful Extensions for Google Chrome™: Check All http://t.co/BLVMDSx via @tejjicom #
- Listen and respond: http://ow.ly/5WvCO #
- i Just rearranged my stream columns in Hootsuite. Now I'm lost! #
- HTML Background Image Code http://t.co/EKG5tHX #
- New Post:: Best CSS3 Resources http://bit.ly/o0hcLD #
Keep Helpful Content Coming to Your InBox - Subscribe Today!
As someone who is interested in building, maintaining and promoting your own website, a subscription to the Recommended Web Tools newsletter will keep you informed about the tools you need to get the job done.
An email subscription includes a weekly blog posts update, keeping you informed of the topics being discussed on the blog. You will also receive the Recommended Web Tool of The Week. Once every week (or two) you will receive a short email focused on informing you of particular recommended tool.
If you are looking for information about CSS3, check out CSS3.info. Very helpful!
A way to consume RSS feeds to create posts on your WordPress blog.
An easy way to give your blog Tumblr like functionality. Testing it out!
Organizing yourself within HTML Kit Tools is very important. The first thing you need to do is setup your project space. This post will outline how to create a project within HTML Kit Tools.
From the File Menu, Choose Projects, then New Project.
A “Create New Project” dialogue will appear.
Enter the name you wish to call the project. Select a label color. The label color is only for identification within the tab browser.
Click Ok.
The project is now created. Look at the tab browser and you will see a tab with the name of your project.
Look at the top part of the project tab. This is where we will set connections to local and/or FTP folders.
Towards the bottom of the list you will see two choices: “Add remote folder (FTP)” and “Add local folder”.
Click “Add local folder”
The Edit Local Folder Setting dialogue will appear.
The Display Name to be entered is how you want this folder to appear within your project. It does not change the name of the actual folder, nor does it have to match the name of the actual folder. You will notice I have linked to a folder called “platform_redesign”, but within the Project Browser, the local folder will appear as RWT.
Click OK and the Project Browser will add the folder and display the contents. You are now ready to click a file and begin editing within HTML Kit Tools.
If you want to connect to an FTP Server, the steps are similar.
Click “Add remote folder (FTP)”
The “Add Remote Folder” dialogue box will appear.
Enter the Display Name for the folder. This works just like the local folder display name which I explained above.
Enter the Server address: typically something like ftp.yourdomain.com
Enter the username and password for the server.
You may also wish to enter the initial path. Click the Advanced Tab.
Enter in the initial path your desire. Often it will be something like: /public_html/yourdomain/
Click Ok. The FTP folder will be added to the project browser and display all the remote files listed under the initial path.
You can continue to set up additional folders as you wish.
You can setup multiple projects within HTML KIT Tools and keep all your work nice and organized.
HTML Kit Tools can be downloaded on a trial basis for 30 days.
In case you missed it: my review of HTML Kit Tools.
