I’m a little behind the times, but better late than never!

Techcrunch, a technology blog covering ’web 2.0’ and internet start ups had a bit of a redesign earlier this week.  As a blog that I keep track of all the time, I’m really pleased to see it move away from its previous, cluttered look to this clean and fresh design.

Features of the new look include a much more integrated navigation including links to other blogs from the Techcrunch  network, more consistent advert space, links to most active and recent comments, and a move away from full posts on the homepage.

The new navigation brings a much more consistent feel across the website.  Links to the other Techcrunch blogs (CrunchGear, MobileCrunch, TechCrunchIT etc) have moved from their previous location at the bottom of the old advert column to the very top of the page, making it easier to navigate across the network.  However, TalkCrunch (the network podcast) and CrunchNotes (Michael Arrington’s personal blog) are notably missing from this list.  Other links which a regular reader wouldn’t use very often but are still important (such as About, Contact, Advertise etc) have been moved to the right of the logo.  While they are still obvious, it means they do not take up as much valuable real-estate as the previous layout.

The new Techcrunch network navigation makes it easier to move between blogs

The new design loads much quicker than before.  The old site took an age to load (it was almost worth going to make a cup of tea while waiting for it to load), however the new design is pretty much the same as every other blog in the world.  I can only assume this is mainly achieved through a simpler layout and improved code.

One of the way’s the speed has been increased on the homepage is by switching to an excerpt scheme (only showing a small extract rather than full articles).  From a web design point of view, this is a big improvement - it increases page views (because you have to visit a dedicated page for each article), and it can increase your Google rank (because you no longer have duplicate content on your site).  But from a user-interaction point of view, it requires many more mouse-clicks, and makes it difficult to just scan through a series of entries.  I’m torn as to which is best and have been considering a similar switch on this blog - comments from readers would be much appreciated.

In general I think this redesign is a big success (although a fair amount of the comments on their website seem to disagree with me).  Mark Hendrickson (who announced the re-design) explained their intention to roll this design out to other parts of the network, an aim which would bring consistency across the board.  However, I’ve heard this before. CrunchGear has had two designs over the last year, both of which were supposed to be rolled out across the network and never were, and more recently new layouts have appeared on TechCrunchIT, TalkCrunch and CrunchNotes.  If, however, this does happen, all the blogs will be much more pleasant.

Other recent Techcrunch layouts.

As I mentioned in an entry earlier this month, I’ve spent virtually every minute of every day (when not eating, sleeping or going to the gym) working on numerous projects for both VSI and my freelance clients. The first, a revamp of my blog was finished 2 weeks ago, the second was finally finished this afternoon.

Following several weeks worth of work, I’m really pleased to launch the new company website for VSI-Thinking - the web development company where I’m employed. The new website showcases a number of the systems the company has produced for clients such as Thomas Cook, the Celtic Manor Resort and Peterstone Court. The site also shows off a few of the solutions we offer to our clients.

The launch of the new VSI site is my first major achievement since becoming a full time developer at the company. Over the past two months, I’ve been involved in a complete revamp of our in-house content management system, providing a much more consistent look and feel across all of our modules, adding new controls and improving the quality of the code. The VSI website is the first to make use of the improved CMS.

What I’m especially pleased about however, is the launch of our new company blog. All the developers at VSI (myself included) will be regularly posting company news, random thoughts and solutions to some of the challenges we encounter.

Of course, despite the site launching, we can’t just draw a line under it and move on. We’ve already begun development on the next version of the CMS, bringing in improvements and features that didn’t make the cut this time around. I’m also hoping we can introduce blog commenting facilities in the near future.

So, keep an eye out for posts from me on the VSI Blog, and go check out the new website and let me know what you think.

Things have been a bit quiet on this blog over the last few months because I’ve spent pretty much every waking moment working, commuting or working some more.  During office hours I’ve been working as a full time web developer for VSI-Thinking.  I’ve spent the last month and a half getting reacquainted with their systems, policies and clients.  I’ve also been involved in an overhaul of their content management system that is used on customer websites.  It’s been exceptionally busy over the last 2 weeks as we build up to the release of this latest version.

