Realistic AS3 smoke particle effect with Desuade Partigen 2.. #FlashDevabout 9 hours ago

50 Amazing #Photoshop Text Effects #Tutorial http://su.pr/1KXdvs(via @wpbulk)(via @wpbulk) RT: @hashphotoshop:about 9 hours ago from TwitterFox

5 Must-Use Tips for Negotiating w/ Clients| via @sitepointdotcom | http://bit.ly/Oh5Tz #entrepreneur #freelance #designabout 9 hours ago

ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns” http://bit.ly/2BqQym RT: @jasonwalz: Retweeting @web2000: “about 9 hours ago

Very interesting comments going on over @ “Hi, I’m Grace Smith: Five Things You Didn’t Know About Me” http://bit.ly/YcXgp (via @seandelaney)about 9 hours ago

JQuery File Upload Plugin Script – Nice plugin http://icio.us/iiur1t RT: @andysowards:about 9 hours ago

7 Essential Steps to Creating an Efficient Mobile Office http://bit.ly/17ge7u RT: @sitepointdotcom:about 9 hours ago

50 Extraordinary and Attractive Billboards http://tinyurl.com/nawnrw #advertising #photoshop #design(via @photoframd) RT: @hashphotoshop:about 9 hours ago

30 Funny Photomanipulations of Animals by HumanDescent http://bit.ly/ygVoX – super cool, will have try too via obstgemuese RT: @abduzeedoabout 9 hours ago

jQuery plugin – Easy Image or Content Slider | Css Globe | Squico – http://bit.ly/MzeLq RT: @open4gjoomla:about 9 hours ago

7 Awesome Resources to Test Cross Browser Compatibility of Your Website http://bit.ly/f3GAz RT: @webdesign_news:about 9 hours ago

30 Clean and Bright Website Designs http://tinyurl.com/ljew2r #photoshop #web #design(via @photoframd) RT: @hashphotoshop:about 9 hours ago

Texture Thursday: Rusty Shapes http://ow.ly/15LMbJ RT: @cheth: Psdfan-about 9 hours ago

What makes a good logo? http://bit.ly/UGPsB RT: @DesignerDepot:about 9 hours ago

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Corporate Blog Design: Trends And Examples http://bit.ly/1AI4Ceabout 11 hours ago

6 Simple Ways For Freelancers To Increase Productivity http://tinyurl.com/kvnvgaabout 11 hours ago

“250+ Resources to Help You Become a CSS Expert | Webdesigner Depot” – http://bit.ly/1rbbyC RT: @cheth: Reading:about 12 hours ago

* what a great idea i love it * Five Things You Didn’t Know About Me via @gracesmith http://tinyurl.com/mbmy4nabout 13 hours ago

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Using the Loader Class in AS3 #pji #as3 #flash #flex http://bit.ly/xL1LC RT: pjinteractiveabout 14 hours ago

16 Logo Design Processes Of Top Logo Designers | Pixelactic http://bit.ly/4BdKw RT: @seanHodge: RT @pixelacticabout 14 hours ago

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25+ Awesome New Textures http://ow.ly/kHqS RT: @cheth:about 15 hours ago

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52 Professional Website User Interface Photoshop Tutorials – http://bit.ly/CqHah RT: @andysowards: RT @Minervityabout 15 hours ago

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10 tips: How to improve your Photoshop Skills – http://bit.ly/Ah4il – old but still very useful post RT: @abduzeedo:about 15 hours ago

25+ Stunning Photoshop vector Icon Creation Tutorials #design http://bit.ly/2l9rpb RT: @webdesignjoy:3:59 PM Aug 19th

Buy Windows 7 in Europe … at Half the US Price! http://bit.ly/1Hmhsz RT: @sitepointdotcom:9:52 AM Aug 19th

75 Free Useful Icon Sets for Web Designers and Developers. http://twurl.nl/xat2bj RT: @jasonwalz:9:52 AM Aug 19th

14 Easy to Implement Drop Down Menu Solutions http://snurl.com/qil7p RT: @webdesignledger:9:51 AM Aug 19th

72+ Brilliant and Most Creative USB Sticks Ever Created – http://bit.ly/mpcsf RT: @Minervity:9:49 AM Aug 19th

How To Create a Realistic Golden “Bling” Text Effect – http://bit.ly/LGqIC RT: @Minervity:9:49 AM Aug 19th

How To Create a Realistic Water Text Effect – http://bit.ly/jSEdX RT: @Minervity:9:49 AM Aug 19th

