Matt Heerema

Amazon header redesign + Ajax?

It appears that Amazon is playing with a redesign currently. It also seems to only show to random visitors.

It looks like they have redesigned their tabs a bit.

But the coolest part is what they are doing with their “See all categories” tab

When you mouse over the categories tab, it pops up a window with a list of all possible categories.

It looks like this could be done with a bit of Ajax-ing… but I’m not sure that’s what they’re up to. (In fact I’m quite certain it isn’t).

It looks like the popup window is a big slect box controled with some javascript and CSS.

sigh If only they would get rid of the nested tables and inline styles.

They are SOOO close!

Secure PHP

A nice little resource on well written, secure PHP by on ILoveJackDaniels.com.

Writing Secure PHP

Ajax

Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications.

Somehow I missed this back in the blur that was February. But this is the way it is currently being done, folks. It is the way of the future. Get on board now.

(dang… time to become an XML, XSLT expert…)

Adobe Macromedia Acquisition

The first thing I read (and subsequently most of what came up in my RSS Aggregator for the rest of the day) when I turned on my computer at work on Monday was about the Adobe Macromedia Acquisition.

Kottke does a great job of rounding up most of the important news and opinions on the acquisition.

Personally, I’m slightly concerned. I’m hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.

Adobe has been a mainstay in print media since the beginning of time… and when Web design went mainstream, has been putting out products, trying to be competitive in the Web design tools arena. It has failed pretty miserably. The top player? Macromedia. Though certainly not a software giant by any means, (actually it doesn’t even really have a monsterous market share of the Web design tool world) it certainly has the best product. (opinions opinions…).

The MX 2004 suite is THE BEST Web design software package to date.

• Fireworks runs circles around ImageReady
• Dreamweaver vs GoLive? No comparison.
• Flash? no competition.

On the other side of the coin:

• Illustrator outpaces Freehand
• PDF is far more widely used than the fledgling (but cool) Flashpaper.

This merger has the capability of creating an awesome product. A comprehensive Web and Print design suite comprised of the best tools on the market.

Unfortunately, I fear that Adobe is going to simply eat up Flash and throw the baby (Fireworks, Dreamweaver, homesite) out with the Bathwater (freehand and flashpaper).

That is my 2 cents.

PNG Headers

A neat little trick to layer a couple of png files over eachother with a bit of CSS and some proprietary markup to get IE to behave.

PNG Headers