Frameworks in a complacent world Tom, 24 Feb 2007

You may have noticed the beginnings of plans for CSS frameworks/conventions. It’s something i’ve been thinking about for a while now, so it will be interesting to see how this develops.

Something has crossed my mind more and more recently - the more we use frameworks such as Rails, Prototype, Scriptactulous, etc. the more I start to wonder about the longer-term effects of everyone using them. Let’s take Rails as an example - it’s really easy to do things such as auto-completed text boxes, standard error messages, AJAX with blind-down effects, etc. There’s an understandable excitement about these things - it’s refreshing after years of low-interactivity HTML. However, I predict some downsides. Firstly, inappropriate application of technology - rather than considering what is the best solution to a problem, designers and developers will gravitate towards the the easy options.

Secondly, it would be very easy to get complacent, with all these time-saving features and forget to innovate. Gizmos will only be impressive for so long, until everyone else is using them. Building your success on these kinds of features will leave you swamped with competition in the near future. I believe, forging ahead with your own ideas, while sensibly applying the help of frameworks is much healthier.

To conclude, what I’m pointing at here is not actually a problem with the frameworks themselves; it’s a problem of complacency in the mainstream workplace. There will always be a small number of people forging ahead with their own ideas, solving problems in radical new ways, setting the lead for everyone else to thoughtlessly follow…

Over and out.

Included in Process & Practice

8 responses

Jo Frudd on 16/06/08 at 11:59 am
When coding HTML/CSS there’s 4 main elements you have to consider semantics, cross browser quirks (i could use another term for quirks but as its Tom’s blog I’ll keep it clean), grids and typography.

Talk to any front end engineer and they will tell you a different story about how they take each of the points above into consideration when coming up with css.

In our team we have been trying to standardise our approach for a while, with some success. Whilst we make progress on every project a coherent framework that everyone agrees with is still a fair way off, but it will happen.

If you think of the end goal you want to cut down of CSS development time…

1: when you start a new project, the current time spent addressing the 4 main elements can now be spent investigating an implementing those surprise and delight features for example microformats, a better better mobile or print stylesheet. But your right Tom you have to be careful to not get complacent about these things and ensure everyone on the team understands how the framework works.

2: a 3rd party is employed to deliver a project which must adhere to your front end code acceptance criteria. How do you best achieve this, by insisting they use your framework, it should making keeping track of progress and signing off less of a headache, well we hope.

WHAT WE DO NOW

Personally I tend to ensure that I am happy with the semantic HTML I have produced before I go anywhere near css.

Then I apply a modified version of yahoo reset which omits things like, taking away the native font weight styling of the tag and list-style of , but the rest ensures all browsers have been brought onto a level playing field.

Next its onto how to interpret the grid we are using for the design on to the web page and finally addressing typography and how we can achieve the vertical rhythm and beauty we aspire too.

All of the above take inspiration from

24 ways (http://24ways.org/2006/compose-to-a-vertical-rhythm)
Mark Boulton (http://www.markboulton.co.uk/articles)
alistpart (http://www.alistapart.com/articles/settingtypeontheweb/)

to name a few.

24 Ways concentrates on the typography and how to calculate the correct line-height and bottom margin from the font size. Mark Boulton attempts to translate print, grid design and typography for the web and introduces the idea of incremental leading (where a smaller font size lines up with the standard font size every, say, five lines) Alistapart looks at applying these principles for a CSS page layout.

Then enter Blueprint (http://code.google.com/p/blueprintcss/), its a css framework I’ve been watching for a while and were going to be trying it out a loss risk project in the near future so will keep you posted of progress
Tom on 16/06/08 at 12:11 pm
Damn, that’s quite a post Jo! Embarrassingly and as you can see, I never quite refined the CSS for comments
jobbercypr on 6/02/09 at 10:15 pm
Hi, it’s a job offer. (Sorry if I post it in wrong place)

Cyprus company is looking for a Campaign Executive to assist with fundraising, presentations, various administrative and sales management duties. If you have fundraising and sales experience, plus intermediate computer knowledge, this job is for you! Apply with us today!

All applicants applying for U.S. job openings must be authorized to work in the United States. All applicants applying for European job openings must be authorized to work in European Union.

We are growing advertising and consulting company offering job opportunities ranging from executive and administrative assistants to customer service representatives, receptionists and general support.

NOTICE: we do not provide relocation, this position is online based, we are using progressive online administrative system. You will have to use a special online training program for free.

Requirements and skills:
1. Higher Education/College
2. 1 + Sales/Management (desired but optional)
3. Strong communicative skills
4. Must have MS Office installed (MS Word)
5. Must have citizenship or Work Permit
6. Adult age

Education and Experience:
1. Internet/MS Office/Outlook
2. Sales/Management/Marketing courses (desired)

Hours:
Mon-Fri; 9:30am - 12:30pm

Apply for this job now or contact our online branch support for additional information:

CV to e-mail partner@mygogreens.com
Tichierie on 15/02/09 at 10:42 am
Hello.
I’m new there
Nice forum!
osobo on 17/02/09 at 7:04 pm
Новый способ давления на кандидата на пост Главы г. Химки

Новый способ “наказать” тех, кто посмел участвовать в выборной кампании не на стороне действующей власти изобрели правоохранительные органы г.о. Химки.
Руководствуясь не нормой закона, а чьей-то “волей” сотрудники милиции решили “проверить” все фирмы, внесшие денежные средства в избирательный фонд неудобных кандидатов.
Начались “проверки” с телефонных звонков - где директор, сколько человек работает на фирме. После чего последовали “письма счастья” с просьбой предоставить всю бухгалтерскую документацию, учредительные документы фирмы, и даже, план экспликации БТИ.
Такие запросы химкинским фирмам рассылает 1 отдел Оперативно-розыскной части № 9 Управления по налоговым преступлениям ГУВД Московской области за подписью начальника подполковника милиции Д.В. Языкова.
И всё это в то время, когда Президент дал прямое указание правоохранительным органам о прекращении всех незаконных проверок малого и среднего бизнеса. С это целью внесены изменения в Федеральный закон “О милиции” - из статьи 11 этого закона исключены пункты 25 и 35, на основании которых ранее правоохранительные органы имели право проверять финансово-хозяйственную деятельность предприятий.
Видно, об изменениях действующего законодательства местные правоохранительные органы не уведомлены. И не смотрят телепередачи с выступлениями Президента.
Может быть, эта публикация подвигнет их к исполнению указаний Президента, а также к изучению и соблюдению действующего законодательства
XRumerFinder on 28/02/09 at 12:02 am
Hey… sorry for my english, where I can download XRumer 5.0 Palladium FOR FREE??? Thanks!!!
It’s perfect software for promo and SEO, but cant find any crack for it((
cracked XRumer 2.9 and XRumer 3.0 are too old, Im need FRESH!
Preston on 28/02/09 at 7:03 pm
To attract money, you must focus on wealth. It is impossible to bring more money into your life when you are noticing you do not have enough, because that means you are thinking thoughts that you do not have enough.

****************************************
Use This Tool to Secretly Spy on Your Competitor
Geolekekfof on 23/03/09 at 11:07 am
Our site the most qualitative source of the information on the mortgage, insurance of the mortgage,
tax deductions, stages of registration of the mortgage.
We are glad to you to present the fullest information on these themes.
Welcome to our site.

You must be logged in to post a comment.