Oct 21, 2012
Oct 14, 2012
Keep prototyping simple
I find those "powerful prototyping tools" so pointless.
Before I became a web developer, I was a website editor. I learnt how to design user interface when my superior required all the people in our department to participate in the building work of our company website. That year a software Auxure was imported to Taiwan and was recommended by many "experts" in the industry. I tried it, not bad. Using it you can actually generate javascript files demonstrating a bench of beautiful effects.
Auxure has so many amazing features allowing UI designers to show how this interface is working. But to be able to do that, you need to spend time studying it, and there is definitely a learning curve. Auxure can be one of the hardest "wireframing tool" I've ever known. One of my partners (after I became a freelancer) was so excited when she firstly experienced this. She kept asking me questions about how to manipulate the layers to make the effects exactly the same as jQuery UI could do. Finally I said to her, "Well, after you spend so much time to make it work like a functioning website, it's still not a website. I still have to write all the codes. Though you don't need to explain what results do you want but instead I have to explain why we'd better not to do that on a real website. No mater how fancy your prototype is, the result makes no difference. I believe you can save the time you spend on building these effects by talking to me."
I just found it too complex and unnecessary. A prototype is a prototype. If the tool enables people to communicate effectively, I would love to embrace it. But if the advantage is merely seen?
Before I became a web developer, I was a website editor. I learnt how to design user interface when my superior required all the people in our department to participate in the building work of our company website. That year a software Auxure was imported to Taiwan and was recommended by many "experts" in the industry. I tried it, not bad. Using it you can actually generate javascript files demonstrating a bench of beautiful effects.
Auxure has so many amazing features allowing UI designers to show how this interface is working. But to be able to do that, you need to spend time studying it, and there is definitely a learning curve. Auxure can be one of the hardest "wireframing tool" I've ever known. One of my partners (after I became a freelancer) was so excited when she firstly experienced this. She kept asking me questions about how to manipulate the layers to make the effects exactly the same as jQuery UI could do. Finally I said to her, "Well, after you spend so much time to make it work like a functioning website, it's still not a website. I still have to write all the codes. Though you don't need to explain what results do you want but instead I have to explain why we'd better not to do that on a real website. No mater how fancy your prototype is, the result makes no difference. I believe you can save the time you spend on building these effects by talking to me."
I just found it too complex and unnecessary. A prototype is a prototype. If the tool enables people to communicate effectively, I would love to embrace it. But if the advantage is merely seen?
Oct 2, 2012
Upgrading GoDaddy Hosting to PHP 5.x
I found the PHP version too old when I install a new wordpress application on my server. The PHP version was 4.3, ’cause it was a long time since I bought this host service from GoDaddy and haven’t updated yet. Fortunately, there is an updating solution. The Unix server provided by Godaddy allows users to install essential software as they have needs.
To upgrade it manually, create (if not exsits) a .htaccess file in the root folder of your website server with the content below:
Still like the instructor told us, GoDaddy is apparently not a good choice for hosting, since its C-Panel UI design is totally horrible. When I firstly bought an 1-year plan from GoDaddy, I was surprised that I had to wait 2-3 hours everytime after setting a new sub-domain or modifing some lines in .htaccess file. I also had a hard time finding where their domain management panel was. Everything was so frustrating. The No.1 reason driving me away was that most IPs of GoDaddy servers are banned in China, which could be a problem if you have a marketing plan in that country.
So I switched to Bluehost.com though I still have a few websites hosted on it. Some websites are occupied and sadly I have no time to deal with the coming issues if I'm gonna move them. But I will do it sooner or later.
To upgrade it manually, create (if not exsits) a .htaccess file in the root folder of your website server with the content below:
AddHandler x-httpd-php5 .php AddHandler x-httpd-php .php4Save it, done.
Still like the instructor told us, GoDaddy is apparently not a good choice for hosting, since its C-Panel UI design is totally horrible. When I firstly bought an 1-year plan from GoDaddy, I was surprised that I had to wait 2-3 hours everytime after setting a new sub-domain or modifing some lines in .htaccess file. I also had a hard time finding where their domain management panel was. Everything was so frustrating. The No.1 reason driving me away was that most IPs of GoDaddy servers are banned in China, which could be a problem if you have a marketing plan in that country.
So I switched to Bluehost.com though I still have a few websites hosted on it. Some websites are occupied and sadly I have no time to deal with the coming issues if I'm gonna move them. But I will do it sooner or later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)