When not sat at my desk writing thousands of lines of code, or commuting from Cardiff Bay to Abergavenny (and vice versa), I’ve been busy working on some of my personal websites (a few of which will be launched / re-launched soon).

Today, I’m happy to be able to tick the first item on my to-do list – Daibach.co.uk Version 5.  After a few months working on-and-off, I’ve finally put the finishing touches into place.  This version of the site is a major upgrade from previous versions.  Not only has it got a new design and content management system (it’s now running Wordpress), but a fairly large restructuring of the content of the site has also taken place.

Although the latest design went live in June, some parts of the site (most notably photos) still operated from the old CMS.  It’s taken until now to pull all these bits and pieces into Wordpress, but finally, it’s done!  Some older sections – such as photos and media – have been brought into the main blog, while music has moved into the profile pages.  There’s also a new page outlining some of the changes to the site and the reasons behind them. Hopefully, the new structure will prove to be more flexible as my needs change.  Of course, in typical designer fashion, I reserve the right to change my mind regularly!

So what’s next?  Well, the next task is to look at the projects site.  There is a lot of missing content, uninteresting materials and general issues with the site, so I’ll be taking a long hard look at it over the coming months and whipping it into shape.  I’ll also be working on a new Govilon History site – with huge upgrades to the searchable census records, historical photos of the village and plenty of enhanced content. A few other projects are also in the pipeline – I’ll be posting about them when they are a bit closer to launch.

On Monday, the social networking site Facebook released its new design to a selection of its members.  Over the next few weeks, this major update will be pushed out to everyone registered on the network.  Yesterday evening, a discussion began on Twitter surrounding the new Facebook image – with a number of users who don’t like it, and just as many who do.  I was part of the former, so I thought I’d explain where I think this latest design went wrong.

Right from the beginning, Facebook were open about their intentions.  They set up a group which they regularly updated with concepts, thoughts and reasons.  They also gathered a lot of feedback – some positive, some not so positive (you’ll never please everyone).   Some of the early ideas and plans were fantastic.  Some even made the final cut – such as the new tabbed profile page.  However, other not so great ideas also made it through such as the new combined mini-feed/wall.  But at some point, the design has gone off the rails and seems like it is trying to be all things to all people.

The old Facebook design was very simple to use.  Its consistent appearance and layout kept it clean and professional – a feeling surprisingly absent in the latest incarnation.  The designers have attempted to further simplify the simple site navigation by moving everything into a much thinner masthead at the top of the page (you can see old and new below).  This has been achieved through the use of drop down menus.  However unlike the previous design, the presence of these menus is not obvious – for some bizarre reason, the arrows that informed the user of a menus existence are gone.  Even more annoying is the continued reliance on JavaScript to make the menu visible.

Facebook navigation - old vs new

The new profile design is a vast improvement on the old layout which had become crowded and difficult to use.  Implementing a tabbed format for the profile means I no longer have to wait forever while several hundred thousand applications load before I can see someone’s details, or post on their wall.

The big annoyance however is that the layout completely changes when you swap between tabs.  The ‘Wall’ and ‘Info’ tabs have a large profile image, with information and buttons underneath.  However the ‘Photos’ and ‘Boxes’ tabs, have a small profile image and the content takes up the full page width.  This lack of consistency is exacerbated further when you realise that the boxes tab (where all the applications have been hidden away) doesn’t even make use of the full width in most cases.

This latest design is 161 pixels wider than the old layout – yet I’m left wondering where this extra space is used.  Looking at it in a bit more detail, the column that houses the profile picture is no wider than before, but it is now positioned much further to the left, occupying the area that used to house the search and adverts.  The space saved by moving that to the left is taken up but the slightly wider content column.  But still, the site only takes up the same space as before – why the extra 161 pixels?  The answer – adverts.  A much more prominent advert column has been created to the right of the page.