Prefer a How to Video? Enjoy:
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 07/25/2011 – http://eepurl.com/eU9tY #
- Post:: Updates to the Domain Name Handbook http://bit.ly/rfIxGT #webtools #
- Post:: The difference between Twitter Retweets, Replies, Mentions and Direct Messages http://bit.ly/k1gxMO #webtools #
- Post:: Pagelines PlatformPro Premium WordPress Theme Framework Review http://bit.ly/py4AC1 #webtools #
- Post:: Getting Started With Raven SEO Tools http://bit.ly/itudWQ #webtools #
- Post:: Finding Help for Raven SEO Tools http://bit.ly/pNrJwy #webtools #
- Post:: Testing the Color Contrast of a webpage http://bit.ly/qwZsIV #webtools #
- Post:: Getting started with ScribeFire Blog Posting Firefox Addon http://bit.ly/kg0caI #webtools #
- Post:: How to install Firefox addons http://bit.ly/jrRJDO #webtools #
- Post:: Updates to the Domain Name Handbook http://bit.ly/rfIxGT #webtools #
- Check out this twitter tool, it tells you when your followers are online the most. Tweriod – http://t.co/Kz2Fzbe #
- How to display author profile box in wordpress without a plugin http://ow.ly/5NXiH #
- Post:: Do visitors really care about your website? http://bit.ly/nUSrOR #webtools #
- Post:: Fixing Meta Descriptions in All-in-One SEO WordPress plugin http://bit.ly/laZ5qd #webtools #
- Post:: Directories for Link Building http://bit.ly/qMosvE #webtools #
- Post:: Getting Started With Raven SEO Tools http://bit.ly/itudWQ #webtools #
- RT @graywolf: Do people like @scobleizer & @techmeme crowd realize they look like cats chasing tin foil on a string fawning over google+ #
- See last tweet…follow @graywolf and read his entire rant. Listen to what he says about solving real problems. Best advice anywhere. #
- Another reason why I have problems with social media: RT @graywolf: The making of a social media slut http://bit.ly/osgBoH #
- Why does social media metrics come down to some kind of score? There are fundamental problems that need to be addressed… #
- ..web analytics had the same issue: everyone focused on visitors. So what? Then the master stroke: conversion rate. #
- Same thing needs to happen with social media metrics. A number that labels "amount" does not matter. What matters is influence… #
- are the people listening to you, responding or acting based on what you say? If not, then it does not matter if 100,000 people follow you #
- RT @graywolf: New Post:: How to Tweet From Your Archives Without Pissing People Off http://www.wolf-howl.com/hn3 #
- Post:: Updates to the Domain Name Handbook http://bit.ly/rfIxGT #webtools #
- Author Box plugin for WordPress: compatible with 3.2 http://ow.ly/5NZqN #
- Post:: Finding Help for Raven SEO Tools http://bit.ly/pNrJwy #webtools #
- Post:: Fixing Meta Descriptions in All-in-One SEO WordPress plugin http://bit.ly/laZ5qd #webtools #
- Post:: Five Ways to Improve the Readability of your website http://bit.ly/iHds8S #webtools #
- Post:: The difference between Twitter Retweets, Replies, Mentions and Direct Messages http://bit.ly/k1gxMO #webtools #
- cool photography social website. All you photographers out there should check it out http://ow.ly/5Pam7 #
- RT @rosshudgens: Open Site Explorer redesign looks good. http://www.opensiteexplorer.org #
- A Breath of Fresh Air: 5 Lies about Social Media Marketing http://ow.ly/5PX49 #
- Post:: Updates to the Domain Name Handbook http://bit.ly/rfIxGT #webtools #
- Post:: Testing the Color Contrast of a webpage http://bit.ly/qwZsIV #webtools #
- Post:: Created New Collection of Firefox Addons on Mozilla.org http://bit.ly/k3MClt #webtools #
- RT @mattmcgee: Good stuff –> Ultimate list of blogging tools for pros http://t.co/rmwGGIq via @RavenPratt #
- Post:: The Biggest Website Mistakes http://bit.ly/nRC7Sh #webtools #
- Archive Post:: How to install Firefox addons http://bit.ly/jrRJDO #webtools #
- Best way to use /%postname%/ in your WordPress Permalink structure: http://ow.ly/5QqUE #
- RT @seosmarty: 5 Ways Twitter is Better Than Google+ http://bit.ly/oHNszM RT @sexysocial #
- Post:: How to install Firefox addons http://bit.ly/jrRJDO #webtools #
- Please help us to improve our website. Share your opinion: http://t.co/HwAnSFE #usabilla #usability #
- Social Media creates its own language…love it!: RT @copyblogger: Sorry for the ass tweet from the cab. It happens. #
