Cross Browser DHTML

Cross-Browser.com is an outlet for Mike Foster's DHTML hobby. This site features X - a cross-browser DHTML javascript library, and many demos, applications, articles and documentation.

The X library is designed for Opera 5+, Mozilla, Firefox, Safari, Netscape 7.x, Internet Explorer 4+, Konqueror, Netscape 4.x and browsers with similar object models. Object-detection (instead of browser-detection) is used as much as possible.

Painting in Photoshop - The Basics

by Nykolai Aleksander

Index of Full tutorial with contents below:

Basic PS Settings

• Scratch Disk Settings
• Opening a new file & Canvas Settings
• Changing Colours
• Canvas Sizes
• Docking Palettes

PS Brushes

• Which Brushes to use?
• Basic settings
• Installing Brush Sets
• Loading Brush Sets
• Making Custom Brushes

Drawing Tablet

• Changing settings
• Getting used to the pen - exercises

Use of Colour

• Grass isn't always green
• Colour Theory (by Socar Myles)

The Use of Layers

• The Meaning of Icons
• Creating Layers & naming them
• Moving Layers in the Palette
• Merge Visible Layers
• Merge Linked Layers
• Layer Sets
• From Scan to Transparent Layer
• Transforming Layers
• Flatten Layers

Painting

• Do I need to be able to draw to paint in PS?
• Pre-painting sketches - yes or no?
• Basic detailed painting steps
• Saving your Painting
• Special: Evil Tools

One last piece of warning: If you are hoping for a magic solution, there is none. You will not become a great painter overnight - it takes some time, patience and practice.

Free Usability Resources

PDF documents available for download from resources at infodesign.com.au.

Topics include:

General

• Affinity Diagramming
• Writing Usability Reports
• Facilitation Techniques
• Usability for Technical Communicators
• Handling Logged Data
• Pre-publication Checklist
• Website Redesign - a Case Study
  
• Reading List

Analysis

• Contextual Enquiry
• Contextual Enquiry Report
• User Profile Forms
• Site Visit Materials

Design

• Scenarios
• Card Sorting
• Paper Prototyping Graphics
• Participatory Design
• Documenting a User Interface

Evaluation

• Conducting Walkthroughs
  
• Usability Testing
• Minimal Test Lab
• Usability Testing Materials
• Conducting Usability Reviews
• Usability Testing Mistakes
• Web Evaluation Materials
• Voice Interaction Evaluation Checklist
• Structure Evaluation

gotomedia : resources

gotomedia : resources :

Goto Guides

Many have found the following goto guides (PDFs) to be helpful Usability resources. These were originally created as resource material for Kelly's regular lectures and eventually evolved into her 281 page book, Web ReDesign | Workflow that Works.

• Setting the Stage, 2000 [PDF 485k]
  
• Usability Testing, 2000 [PDF 776k]
  
• Web Design Workflow, 2000 [PDF 1.9mb]
  
• Enhancing Creativity, 2002 [PDF 468k]

Techniques

The Macromedia Website Production Management Techniques site represents a joint effort by Macromedia and Kelly Goto.

• Client Survey [RTF]
  
• Creative Brief Worksheet [RTF]
  
• Creative Brief Sample [RTF]
  
• Technical Survey [RTF]
  
• Budget Tracker [ZIP]
  
• User Profile Sample [RTF]
  
• AC (additional charges) Form [RTF]
  
• Meta Tag Worksheet [RTF]

Lombergar.com - Free Photoshop video tutorials

Lombergar.com - Free Photoshop video tutorials

Here you will find free Photoshop training trough video tuition - each of the tutorials will teach how to achieve a cool technique

PDF Book - Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines

FREE Download - full 128 pages book :
Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines from http://usability.gov/pdfs/

Guidelines by Chapter

Chapter 01 – Design Process and Evaluation (6 pages)
Chapter 02 – Optimizing the User Experience (6 pages)
Chapter 03 – Accessibility (4 pages)
Chapter 04 – Hardware and Software (3 pages)
Chapter 05 – The Homepage (5 pages)
Chapter 06 – Page Layout (6 pages)
Chapter 07 – Navigation (6 pages)
Chapter 08 – Scrolling and Paging (3 pages)
Chapter 09 – Headings, Titles, and Labels (5 pages)
Chapter 10 – Links (8 pages)
Chapter 11 – Text Appearance (4 pages)
Chapter 12 – Lists (4 pages)
Chapter 13 – Screen-based Controls (Widgets) (10 pages)
Chapter 14 – Graphics, Images, and Multimedia (7 pages)
Chapter 15 – Writing Web Content (5 pages)
Chapter 16 – Content Organization (5 pages)
Chapter 17 – Search (4 pages)

Essential Bookmarks

Essential Bookmarks - Links to great webdesign resources

Topics include:

CSS
XHTML
PHP
Usability
Accessibility
Design
Inspiration
SEO
RSS
Validation
Miscellaneous

Styling even more form controls | 456 Berea Street

A question that is frequently asked in forums like the css-discuss mailing list is how to style form controls in a consistent way across platforms. Most of the time, the question is asked by someone who has just tried to do that, and noticed the difference in rendering across browsers and operating systems.

Styling even more form controls | 456 Berea Street

CSS Help Pile

CSS Help Pile: Links and Discussion About the Best CSS Resources Available on the Web - artypapers

Topics of Interest:
- How to Create a Photographic Gallery Using CSS
- Devil's Details: Web Design Details Blog
- Mobile CSS First Steps
- Image rollover effects
- CSS Tabs
- Nifty Corners: rounded corners without images
- A CSS styled calendar
- Applied CSS Management and Optimization

CSS: Hybrid CSS Dropdowns: A List Apart

Author Eric Shepherd says:

This technique is a bulletproof way to ensure browser compatibility and to maintain usability even for people who have old browsers or difficulty accessing dropdown menus, either because of a disability or a low level of comfort with the dropdown paradigm. It also does a much better job than standard dropdown menus of orienting the user within the site.

Warning: This technique will not work as well for lists that require large numbers of items, where dropdowns either shine or collapse under the weight of their own sheer mass, depending on your perspective.

We’re going to create a hybrid menu that runs horizontally across the window. It has two levels of navigation (in our example, main topics and their associated pages). Our menu will allow for dropdown access to all pages in both navigation levels, display the current choices in the selected topic area constantly, keep the user aware of where he is in the site, and be clean and light to boot.

Sound good? Let’s get going.

Hybrid CSS Dropdowns: A List Apart Article

Hybrid CSS Dropdown Sample