Building web pages.

[ericmark]

I build web pages for many reasons. To show off my photos, to explain some technical detail, to raise interest in a subject like woodland control, to show relatives what is going on, and to make calculators.

The latter seems to be more and more used as Excel becomes charged for on phones but the browser will run pages with Java Script.

I do it for fun and so don’t have any special software an old copy of Adobe Dreamweaver (CS3) and kompozer in the main in code mode and so in theory I could use notepad but the red (three shades), orange, green, blue and black writing helps identify errors. So easy to write math.pow instead of Math.pow which means it does not work.

Many of the things I use I don’t really know what they do. I copy a CSS and then try to work out the bits I need the same with java script. OK some bits I understand but really have not a clue what makes my pull-down menu work as a pull-down just know it does.

I try writing notes on the page so I know what I have done but still return latter and scratch my head wondering why I did something. In the main I only test with firefox although I do have an old copy of IE and will test important pages with that.

I don’t use flash as it would seem apple does not like it and many phones will not run flash items so although I did use it now it has been dropped.

The problem is professional web page developers use packages which auto generate java script and CSS so often they don’t really know what the code does either even with simple HTML there are commands like <! - - Note which is not shown // - - > which I am always having to look up.

So a dialogue with other web page writers would really help. Even if only to say “That does not work with IceWeasel” or some other browser which as a windows user I can’t test.

Nothing I do with my web pages is secret I am willing to say to best of my ability what I have done and why. The http://www.simplesite.com/FLINTSHIRERAYNET/9956884 is an exception to the rule I have no access to code on this site.

With Old talktalk site I expect to lose access as no longer a talktalk customer. The Freeiz site has advertising banners and is slow the BIS.NF site is very slow but of late seems to be improving but some of the fault is mine for pre-loading pictures.

Any comments welcome. Good or Bad.

 

[flameport]

Creating - if you are writing the code yourself, then any text editor with syntax highlighting can be used. I use vim but many others available.

What things do and how to do things properly - https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web contains most of what anyone would need.
Creating code properly in the first place avoids virtually all issues with things not working in different browsers.
Those programs which claim to create HTML/CSS etc. automatically from some graphical type interface are usually the worst culprits for creating totally non compliant output.

Flash - a dead/dying, increasingly redundant and obsolete technology, best avoided. Virtually everything it was designed to do can now be done in other, far better ways.

Hosting - free hosting is totally useless. Spend a very small amount and get your own domain name with hosting included, avoiding all problems with sites closing, losing access when moving to different ISPs and so on.
Basic hosting with 1 domain included can be had from just a couple of pounds a month.

 

[ericmark]

I have used java script more and more although most pages never published on the web.

In the past I used excel to work out things like prospective short circuit current but a web page with java script it allows me to publish and ask peers to test and also to insert standard readings which when changed will always return.

When people ask what cable is required for a 50 meters run to their shed I use a wed page with java script to work out the parameters before I reply to a forum thread although I have not published the page.

I have made some classic mistakes with calculations and am as a result slow to publish pages.

At the moment looking at power meter results and how to use them. I have rewritten the page many times as I modify my ideas as to how energy meters can be used.

In the main I use my energy meter to test fridges and freezers to highlight problems with thermal insulation but not confident enough with results to publish.

What I am considering is fridge/freezer manufactures publish kWh/annum figures and to use energy meter readings to compare manufactures data with recorded data may help decide when a fridge or freezer needs to be replaced.

However there are two things which seem to question the results. One is the accuracy of manufactures data and the other interest rates of money invested in replacement fridge or freezer.

So I am not sure if publishing a page showing reading from a energy meter in a kWh/annum format is helpful or not?

It is not the how or can I but should I which is the question?

I used an excel program for years which was flawed and I told as a result so many lies which I was unaware of. So should I publish pages which have not been vetted?

Viewing pages already published clearly there are many faulty pages giving loads of incorrect information but that does not mean I should add to that list.