- Anybody have the urge to abbreviate Social Media as SM (to save twitter characters), but then have second thoughts as you typed it out? #
- So when do web begin social media grading on a curve? RT @b2bbloggers: Who Cares About Your Klout? Do you? http://bit.ly/i8MajY #
- Post:: Directories for Link Building http://bit.ly/qMosvE #webtools #
- Archive Post:: How to Upgrade PlatformPro Theme Framework http://bit.ly/mahz2L #webtools #
- Archive Post:: Testing the Color Contrast of a webpage http://bit.ly/qwZsIV #webtools #
- sorry for the archived post tweets. Tweaking the silly plugin which has developed a MIND OF ITS OWN! #
- don't you hate when WordPress plugins do something that you just can't track down? Driving me crazy. I must be blind. #
- is there a wordpress plugin that displays what code is being used to generate my pages? I mean showing me all code from template, plugins #
- The 10 Most Important Skills You Need to be a Web Designer http://t.co/5AK82s4 #
- Hulk mad. Hulk smash plugin authors. #
- Post:: Getting Started With Raven SEO Tools http://bit.ly/itudWQ #webtools #
- Post:: Updates to the Domain Name Handbook http://bit.ly/rfIxGT #webtools #
- Archive Post:: Essential Websites You Should Read http://bit.ly/rslErE #webtools #
- ok *crosses fingers* I hope the issue with tweet old post are resolved. Related to W3 Total Cache issues. Crazy nuts. #
- I have a love and hate relationship with W3 Total Cache. Love what it does. I HATE updating it. If they messed something up its a PITA #
- Post:: Unschedule a Scheduled Post in WordPress http://bit.ly/r5vRhn #webtools #
- Post:: Essential Websites You Should Read http://bit.ly/rslErE #webtools #
- Post:: Three new series coming up: analytics, seo and platform pro http://bit.ly/qLRolh #webtools #
- Post:: XML Sitemaps updates settings only on publish not on manual generation http://bit.ly/mosDUb #webtools #
- Post:: Five Ways to Improve the Readability of your website http://bit.ly/iHds8S #webtools #
- Post:: Price comparison between top fifteen domain registrars http://bit.ly/koQ0Bo #webtools #
- Post:: Updates to the Domain Name Handbook http://bit.ly/rfIxGT #webtools #
- anyone else notice flash and/or java problems with Google Chrome? #
- Post:: Finding Help for Raven SEO Tools http://bit.ly/pNrJwy #webtools #
- ok so Tweet Old Post and W3 Total Cache have totally be deleted…how the heck is TOP still tweeting! #
- revoking twitter authorization should stop the Tweet Old Post madness…we will see. #
- Please help us to improve our website. Share your opinion: http://t.co/HwAnSFE #usabilla #usability #
HTML Kit 292 has long been my HTML editor of choice. A few years back they stopped development on the standard editor and released HTML Kit Tools. HTML Kit Tools is an appropriate editor for beginners to use. It also contains advanced functionality for more skilled developers. My review will focus on elements important for the beginner. Four additional blog posts will follow focusing on some “how-tos”.
The latest version of HTML Kit Tools is version 20110721.
HTML Kit Tools is not free. I know, I know, I try hard to save you money! It used to be a mere $25 (this was while it was still in Alpha phase). The cost is now $79. Pay attention to the registration page as discounts are offered. By registering you get to download HTML Kit Tools, receive all program updates and have access to several of the other resources created by Chami. You can download a trial to see if it is the right editor for you.
An Editor for the Aspiring Hand Coder
There are essentially two kinds of HTML Editors. WYSIWYG editors allow users to drag and drop elements on the screen to arrange the structure of a web page. The code is hidden from the creator. ”Text” based editors are for those who want to hand code their websites. While WYSIWYG editors might be suitable for beginners, I cannot advocate them. WYSIWYG editors are limiting and will stunt you’re ability to learn. If you are serious about creating your own website and making your own web pages, it is worth the effort to understand the HTML code. HTML Kit Tools is my recommended HTML editor for those seeking to hand code their own web development. HTML Kit Tools employs a number of features to make the job of hand coding easier! Some will be discussed below.
Why for Beginners?
