{Carrer web log}

Handcrafted CSS + HTML Grid Calendar 2009

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 { 9 Comments }

Some time ago I saw this link Best of Calendar Design (via CSSGlobe) and I decided to make some experiments with css and grids in order to make CSS Grid Calendar for 2009. First I started to experiment with excel and in the end the result was: Google spreadsheet

I had two problems: the names of the days were in Italian and all the dates were taking too much vertical space. The solution: no names, no dates - just numbers. The numbers are universal. As a reference I took Sunday. It’s bold.



After some usability critics of my colleges I decided to change the concept and to add Monday to Sunday and I to XII. The result:



And you can download The Grid Calendar (zip)

Is it time to move beyond 960? Not yet

Friday, April 24, 2009 { 7 Comments }

Yesterday Cameron Moll in his post asked – "Is it time to move beyond 960?"

Probably not yet.

Why?

Because there are still around 40% of users using 1024px monitors. We can NOT ignore that fact.

Maybe after few years when very big majority will have 1280 or bigger monitor then we can think about changing the 960px who has become standard for fixed design.

What will be the number new number to replace 960px?

I already said two months ago in my "The Golden Grid" post.

The number is 1200px

The number 1200 is divisible by 2,3,4,5,6,8,10,12,15,16,20,24,25,30 …
Also this number can generate clear and more compressible numbers like (100px for 12 column, 75px for 15 columns, 200px for 6 columns)

Look at this table

This means you can generate symmetrical web site with 4 columns(4 X 300px) or asymmetrical with 3 columns (3 X 400px) or 30 columns(30 x 40px).

You will probably say: But who needs 30 columns web site? Is it 1200px just to big?
You are right 1200px Is very big, but only if you are using 12px font!

Oliver Reichenstein and Wilson Miner sad before me Internet is not a Book!

We can finally drop 12px as standard and use 16px like default .
Also 1200px can open new forms of multi column grid design. More space can be used for more columns.

I’m not saying that then we all should switch to bigger fonts and grid design I’m saying don’t be afraid to change and experiment with new things.

Panta rei os potamòs

Twitter Compressor

Thursday, April 16, 2009 { 1 Comments }

How much time you needed just one more character when you tweet? Always when I must transmit something important at twitter it is always more than 140 characters. Damn Murphy Laws!

Solution/s?

The solution is simple: Capitalization and Compression

Example:

RT @ArthurRimbaud: And everything grows, and everything rises!

RT @ArthurRimbaud: AndEverythingGrows,AndEverythingRises!

Yes this solution will not produce pretty readable text, but if we have a tiny url (who doesn’t tell much what you are clicking) why not use something like compressed text.

I built one small application that will compress and capitalize your text and will leave the spaces if you have: http:// , # or @.

Twitter Compressor (beta)