Photoshop 101 – Working With Alpha Channels | Design Reviver #photoshop #photo http://bit.ly/20GdE0(via @weblittlepieces) RT: @hashphotoshop9:48 AM Aug 19th

jScrollPane is a jquery plugin which allows you to replace the browsers default vertical scrollbars http://tinyurl.com/bxt9v89:48 AM Aug 19th

CSS Sprites with Inline Images. http://twurl.nl/vz5b3z RT: @jasonwalz:9:16 AM Aug 19th

Web Analytics Tools – Analyzing The Traffic On Web. http://twurl.nl/tmykax RT: @jasonwalz:9:16 AM Aug 19th

How To Create a Flash XML Playlist Music Player – http://bit.ly/GX6rv RT: @Minervity:9:16 AM Aug 19th

HTML 5 Drag & Drop. http://twurl.nl/wsomsn RT: @jasonwalz:9:13 AM Aug 19th

jQuery & CSS scroll control plugin – http://u.nu/7dmy RT: @9swords:9:13 AM Aug 19th

15 Helpful Web Based Broken Link Checkers. http://twurl.nl/qmcyjy RT: @jasonwalz:9:06 AM Aug 19th

40 Impressive Flash Photography Websites http://bit.ly/Gb0Fj ★★★★★ RT: @Woork:9:04 AM Aug 19th

250+ Resources to Help You Become a CSS Expert – http://ow.ly/kpu9 RT: @juice_creative: RT @gaksdesigns9:04 AM Aug 19th

20 Top Design Blogs Looking for Freelance Writers http://bit.ly/g49Uz RT: @juice_creative:9:04 AM Aug 19th

10 Handy & Cool jQuery Plugins http://su.pr/2oeuxY RT: @howsthedotcom:9:04 AM Aug 19th

12 Alternative Digital Image Manipulation Tools – http://bit.ly/1BEGyp RT: @Minervity:9:04 AM Aug 19th

Mastering “Bevel and Emboss” – From Beginner to Pro – http://bit.ly/7ISPV RT: @Minervity:9:03 AM Aug 19th

How To Create a Flash XML Slideshow Player – http://bit.ly/35hwd RT: @Minervity:9:03 AM Aug 19th

9 Tips to Help Freelancers Prepare for a Vacation. http://twurl.nl/oano6n RT: @jasonwalz:9:03 AM Aug 19th

Make a Shiny Glowing Glass Button – http://bit.ly/11zcXD RT: @Minervity:9:03 AM Aug 19th

How To Create a Realistic Water Text Effect – http://bit.ly/jSEdX RT: @Minervity:9:02 AM Aug 19th

10 Beautiful Customizable Photoshop Twitter Background Templates – #Photoshop – http://bit.ly/wMDTb RT: @cheth:7:21 AM Aug 19th

500++ Free Twitter Icons Ultimate Collection – http://bit.ly/24avjf RT: @cheth:7:20 AM Aug 19th

30 Designers, Portfolios + Work You Must-See & Bookmark! http://bit.ly/uV0mG #design RT: @andysowards: RT @bkmacdaddy7:10 AM Aug 19th

33 super engagers to follow http://bit.ly/2KkvSD RT: @andysowards:7:10 AM Aug 19th

How to Create an Illustrated Cartoon Character – http://bit.ly/npEe7 RT: @Minervity:7:09 AM Aug 19th

5 Different Ways To Create Stylish Contact Form Layouts – http://bit.ly/vyBFf RT: @Minervity:7:09 AM Aug 19th

How to Create a Slick and Clean Button in Photoshop http://tinyurl.com/cwmz92 #photoshop(via @binoyxj) RT: @hashphotoshop:7:09 AM Aug 19th

Totally Free Web Graphics and Backgrounds – http://www.hooverwebdesign…. RT: @vickylyn:7:08 AM Aug 19th

12 Useful Web Based Twitter Tools! – http://bit.ly/M6aUB RT: @Minervity:7:08 AM Aug 19th

How to Create Stunning and Bold 3D Text #design http://bit.ly/c4dGx RT: @webdesignjoy:7:08 AM Aug 19th

Mastering Photoshop With Paths http://bit.ly/ibqqC7:07 AM Aug 19th

10 Useful WordPress Hook Hacks http://bit.ly/3DixZ37:07 AM Aug 19th

Android GUI PSD Vector Kit http://bit.ly/1Muno7:06 AM Aug 19th

Taming Advanced CSS Selectors http://bit.ly/ZBMsZ7:06 AM Aug 19th

Free and Commercial Stock Photography Sites http://bit.ly/Bec9c7:05 AM Aug 19th

How To Effectively Communicate With Developers http://bit.ly/P8TZj7:05 AM Aug 19th