Beginners need to learn in as pure an environment as possible. Advanced users need clear access to the code plus additional functionality to speed up the process. HTML Kit Tools accomplishes both. There are several “text” based commercial html editors that really are WYSIWYG editors in disguise. They allow users to switch back and forth between the code and design view. However, a lot of the built in functionality in some of those tools creates a fair amount of their own code. In the end, it is messy (very very messy, sometimes almost impossible to debug and troubleshoot)! With HTML Kit Tools, the beginner has the ability to clearly see their code. It is a relatively clean interface that offers direct transparency into the code while providing the developer a set of tools that can make their job easier.
The Start Tab
The interface is quite simple. A ribbon bar at the top. Function tabs on the right. Below is a screenshot of the interface. Nothing cluttered. Nothing messy.
On the right is a series of tabs. The default to be displayed is the Start tab.
From here a developer see recently opened projects, folders and files. The user can access templates as well as set of Getting Started wizards. A set of commonly used commands is available as well.
The Project Tab
The Project Tab is another useful tab.
From here the developer can access all their files organized by project or folder. This includes files on a local drive, a network drive or one of my favorite features: on a FTP server. You can connect to your FTP server and directly edit your files. A great time saver!
The Start Ribbon
The ribbon at the top of HTML Kit Tools is in the style of Microsoft Office 2007. If you are new to HTML Kit Tools, you can learn to navigate pretty easily.
From here developers can:
- Create new documents
- Open Files
- Show Projects
- Save
- Upload
- Customize the HTML Kit Tools interface
- Add Code Snippets
- Find various help resources
The Edit Ribbon
The edit ribbon offers all the standard kinds of editing functionality.
- All the various copy and paste functions
- The Copy Paste Pad – which I love. Beats opening up Notepad to hold text that you have copied out of some code and need to hold it to the side for awhile.
- Delete
- Undo
- Various Document Viewing options: view hidden characters, create duplicate documents, expand and collapse code elements, word wrap, etc.
- Find/Search
- Create a document structure view that looks like a Mind Map
- Create tags within your code for easy navigation
- Insert Comments
- Wide variet of keyboard shortcut setups
There are some pretty cool little functions on the Edit bar that are nice little time saving touches. Beneath some of this functionality is an advanced layer that allows for a custom setup of the HKT workspace.
The Tools Ribbon
The Tools Ribbon provides some of the meat and potatoes to HTK functionality.
- Text Tools – various functions that can transform text to all UPPERCASE or convert special characters to HTML entities
- Compare Documents
- Color Picker
- Check the response of web servers
- File Watcher
- Preview document in IE, Firefox, Opera, Safari or Chrome
- Preview and Active Preview (see changes to your page while you type)
- HTML Tidy validation
- W3C arkup validation
- W3C CSS Validation
- Spell Check
In short, the Tools Ribbon provides what you need to proof and preview your pages.
The HMTL Ribbon
The HTML Ribbon provides tools to enable you to code more quickly.
- Add document sections, headings or comments
- Create paragraphs, bold, italic, blockquotes and line breaks
- Add order and unordered lists
- Add links and anchors
- Add images, objects and parameters
- Add forms, tables, divs, spans and inline styles
With this ribbon, the beginner can pickup all the basic HTML elements quickly and easily. Combined with the preview mode, beginners can play, change things around and learn how each element affects a web page.
All in all, HTK provides an interface and the toolset that is beginner friendly. A newbie should be able to use HTK to produce very basic pages and grow into the tool to develop more advanced code.
View the video below to take a tour of HTML Kit Tools. The video will give you a better idea of all the functionality available.
If you are considering HTK as your editor of choice, remember to double check the software registration page often to check for discounts.
HTML Kit 292 is my recommended free html editor and HTML Kit Tools is my recommended commercial html editor.
