Just go to the link and look what's in the works.
http://www.alistapart.com/live/
Fingers crossed big time that there's a location and time that works out for this resident of the Cathouse.
Now stop whining about my not adding more content here and click the link!
Nuff said,
Farron
(& THE _^..^_ who could care less as long as he's fed)
The first group of students are rolling along in week three of the newly rewritten Level 2 XHTML/CSS class at LVS Online. We are starting them off in the Transtional DTD and taking everything in baby steps.
It is quite an experience to watch those new to coding start out at square one with XHTML and CSS instead of HTML4.01 with those good old <font> tags and twisted hacks we all cut our teeth on.
This class completed the first run of debbieT's Level One last term and I have them in Intermediate as we speak. Happy to report that the majority of them are taking to it like ducks to water. Issues and problems seem fewer and farther between than they were at this stage in the old HTML 4.01 style classes with hacks and deprecated codes included. That makes *the instuctor* happy and leading the class a much more pleasant experience.
And what's even more fun is seeing the interest in basic accessibility information.
In working with data tables this week I introduced a little tool that I had not seen in the piles of goodies hidden at WAI/W3C until I was researching the lesson. The WAI Tablin tool:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/Tablin/form
I thought there might be groans but they are looking and experimenting with ways to make the content of data tables read in a more logical, linear fashion. Treating it like a fun, new toy, not just another drudgy checkpoint. Woo Hoo!
Wouldn't it be fun if we could influence even a few of the next generation of coders and designers to use standardized coding, CSS and accessibility features without even thinking hard about it. Have it become as natural as breathing. One can hope and work toward that goal in their own little corner of the world. *smile*
I wish I had been shown some of these things on day one. Just think of all the deeply ingrained bad habits I could have avoided. Coulda, Shoulda, Didn't. lol
That's all for now from our 17" view of cyberspace....
Farron and That _^..^_
I seem to have taken a break from blogging....again. Actually, I have been busily putting together a new class and the first lesson posted for students *officially* today. That means it really went up last night. [laugh]
The last two weeks are still being finished and polished, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And it doesn't look like a train. Yippee!!
In looking at a few resources for one of those unfinished weeks I started getting lost in links. Fun links! Landed in the SXSW site. I forget about that nifty little festival since I am no longer involved in the comings and goings of Music Row...thank goodness!
I did notice the web awards. Seems the winners will be announced in a ceremony tomorrow.
The finalists are here:
http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/web_awards/finalists/
Before I made it to the finalists' page, I was clicking the *random website* link over on the main site. Peek at one, reload and check another.
Although there were some pretty things there, I was a bit dismayed to see the sort of out of date and/or invalid coding used in many that I hit. Should decent coding not be part of the criterion? Certainly would be if *I* ran the circus. {{sigh}}
From the few I have checked in the finalists, it may have counted for something with the judges. The selections are looking a bit more inline with what I would have expected. But I reserve judgment until I look at a few more. ;^)
So fingers are crossed for Zen Garden to be the shining star of the day. I do see it made the final cut. There are some other goodies there as well. I need to go back and poke around a bit, then it's back to polishing the lessons to send others in the direction of valid XHTML and CSS.
And no Becky, I am not picking on your precious Flash. I am fussing about the static pages...[snicker]
Writing those lessons has been a learning experience in and of itself. I don't *do* logical thinking very often. If giving it a try doesn't kill me, it certainly may push me over that dreaded edge.
Happy Trails!
Farron
[and that TOTALLY valid but often inaccessible _^..^_ ]