AnythingSlider jQuery Plugin. http://twurl.nl/bv45er RT: @jasonwalz:11:00 AM Aug 17th

“Be prepared” with these edible business cards: http://bit.ly/11X4nM RT: @DavidAirey:10:58 AM Aug 17th

Manipulate Smoke to Create Hyper-Real Images http://ow.ly/15LkAz RT: @cheth: psdtuts+10:58 AM Aug 17th

The 13 Most Powerful Words In Marketing http://bit.ly/oW9nZ RT: @Alvin: RT @the_gman: RT @phaoloo:10:58 AM Aug 17th

96 Typography Blogs & Resources http://bit.ly/1XYVKZ | Via @chadengle @thedayafter @behoff @evajais RT: @imjustcreative:10:57 AM Aug 17th

5 Best SEO Tips For Bloggers http://bit.ly/HRcvu RT: @BuzzEdition: RT @phaoloo:10:57 AM Aug 17th

90 New And High Quality Photoshop Web Layout Tutorials http://bit.ly/5txlS RT: @seanHodge:8:52 AM Aug 17th

How to Effectively Organize your Photoshop Layers | Webdesigner Depot http://bit.ly/13ypm1 *simple, but goog info RT: @seanHodge @tweetmeme8:52 AM Aug 17th

25 Amazing Inspirational Vector Illustrations http://bit.ly/hi3SU RT: @spicydesign:8:28 AM Aug 17th

Taming Advanced #CSS Selectors http://bit.ly/TP7jd RT: @spicydesign:8:28 AM Aug 17th

5 Best And Colorful Collection Of Dual-Screen Wallpapers : http://su.pr/18eZgc (@SmashingApps) RT: @naldzgraphics: RT @naveedjavaid8:27 AM Aug 17th

40 Incredibly Inspirational Retro & Vintage Photoshop Tutorials http://bit.ly/mRowl RT: @PSDTUTS:7:49 AM Aug 17th

Creating Realistic Surreal Compositions http://icio.us/jvayr1 – RT @seitengestalter @PhotoshopPLUS @hashphotoshop: #photoshop #tutorial7:49 AM Aug 17th

11 Outstanding & Fresh Blog Designs You Should Check Right Now http://bit.ly/15LHUf RT: @Minervity: RT @buysellads:7:47 AM Aug 17th

53 Insanely Dark And Macabre Photo Manips To Scare Your Pants Off – http://bit.ly/3GYR5i RT: @Minervity: RT @bkmacdaddy:7:46 AM Aug 17th

21 Total Mayhem Photoshop Tutorials – http://bit.ly/C66AJ RT: @Minervity:7:15 AM Aug 17th

The Ultimate Collection of The Best Ornament Photoshop Brushes – http://bit.ly/16wCwV RT: @Minervity:7:14 AM Aug 17th

10 User Interface Design Fundamentals via @carsonified http://bit.ly/GtAKP RT: @designwashere:7:14 AM Aug 17th

27 Useful Logo Design Tutorials and Tips http://bit.ly/2nVQTv RT: @designwashere: RT @VECTORTUTS:7:14 AM Aug 17th

38 Impressive Graphic Designer Portfolios ? Wanna have an Ideal Portfolio?? #design http://bit.ly/BBZVl RT: @webdesignjoy:7:13 AM Aug 17th

30 HQ Shopping Cart Templates to Help You Sell: http://digg.com/d310yJM?t RT: @styletime:7:13 AM Aug 17th

Building a Kick Ass Website or Web App – The Motherload of Resources & Links: http://bit.ly/WV2if RT: @gracesmith:7:13 AM Aug 17th

19 Firefox Add-ons For Designers http://bit.ly/JGh94 RT: @sitepointdotcom:7:12 AM Aug 17th

Super Cool Retro Poster in 10 Steps in Photoshop http://bit.ly/HfaA RT: @paulogabriel: RT @PSDTUTS:7:12 AM Aug 17th

Useful Web Design E-Mail Newsletters http://bit.ly/3uMhpZ RT: @styletime:7:12 AM Aug 17th

Can HTML Keep up with other RIA technologies? http://tinyurl.com/lrpsss by @davidyack #html #ria #FlashDev RT: @AS3hash: RT @carlosfigueroa1:57 PM Aug 14th

InpsireMix | Your Daily Design Inspiration http://inspiremix.com/ RT: @Woork:1:57 PM Aug 14th