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 07/04/2011 – http://eepurl.com/eAs5s #
- Ok marketing/brand gurus: is this smart? RT @thegrok: Google to Retire Blogger & Picasa Brands in Google+ Push http://t.co/lH9IdZ4 #
- The Dark Side of Daily Deal Sites: http://ow.ly/5y9dv #
- ok made a big switch..using personal picture in twitter profile… #
- Ask me anything on @Quora: Paul Flyer, Geared towards beginner webmasters, developers and des… http://qr.ae/7Tw8O #
- On @Quora: How do I get started using Quora? Answer: http://qr.ae/7TwRp #
- Tracking tweets for your city. Does your city have something like these?: http://ow.ly/5A0uQ, http://ow.ly/5A0yO @STLTweets #
Why is it that you can buy a 1TB hard drive for $60, but 5GB of server space for your website costs $20 a month? Why don’t web hosting companies provide more space for a more affordable price? Andrew Boring, Product Manager from A Small Orange explains the inner workings behind storage costs.
Personal hard drives and servers are used differently.
A personal hard drive is usually used by one person at a time and sporadically. It’s your hard drive. You plug it in whenever you need to access something on it and take it out when you’re done. Alternatively, servers are expected to be continuously reading and writing data. Not only is someone on your website at any given time, but multiple people are viewing it at a time and on top of that, your site is sharing the server with hundreds of other sites also getting traffic. So what ends up happening is the hard drive in the server never stops running, which significantly diminishes the drive’s life span. It’s like having a treadmill at home (which you use occasionally) versus the treadmill at the gym (which gets used by a lot of people and constantly).
More usage requires more drives.
It’s a given that, due to the heavy use of the server drives, they will die, losing hundreds of peoples’ data. But your host knows this and wouldn’t let such a travesty take place, so your data is backed up on other drives. This practice is called redundancy. For a low cost shared server, this could mean two drives in a mirrored configuration: when one drive fails, another will be there with a copy of the data to function in its place while it gets repaired or replaced. A high-end server could have up to six drives with some combination of mirroring or data protection so that one or more drives can fail and the data is still protected. Having more drives costs more money.
Personal hard drives and servers are made differently.
Personal hard drives are made knowing that you won’t be constantly running them, so they are lower in power and speed (5400RPM). As you go up in quality, the performance and price both increase. High-end personal drives and low-end servers run at about the same speed (7200RPM). Server drives run obscenely fast in comparison (10,000-15,000RPM) to accommodate for the high traffic.
Commercial storage costs more
The high volume of traffic that comes through a server requires its drives to be continuously active. Multiple drives are required in order to back up everyone’s data, and these drives must perform well in order to meet the users’ needs. The multiple high speed drives now end up costing $550 as opposed to your $60 single consumer drives. Server storage involves many interdependent factors, culminating in commercial storage costing more than consumer storage.
Remember, the price you pay to a web host is more than just storage. Other services are a part of your monthly fee. However, it is helpful to understand the storage cost differences so you can make an informed decision as a consumer.
Keep Helpful Content Coming to Your InBox - Subscribe Today!
As someone who is interested in building, maintaining and promoting your own website, a subscription to the Recommended Web Tools newsletter will keep you informed about the tools you need to get the job done.
An email subscription includes a weekly blog posts update, keeping you informed of the topics being discussed on the blog. You will also receive the Recommended Web Tool of The Week. Once every week (or two) you will receive a short email focused on informing you of particular recommended tool.
