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Getting into Java... I'm starting to make my first Java applications with the aim of being able to program cell phone API and other handheld technologies. I see this as a huge market in years to come and can wait to get my...

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Teaching Intro to Flash at Tunxis Again Looks like I'll be teaching at Tunxis again this semester. Can't wait to get started again as I have a lot of fun the last time we did this. The class is going to be restructured slightly to showcase the...

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The difference between classic and motion tweens in... Here it is: If you're used to doing things "the cs3 way" then you can continue to do so with the classic tween tool. It works the same way as you remember, using key frames as normal, but you cannot...

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PHP: If (equal to AND not equal) - eliminate form spam... Just learned a great function of PHP thats already made my forms a lot better. A while back I wrote an article about eliminating form spam without captchas by using css to hide a text input box for bots...

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Drop Downs, Fly Outs, and Accordion Site Navigation: This last week I was in a meeting discussing a client site. It was a typical business meeting that was going into overtime on a Friday afternoon, and then things turned for the worst... someone suggested...

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Power To The Poster Project

Category : Typography

A really cool collection of mostly typographic posters. You can download the 11×17″ pdfs for free and the idea is that you would then post them in highly visible places. (Suggest legal places, or get the owners permission otherwise they tend to come down disappointingly fast for the cost of printing.)

My favorite from the gallery:
pttp_poster45

More found at:
http://www.powertotheposter.org/gallery.php

Smashing Magazine takes the time to explain typography while showing great text photoshop tutorials. Thank goodness.

Category : Great Tutorials, Photoshop, Typography

In what is sure to be a hugely trafficked and bookmarked post, 50 Stunning Photoshop Text Effect Tutorials. I’m delighted that Smashing Magazine took the time to explain basic typography FIRST. While not a complete history or explanation of everything type this might be the most complete, yet concise, summary of what you need to know before you go gallivanting off with an army of text effects.

This post is not just a heaping pile of knowledge. This is SEM success on an SEO goldmine. Better yet, Smashing Magazine will shine for this and in the process we can only hope that their younger readers this will pause and learn something from the first half (the typography section) before stampeding towards the tutorials.

Yes, the effects are cool, but using an interesting effect on poorly is still an utter failure while good type can stand on its own without any effects what so ever. I also hope that readers understand that you should never use an effect gratuitously. Use the right effect to further your message; not to use an effect.

Top Ten Web Typographic Sins

Category : Technology, Typography

Here is a good top ten list. Everyone and their brother has one of these. This one is by Steven D. of smashingmagazine.

Number 1 and 2 are the em dash ( — )and ellipsis ( … ). I also found particular interest in number 5:
Typography Sins
Not only is it ugly and lazy, a copyright symbol hacked together out of a capital C and parenthesis might not even cut the mustard in court. Use the real McCoy (©), and bill your clients extra for the legal advice.

I don’t know of too many web developers that follow all these rules. I’m sure now that CSS has made things a bit more standard we’ll be able to worry about smaller things, like small quotes.