Category: HTML5

Useful links: a quiz, voice computing, programming for politics

You have until Jan. 29 to get in on the fun at Simplequiz #7: Pinterest. How should a pin be marked up in HTML5?

Any Eureka fans out there? Check out this article: Siri Jokes Aside, Voice Control will Make Computing Better.

As Obama heads back to office, a battle rages over the tech that got him reelected. This is potentially a very important question regarding building on open source. The tech community should be discussing this issue everywhere.

At issue is the code created during the Obama for America (OFA) 2012 campaign: the digital architecture behind the campaign’s website, its system for collecting donations, its email operation, and its mobile app. When the campaign ended, these programmers wanted to put their work back into the coding community for other developers to study and improve upon. Politicians in the Democratic party felt otherwise, arguing that sharing the tech would give away a key advantage to the Republicans.

Useful links: Hixie, ARIA, WCAG

Bruce Lawson published a far-reaching interview with Ian Hickson, AKA Hixie, the editor of HTML5 at HTML5 Doctor. Maybe it’s because I just reviewed a book about Mark Zuckerberg, but this interview with Ian Hickson makes me think Hixie’s process and vision in managing the implementation of HTML5 amid a barrage of criticisms and complaints might be an interesting book. How about it, Bruce?

Changes to the recommendation for ARIA roles in <section> and <form> elements are listed in Using ARIA in HTML at the W3C. With some exceptions, ARIA roles are not recommended with these elements.

The Future of WCAG: Maximising its Strengths Not its Weaknesses is a long and thoughtful look at the WCAG accessibility guidelines. The author examines the guidelines strengths and weaknesses and takes a look at what needs to be done to move forward with this (or some similar) recommendation in the future.

Thanks for the Input Types (and curses upon them what ain’t)

Are you using HTML 5 and the new form input types with the form elements on your sites and apps? Especially on your mobile apps? If you are, then I say THANK YOU!

If you are not, and I am attempting to fill in your form on my smart phone, I’m probably cursing your name.

A Primer for Those Who Need It

What are input types? I’m sure you’ve used them if you’ve built a form. Before HTML5, most input types were text. <input type=”text”> New input types that came along with HTML5 are

  • search
  • email
  • website
  • phone
  • range
  • number
  • date
  • time
  • color

When you use the proper input type, a mobile device will display a screen or keyboard intended to help you complete your task. For example, if you use <input type=”search”> you get a search box automatically.

FirefoxScreenSnapz001

If you use <input type=”email”> You get a keyboard with an @ sign and a dot (.) right on top.

FirefoxScreenSnapz002

Similar keyboard goodies happen with the other input types: phone gives you a number pad, date gives you a calendar, and so on.

If you haven’t started using the new form input types yet, why the hell aren’t you?

Useful links: Structural Pseudo-Classes, The Web, Fastbook, bMobilized

Good article at SitePoint about CSS3 Structural Pseudo-Class Selectors.

The Web We Lost by Anil Dash could be described as a thought piece, an examination of how the web has changed and whether it’s an improvement or not. Here’s a quote:

We’ve lost key features that we used to rely on, and worse, we’ve abandoned core values that used to be fundamental to the web world. To the credit of today’s social networks, they’ve brought in hundreds of millions of new participants to these networks, and they’ve certainly made a small number of people rich.

But they haven’t shown the web itself the respect and care it deserves, as a medium which has enabled them to succeed. And they’ve now narrowed the possibilites of the web for an entire generation of users who don’t realize how much more innovative and meaningful their experience could be.

Fastbook, Fastbook, Fastbook. Talk about it is everywhere. Here’s The Making of Fastbook: An HTML5 Love Story.

Convert your site to mobile with 30 seconds of analysis? That’s the claim. Check out DIY Mobile Website Creator bMobilized Adds Another $2.5 Million In Series A Funding  from TechCrunch

Useful Links: W3C news, Instagram TOS

W3C published today the complete definition of the HTML5 and Canvas 2D specifications. Though not yet W3C standards, these specifications are now feature complete, meaning businesses and developers have a stable target for implementation and planning.

Instagram’s new terms of service are causing controversy. What Instagram’s New Terms of Service Mean for You is from the NYTimes. Wired tells us How to Download Your Instagram Photos and Kill Your Account. Alexandra Asher Sears, who writes about various site’s terms of service for BlogHer in a series called If Emily Posted, will be looking at the ethics of what Instagram is doing. That post will be published on BlogHer on Thursday and should be full of helpful details to help you make a decision about your Instagram account.

Regarding Instagram, here’s a strong thought from blogdiva,

 

Useful links: subline element, my name is me, Quora

Steve Faulkner suggests another addition to the HTML5 spec in the form of a subline element.

My Name is Me is a site that supports people’s desire to use a pseudonym online.

What’s Wrong with Quora? is Jon Evans question. He states his opinions, but for me Quora fails because it is too slow, too obtuse, and too difficult to track. I don’t go to Quora for anything. It isn’t worth the effort.