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 06/27/2011 – http://eepurl.com/etbaU #
- RT @rosshudgens: If you do SEO, read this. Can't think of a proper title for it, but read it anyways. http://t.co/o6idPDa #
- RT @latestonwp: The CollabPress Plugin Review – Get A Project Management System at Your Dashboard http://bit.ly/ijFN6g #
- RT @wpcandy: ServerBuddy plugin from @pluginbuddy goes 1.0, buddy http://wpcandy.com?p=22184 #
- RT @wpmayor: Best WordPress YouTube Plugins http://bit.ly/kG5uut #
- RT @creativethink: 8 Reasons Why Bad Web Design Decisions Get Made | Smiley Cat Web Design http://t.co/QGSrZeq #
- RT @domainnamewire: My Thoughts on a Go Daddy Buyout – http://dnw.com/434 #
- RT @jillwhalen: In case you missed it last week, learn who's spreading the silly SEO stupidity, and why: http://highrankin.gs/308t #
- Book to check out: Elements of Content Strategy http://ow.ly/5qK4V #
- Three Reasons Why I Use WordPress for Website Development: http://EzineArticles.com/6062611 #
- Ok, so big news today: the Google+ Social Network project. I say BORING, waiting for #diaspora @joindiaspora. What are your thoughts? #
- looking for a new HP printer? Buy from http://www.hp.com, now till July 6th: Free Shipping plus use code 50SUMMMER to get an additional $50 off #
- Chrome Users: Do you find Chrome is unable to redirect to the Twitter App Authorization page? #
- This is Hilarious!! RT @squawknews: "Project" is the new "Beta" for Google+ http://t.co/TttLOMb #
- RT @typebot: How to make #text look interesting. Great article about #font sizing, styles & when to use which one. http://bit.ly/iY5BZd – #
- Spam Report: lowest Levels since 2008. Interesting. http://ow.ly/5spOc #
- Another book to check out: RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN http://ow.ly/5qK6l #
- Five Beginner Tips for Writing HTML and CSS: http://EzineArticles.com/6384649 #
- RT @codepo8: Wow, full video course on CSS3 from @thinkvitamin is now free: http://bit.ly/dEAFT9 #
- RT @wpzoom: Looking for some useful WordPress plugins? Check out WPZOOM's recommendations: http://www.wpzoom.com/recommended-plugins/ #
- What happens on the web every 60 seconds: http://ow.ly/5s8bZ #
- RT @sixrevisions: comprehensive free website analysis tool called SiteTrail, even displays hex codes used on the site http://is.gd/gjvA2P #
- RT @cspenn: #the5 Want to see how I manage my information flow & content curation? Here's the process: http://ar.gy/SXV #
- Pardon my last tweet…it is clear I need to adjust some settings! #
- RT @codepo8: Wow, full video course on CSS3 from @thinkvitamin is now free: http://bit.ly/dEAFT9 #
If you are someone who loves to take advantage of all of the varieties and savings that you find on the internet, I’m sure that you certainly appreciate these price comparison Add-Ons for Firefox. There are quite a few options out there so you may need a little advice, or a push in the right direction towards which solution works best for you.
Invisible Hand:
Invisible Hand is a cool Firefox Add-on that displays a small message when you are browsing your favorite eCommerce websites and the product you choose can be purchased for a lower price somewhere else.
I’m pretty sure that you have seen other online resources that are geared towards helping customers find better prices but none quite like Invisible hand. Invisible Hand operates by constantly browsing hundreds of the most reputable retailers in various countries. This makes your job of comparing and contrasting every single product that you browse a job of the past. This Add-on works “quietly” while you browse your favorite sites as normal.
WindowShopper:
WindowShopper is a popular Price Comparison Add-on for Firefox that allows you to compare and contrast prices on just about any product within over 5,000 online stores within the United States and the United Kingdom. Some of the most popular stores include some of the consumer favorites like Ebay, Amazon, Macys, Best Buy, Staples, Walmart and many more. There are over 100 million products categorized within Window Shopper’s index with just about any product that you can think of.
Window Shopper provides a practical feature that will eliminate the need to browse more than one website to compare your favorite products. If Window Shopper cannot find a better price for the product that you are searching for, they will display a related product that may be the product you choose or push you in the right direction.
Only after you have downloaded WindowShopper and gone through the required installation will you have access to this wonderful resource. Once you do this, you’ll notice an Icon that is a one click process that gives you access to hundreds of eCommerce websites that are related to what you’re browsing.
WindowShopper also gives you the option of saving a list of your favorite providers so that you’ll never have to search for them again. Simply click your Fave tab and you have quick access to all of your favorite online stores. How great is that!