Facebook profiles - now include more prominent adverts

After looking at some of the bits that annoy me, I get the feeling that it isn’t that bad.  There are actually many bits about this new design I like. I would put it down to not liking change – but I know that isn’t true. Overall, I think the designers have missed a trick by not creating a consistent structure and layout to the site – at the moment it just seems like a miss-match of styles, columns and widths.  Hopefully over the next few months, some of these issues will be ironed out.  Although something tells me we’ll just have to get used to it.  But please Facebook, bring back the link to my list of recently updated friends!

TechCrunch, a leading technology blog network, has announced a project to develop an open-source ‘web tablet’ capable of running Firefox and Skype.  The aim is to produce a very thin device (similar to a MacBook Air), with a touch screen interface, WiFi, half a Gigabyte of RAM, a 4Gb solid state hard drive, and possibly an inbuilt camera for video calls – all for less than $200.

According to Michael Arrington, owner of TechCrunch, they are working with a supply chain management company who believe it is possible and can have a few prototypes ready in a short period of time (within a month).

I’ve been considering buying a UMPC for quite a while as I no longer have a need for a fully fledged laptop.  I do however still want a portable device, so I can sit down in the evening in front of the TV, browse the web and reply to emails.  If TechCrunch pull this off – and I really hope they do – I will definitely be investing in a unit.

Something like this is right in Apple’s territory – they already have the thin MacBook Air and the fantastic touch screen interface of the iPhone, but no tablet PC.  If TechCrunch get this device out quickly, Apple will have been caught asleep at the wheel.

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later and it turned out to be sooner than I expected. Wordpress have just released Wordpress for the iPhone.

Following in the footsteps of TypePad, this app allows you to post to your Wordpress blog straight from your iPhone without having to use the standard admin panel.

One I’ve tested it a bit (this entry is being written using the app), I’ll probably write a bit more.

Although I have become accustomed to disappointment with my final year at university, graduation arrangements have proved the final straw. Traditionally held in Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, the graduation is supposed to be the highlight of our university lives. My parents both graduated from Swansea University (or University College, Swansea as it was back then) in 1981 at the Brangwyn Hall, as did Charlie last year. However, I will not.

Unforeseen Circumstances

Last week I received a letter from the university, explaining that due to “unforeseen circumstances” the Brangwyn Hall ‘is unavailable’ for the graduation ceremonies. After a bit of research it was discovered that it was affected by the planned national council strikes on 16th & 17th July.

We would instead be moved to a “marquee” on Fulton House Lawn on campus (360 degree panorama of the site - requires QuickTime). While I can understand the reasons for the strike taking place, and accept that the Brangwyn is unavailable – my problem is with the replacement location. There are plenty of locations in Swansea where a graduation could take place – the Liberty Stadium, the LC, or even in front of Swansea University’s Abbey. But Fulton House lawn is not a good solution – it’s the middle of a roundabout!

This place on campus is probably the ugliest part of the university. Fulton House is an eyesore and it is surrounded by building sites.

Again, Swansea University put its own profit ahead of its students – without whom, the university would not exist.

Press Release

A bit later on, I found a Facebook group with many other students feeling the same way. I decided that someone needed to make a bit of a fuss. Charlie put together a press release which was sent to a number of news agencies, including BBC Wales and The Evening Post. Both ran stories on Monday this week (here and here).

The people at the BBC did a really good job –getting in contact with Unison, Swansea Council and the University. They discovered that earlier that week, Unison had agreed to exempt the Brangwyn Hall from the strike action so that the graduations could take place. There is no-longer any reason for the graduations to take place in a tent on the lawn. However the university had decided not to move the ceremony back to its traditional home – another appalling decision.

The university has defended its action, stating that Fulton House lawn is regularly used for ‘high profile’ events. However I wouldn’t exactly call the badly organised Fresher’s Fayre or Bierkeller ‘high profile’.

With the first graduation ceremonies starting on Monday (mine is on Friday), I hope that I am pleasantly surprised. With any luck the university will quash its reputation for bad organisation and piss-poor decisions – although judging by a friend’s Facebook profile which describes Fulton House lawn as ‘waterlogged’, I don’t hold out much hope.

