GL2DW FAQ Update
I have added the JavaScript error message, log message and some screenshots for the Components to .LBI Issues section, which will help you identify which errors you are seeing and which solution to try.
If you come across any errors or problems not listed in the GL2DW FAQ, post in the comments or contact me: purple [dot] graffiti [at] gmail [dot] com.
Visualize Your Progress with TrackIt
TrackIt is handy little Mac OS X widget that tracks any number you want over a period of time. I have one that tracks how many sites use CSS for their layouts and one for the GoLive to Dreamweaver migration. Sometimes visualizing your progress is enough to keep a goal sustainable – it’s the silly things that keep me motivated.
Tools of the Trade
A list of my favorite software tools I work with every day. While most people will expect the usual suspects, [I certainly will not deny the usefulness of Adobe's Web Premium CS3] these are the real gems [and pleasantly surprising work horses] that help me move gracefully through a project during crunch time:
- CSSEdit by MacRabbit – an elegant, compact and clever piece of software that takes all the pain out of hand-coding CSS.
- Firefox by Mozilla – an open source browser that truly performs, unlike Internet Explorer and Safari, which work great, in theory and ideally, but not often in truth.
- BBEdit by Bare Bones Software – a Mac HTML/text editor that can rip apart any file I encounter, down to its literal skeleton. Take that you corrupted PDF file!
To all the hard working software developers who insist on developing their projects par excellence: you are not only appreciated, but inspire me as well!
Portfolio page added
Rather than attempt to keep my resume up to date, I think I am better off adding information to this page. It is a quick at-a-glance at the current projects I am working on and a few finished ones as well. We are continuing to port GoLive sites over to Dreamweaver, and for the smaller sites (or the really, poorly coded sites) I am rebuilding with CSS layouts.
Current tally:
- 45 sites moved from GoLive to Dreamweaver successfully
- 14 of them are CSS layouts, with new sites automatically using CSS/Dreamweaver
JavaScript Training
Workshops, seminars, classes and courses. How the heck do other professionals find them? I am in search of some practical training in JavaScript. While there are many free resources and tutorials available, as well as a slew of online courses, I need something with a little more substance – live help. A person I can talk to face to face when I have a question. When I am learning something new and complex, it is easier to grok the big picture when I have access to a local expert.
Of the few workshops I have found locally, JavaScript has become a hot commodity – the cost for a 2 day workshop can run between $800 and $1600 for a course titled Intro to JavaScript! AJAX must be the best buzzword around, because classes for JavaScript and XML are almost always sold out.
On the bright side, we have already been approved to go to a Dreamweaver refresher course (since we are migrating from GoLive to Dreamweaver) and if I can find a reasonably priced JavaScript or AJAX workshop, it is likely to get approved as well.
Like the CSS training Tim and I attended, I feel like I can read the code and know what it does just fine, but I am not confident enough to program it myself. And like the CSS training, all I needed was a block of time to sit down with another professional and practice. The resources we were left with afterwards have helped push us into more advanced CSS territory. I am hoping to do the same with JavaScript. While I understand there is no need to reinvent the wheel – when methods already exist that solve a problem gracefully, I use it – but I do tire of leaning on others’ work. It would be nice to occasionally have something to contribute to the developer community, too, instead of always taking. 