Another site also provides comparisons, but not price-related ones. Findermind offers people-search related comparisons (visit this people search free article to get started) in case you’re trying to find more about someone else (in a non-stalker way).
Keep Helpful Content Coming to Your InBox - Subscribe Today!
As someone who is interested in building, maintaining and promoting your own website, a subscription to the Recommended Web Tools newsletter will keep you informed about the tools you need to get the job done.
An email subscription includes a weekly blog posts update, keeping you informed of the topics being discussed on the blog. You will also receive the Recommended Web Tool of The Week. Once every week (or two) you will receive a short email focused on informing you of particular recommended tool.
- Posts from Recommended Web Tools for 06/20/2011 – http://eepurl.com/emjBo #
- RT @mycroburst: Attention #designers New #change at #MycroBurst #new varied #design project lengths! http://bit.ly/kgIqJz #
- RT @marshallk: I worked on an AOL content farm & it changed my life (for the better!) http://t.co/2gcNhYg (vs AOL TV writing slave article) #
- RT @seosmarty: Via @myblogguest: 2 (Alternative) Ways to Share Your Guest Posts on Your Own Blog http://su.pr/26f4h8 #
- RT @sengineland: Google Notifying Webmasters To Update WordPress Blogs http://selnd.com/lahSit #
- RT @mongoosemetrics: The Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research http://t.co/zZy4SEe via @bkmacdaddy #SEO RT @lyena: RT @leoraw #
- Color and Web Design: A Very Good Introduction: http://ow.ly/5mq7H #
- RT @mycroburst: MycroBurst's New Project Lengths! | http://bit.ly/kgIqJz #
- things I hate: choosing Retweet and failing to hit Edit but Send first…ugh #
- Intriguing Stat: RT @lookadoo: OH estimate that 85% of RTs are not read by the RTer. #
- RT @wpbeginner: How to Embed PDF, Spreadsheet, and others in #WordPress Blog Posts – http://wpbeg.in/kZksX4 #
- RT @thephuse: Creating Depth in Web Design: 5 Design Tricks http://j.mp/m9A5iR #
- Helpful info on URL Canonicalization: http://ow.ly/5me4n , http://ow.ly/5me5c , http://ow.ly/5me68 #
- RT @sixrevisions: CSS Lint: tool to help point out problems with your CSS http://csslint.net/: Tool improvement: feed it css URL #
- RT @wpcandy: Today's Daily Plugin is Login Logo, a recent plugin from @markjaquith http://wpcandy.com?p=21824 #
- Test out a new font. Try Typetester: http://ow.ly/5mdQl #
- Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research http://ow.ly/5mgIS #
- Embed PDFs and other docs in your WordPress posts http://ow.ly/5n9Ux #
- RT @woothemes: We've released a photography theme with page layouts & slider modules showcase photos. Meet "Statua" – http://t.co/c47dumU #
- RT @mattcutts: Interesting article by @ginatrapani about why she self-hosts her blog: http://t.co/D5dcDGG: I admit I am not hot about Tumblr #
- 10 HTML Entity Crimes You Really Shouldn't Commit: http://ow.ly/5n9Zq : Very Helpful Article! #
- RT @copyblogger: Meet the Lazy Marketer’s Best Friend: The Email Autoresponder – http://t.co/gter3oj #
- RT @hostgator: know DNS? Have you worked with linux? Need a Job? We're hiring!
http://gtr.bz/jobs – im sure someone out there needs a job # - Installed Firefox 5. From a super users perspective: it is a big shrug. It really should be 4.1 http://ow.ly/5pRBa #
- On the tail of my last tweet…I have to say i have been using Chrome more and more. #
- Interesting Article on the demise of MySpace http://ow.ly/5qcyl #
Feedback Army provides a simple way for small websites to enter into the realm of usability testing.
How usable IS your website?
As webmasters, we think we know how people will react to our website and our features but have we ever asked them? Chances are, NO.
With Feedback Army, you can submit your website URL and a set of questions. For $15, you will receive 10 responses to your questions.