Either way, the university’s insistence that the event will be a ‘memorable occasion’ will be provided true – although maybe not in the way they want.

We’ll see next week.

After 4 years of lectures, coursework, projects, dissertations and exams, its finally time for me to enter the real world.  My time at Swansea University has come to an end.

Just over a week ago I was given the result of all this hard work - a Master of Engineering in Computing with Upper Second Class Honours (a 2:1).  I’m absolutely amazed that I manged to get a 2:1, especially when you consider all the additional extra-curricular activities I’ve undertaken during the last few years (my freelance work, the waterfront, etc.).  Its been a really difficult 4 years, and I’m glad its finally finished, but it was definitely worth it!

Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m a graduate - for that I’ll have to wait for my degree ceremony on July 18th!

Since getting my results, we’ve all packed up and moved back to our respective homes.  I’ve spent the last few days helping everyone clear up the house to make room for the huge amount of stuff I’ve accumulated while living in Swansea (its amazing really how much stuff I have).

Today was the last day of freedom - tomorrow I start my job as a full time developer at VSI-Thinking in Cardiff Bay.

Now that my time in education is finally over (and partially because we found this while tidying up the study at home), I thought it would be nice to look back at when I started school for the first time.  Below is a scan of the front cover of my very first school report from June 1991 (when I was just 4 years old).  Even back then I obviously knew that I wanted to work in IT!

Following Cadbury’s Gorilla, Drench have gone for Brains from Thunderbirds dancing to Rhythm is a Dancer. Great advert - if only more of them were like this!

The making of & other bits and pieces here.

What is the government thinking? The BBC and The Times are reporting that the Home Office are planning to put together a national database of all phone and email communications. It is another of the schemes proposed to combat terrorism and improve national security - but like all the others, it is just a disaster waiting to happen.

I have a number of problems about introducing a database such as this from the point of view of both a service provider, and an email user. In my opinion, this is a step too far (but then again, so are some of the other schemes).

From a service provider’s point of view, I do not see how it is going to be possible. I operate 2 mail servers (3 if you include the one I use for testing). The company I work for operates 4, and my internet provider has loads more. If you think that a small operation like mine is using 2 servers, how many mail servers must be operating in the UK? This is a hell of a lot of data! How are we expected to pass this information along to this national database?

If it is going to be compulsory to provide this data - and I suspect it is or there wouldn’t be any point having the database in the first place - then how is it going to be policed? How would the government know that I am running a mail server at home and not putting the data into the database?

Any tech person with half a brain knows how to set up a mail server, so this could become the standard way for those acting against the national security of the UK to communicate (if it isn’t already). When you consider that hundreds of thousands of computers are sending out SPAM emails without their owners realising, how would the government check that these weren’t being used for terrorists to communicate? On the other hand, what would stop them setting up emails servers in another country? For that matter, there isn’t anything stopping me from moving my servers to another country to avoid having to comply with the law.

Another more worrying thought is that the government could attempt to ban the use of mail servers other than those that are registered with them and provide them with the data. Again though, it would be impossible to police. However this would cause significant financial hardship on a lot of small businesses that operate their own systems. These companies would either have to move their servers out of the country, or pay whatever is required to comply with the law.

From a more personal point of view, why do they need the information? They already force phone companies to keep records of my calls for 12 months; they already keep details of my tax payments, capture me on CCTV countless times a day and even store records of where I’ve driven. Now they want my emails as well?

Bearing in mind how well the government has looked after my data in the past, I’m not sure I trust them with this amount of data. All it takes is for someone to burn off a DVD of the data and sell it to the highest bidder. If systems like Phorm become more widespread, how long will it be before the websites I visit become the next part of this database? It certainly makes sense that it would be next on the list.

Luckily, the Information Commissioner has suggested that this is a step too far. We can only hope that this idea is stopped before it gets much further.

Edit: I suppose I should mention that under current legislation, email providers are supposed to keep this information already and hand it over when the police come knocking on the door.  However, these plans would involve all the data being held in one central place rather than with the provider.