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Beyond Web usability: Web credibility

There are a lot of web sites out here in cyberspace – how do you make yours stand out from the crowd?

Although design is important, as we've pointed out elsewhere, content is king. But that's not the end of the story – how do you present your content in such a way that it helps the viewer feel 'comfortable' with your site, that they feel your organisation is one they can do business with? In short how can you appear CREDIBLE?

In this free article, Trenton Moss gives us a few pointers on how you can make your websites have that little bit more about them.

Trenton Moss

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Ten ways to speed up the download time of your web pages

Want to be even more convinced about the power of CSS?

Then check out this free article that will give you 10 hints about how to get your web pages into your viewers eyes even faster.

Trenton Moss

4514

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FREE! Same link text – different colours

Fancy making your links just a little bit more snazzy?

In this free article, Trenton Moss will show you how to use CSS to help add a little bit of spice to your link styles.

Trenton Moss

6151

A Photo Album Site in PHP, MySQL, XHTML and CSS: Pt.III

In the previous instalments of this multi-part tutorial on building a website to show our holiday images, we firstly constructed an XHTML/CSS framework for the site, and secondly created a database to store our photographic information.

In this third part we're going to be working with that data as we start to build our dynamic pages. More specifically we'll be concentrating on displaying pictures from our default photo album.

Rachel Andrew

6058

SQL: Tips

This week's SQL article is a collection of tips and techniques for writing SQL.

The tips are divided into these categories:

Syntax
More Syntax
Performance
Design

The syntax tips cover reserved words, NULLs, strings, parentheses, and IN lists. You'll also learn what's wrong with "select star", why JOIN syntax is better, and when to write RIGHT OUTER JOINs (hint: never).

The performance tips barely scratch the surface (database performance is a career unto itself), but they include the importance of indexes and how to make sure you don't sabotage your own indexes.

The design tips include advice about first normal form, using simple datatypes, and autonumbers.

If you like these tips (or not), if you want to see more, or if you have any feedback on them at all, please post a comment in the discussion forum for this article.

Rudy Limeback

3730

Building an XML Flash Application with PHP and MySQL Pt.II

In this second article of the series, we'll be building the front-end of the web-site for our imaginary Pet Store client. Here we'll be seeing how we can feed the data we've pulled from the MySQL based back-end we developed in the first article, into a Flash based interface.

Our interface will make use of various Flash components, including the Flash MX 2004 XML Connector, which will be required to pull the XML out from our PHP pages and into our front-end.

Gareth Downes-Powell

7934

Stylesheets for all Occasions

Just starting out with CSS and wondering what all the fuss is about?

If so, then this article by Matt Machell might help you out. Here Matt will show you how a change of stylesheet can make the same file of marked up text have a very different look. Of cause it's not just an aesthetic point, different stylesheets can help customize your presentation for different types of media and users with varying requirements.

Matt Machell

2132

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FREE! Web accessibility myths

In the UK The Disability Discrimination Act says that web sites must be made accessible to disabled people. The DRC's recent report has suddenly thrown this into the spotlight of the online community and a lot of misinformation has been thrown around. This article attempts to put a stop to this and tell you the truth behind web accessibility.

Of course this article isn't just applicable to the UK, accessibility is a worldwide issue.

Trenton Moss is the driving force behind webcredible; he knows an awful lot about accessibility and the Disability Discrimination Act.

Trenton Moss

2410

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FREE! Web accessibility: The basics

Web accessibility is about making your website accessible to all Internet users (both disabled and non-disabled), regardless of what browsing technology they're using. In addition to complying with the law, an accessible website can reap huge benefits on to your website and your business.

Trenton Moss is the driving force behind webcredible; he knows an awful lot about accessibility and the Disability Discrimination Act.

Trenton Moss

4261

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Free! Hot Topics from the Blogs: August 2004

It's August and most people have been on vacation, but there's still been enough happening on the blogs.

In this second peer into the blogs of Web development movers and shakers, Ian Blackham aims to highlight recent postings that will stimulate and educate.

Ian Blackham

8932

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FREE! Fireworks: Rollover Buttons 2

In another free tutorial for Fireworks beginners Joyce J. Evans is going to revisit the topic of rollover buttons. This time however, she'll be describing a different route to making them and WON'T be using the button editor unlike last time.

Again this tutorial is in the form of a video - so to view the tutorial just follow this link (don't worry about the lack of cursor icon change - the link works just fine).

This tutorial was originally published, on Joyce's personal web site, where Joyce has tutorials, reviews and resources to help the new Web developer develop their skills.

Joyce Evans

22915

SQL: Paging

In this tutorial, Rudy explores the SQL to accomplish paging of content drawn from a database and displayed on a Web site. Paging can be done one item per page, such as for large articles or stories, or multiple items per page, such as for search results, when it is common to see, say, 10 per page.

By analyzing the performance dynamics of paging in general, and then exploring the specific SQL to carry it off, Rudy's tutorial will give you the confidence to implement paging on your own site.

Rudy Limeback

6124

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