What kind of questions should you ask?
Feedback Army provides you with sample questions to get you started. I would recommend you take some time to think about your questions. You are paying for feedback, so make sure you are getting the feedback on the items you want! I would also recommend keeping the number of questions from 6-10. Make sure your questions are open ended. You want to avoid questions that will elicit simple yes or no answers (you will get some of these anyway to open ended questions.)
Below is the list of 6 questions I submitted. I was interested in two main things: general usefulness of my site and whether people felt the content was subscription worthy enough.
I recognize now, after the fact, that I could of asked those questions a little differently.
So what kind of responses did I get? Download a PDF of the responses.
Overall, I was very happy with the responses. With each response you see the number related to your question as an easy reference. At the bottom of each response it lists the browser they used to view your website, the OS they used andthe length of time they took to view your site.
Some responders took a good 20 mins or so. Other took under 5. Others took time to look at other pages besides my home page, while others just focused on home page issues. While this was a small set of user, there were several common themes in their responses. If I aggregate their responses, I come up with a to-do list of things I need to fix or consider:
- Adjust Font size (7.6)
- Incorporate Featured Tool of the Day/Week (7.4 – Definitely the Home Run Comment of the bunch!)
- Improve/Change social media icons (2.2)
- Use Video Tutorials, heck maybe a video introduction to the site (1.5, 2.4, 2.5, 9.4, 9.5, 10.5)
- New Logo (2.6)
- Incentives for people to subscribe (3.4)
- Daily Posts (3.4)
- Redo Email Subscription Badge (3.6)
- Redo Home Page Layout (5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 10.2, 10.6)
- White Space on Blog Pages (5.6)
- More Beginner Focused – Consistent Wording (6.6, 7.1)
Was the $15 worth it? Absolutely!
10 opinions from people who have never seen your site before is definitely worth $1.50 per head.
Feedback Army provides a great place to start your own usability testing. Whether your site is small or large, getting this kind of feedback will be tremendously helpful in improving your website.
Definitely Recommended!
I have always been frustrated by social bookmarking.
I tried delcious and diigo. I used both for some time but in a very limited way. My problem? I never went back to review the items I linked. Those links were always intended to be reviewed later, write a blog post on it, shares on this site, etc. I always found it intimidating when I logged back in that my bookmarks still were not tremendously organized even with all the tags and such. How do I find stuff?!?!
Today, when I find something share-worthy I tweet it. I hate the idea of having to bookmark it AND tweeting something. Why do twice the work!
Enter Trunk.ly. With Trunk.ly, every link I tweet or post about is picked up and saved to my account as a bookmark. I can then reference and SEARCH through them later. This latter feature is huge. What did I link to that is about SEO? Do a search within my trunk.ly account and it will list all the sites I linked to that have to do with SEO.
The flow I have developed is pretty natural. I find cool things, I tweet it to share it with you, then Trunk.ly does the rest of the grunt work. Trunk.ly eliminates a full step in the process with the added feature of making everything searchable.
Think of Trunk.ly as your personal automatic bookmarking assistant. You tell it where to look and Trunk.ly seeks and brings in the links.
Where can Trunk.ly pull links from?
Currently:
- RSS Feeds
- LinkIn
- Delicious
- Pinboard
View of my Trunk.ly dashboard:
Within trunk.ly you can be followed and follow others just like Twitter. However, it is the link aggregation that is far more of a benefit to me.
Future features I would like to see:
- Better auto tagging of some kind. For example, if it pulls links from my feed, can it attach to the links within each posts the tags that attached to those posts?
- Other Sorting/Categorizing methods within the dashboard. I often want to go back and write about stuff I link too. I want to mark those pages in some way. Would rather do it by another method besides a tag.
- Alternatively: Possible integration with To-Do list tools. Intergrate it with my Zoho Tasks. “Star” a link in trunk.ly, Zoho Tasks is sent the link and adds it to my to-do list.
Find out more about Trunk.ly by reading their blog. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.
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