@gracesmith hey thx a lot for the #followfriday )1:45 PM Aug 14th

InDesign Quick Tip: Indent To Here http://bit.ly/S7nJJ RT: @VECTORTUTS:1:43 PM Aug 14th

10 Important Traits of a Great Blog Design: http://bit.ly/hLo3S RT: @DesignerDepot:1:43 PM Aug 14th

6 Keys to Effectively Promoting Your Website Through a Blog: http://bit.ly/13lrbu *Must read post RT: @gracesmith:1:42 PM Aug 14th

3D Tag Clouds Using jQuery – http://bit.ly/nCj7N RT: @open4gjoomla:12:16 PM Aug 14th

how to make an old western wanted poster in #photoshop http://bit.ly/HSV9n(via @100twits) RT: @hashphotoshop:10:52 AM Aug 14th

The 65 Most Annoying things about the Web Today | UXbyDesign.org – http://bit.ly/nJqnE RT: @cheth:10:40 AM Aug 14th

20 Great Designs using Black & White http://bit.ly/2Gar9x RT: @cheth: I love black! >10:16 AM Aug 14th

25+ Astonishing Examples of Creative Photoshopped Ads: http://bit.ly/brwbi RT: @cheth:10:16 AM Aug 14th

30+ Fantastic HDR Photos by Grey Jones: http://bit.ly/2pdL8F RT: @cheth:10:16 AM Aug 14th

Top 30 Design Blogs for Great Tutorials & Inspiration – http://tinyurl.com/o8c6e3 RT: @jasonwalz: Retweeting @TheWebBlend:9:23 AM Aug 14th

CSS3 rounded corners for every browser? An alternative quick solution without headache http://tinyurl.com/o28fxz ★★★★★ RT: @Woork:9:23 AM Aug 14th

Create a Realistic Candle in Inkscape http://bit.ly/EGQic RT: @VECTORTUTS:9:23 AM Aug 14th

7 Things You Can Do to Boost a Stagnant Freelancing Career – http://bit.ly/Q2NdZ RT: @gracesmith: Level Up:9:22 AM Aug 14th

Creative Textures in Hi-Resolution for Print & Screen. http://snurl.com/pvmpb RT: @jasonwalz:9:04 AM Aug 14th

15 Awesome Inspiring Artworks by Nik Ainley. http://snurl.com/pvmq9 RT: @jasonwalz:9:04 AM Aug 14th

Best Photoshop Tutorials To Boost Your Skills! | Best Design & Development Resources http://ow.ly/2bnUpZ RT: @seanHodge: RT @antsmagazine8:15 AM Aug 14th

80+ Logo Designers Huge Essential Toolbox http://bit.ly/ed4Zy RT: @spicydesign:8:15 AM Aug 14th

40+ Awesome Tutorials and Techniques For WordPress Theme Developers http://bit.ly/zMNfD RT: @spicydesign:8:14 AM Aug 14th

21 Fonts That Shouldn’t Be Free…But Are! http://bit.ly/iF8NC RT: @styletime: RT @gaksdesigns:8:14 AM Aug 14th

Photoshop Grunge Brushes – The Ultimate Collection http://bit.ly/NjzS2 RT: @designwashere:8:13 AM Aug 14th

8 Pivotal Developments in Web Typography http://bit.ly/22c87 RT: @webupd8: RT @yasendimov RT: @creattica:8:13 AM Aug 14th

Shadow Effect with CSS3 http://bit.ly/sB5ji <- text, box and rounder corners RT: @webupd8:8:13 AM Aug 14th

25 Awesome Slider Techniques NEED TO HAVE for any Web Developer http://bit.ly/eC99H RT: @webupd8: RT @paviles RT @BebopDesigner:8:13 AM Aug 14th

6 jQuery growl-like notification systems http://is.gd/2gbK8 RT: @webupd8: RT @paviles RT @phpcamp:8:12 AM Aug 14th

35+ incredible Digital Abstract Arts http://ow.ly/k2k4 RT: @mistygirlph:8:12 AM Aug 14th

How Popular Website Designs Looked Like In Late 90’s : http://su.pr/1fM2c1 (via @SmashingApps) RT: @naldzgraphics: RT @naveedjavaid8:11 AM Aug 14th

5 Regular Expressions Every Web Programmer Should Know – http://bit.ly/TcVJe RT: @smashingmag:8:10 AM Aug 14th

The Quest for Inspiration – http://bit.ly/uODLW RT: @Minervity:8:10 AM Aug 14th

20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography http://bit.ly/199XzK RT: @andysowards: RT @r27 RT @PSDTUTS:8:10 AM Aug 14th

30 PHP Best Practices for Beginners http://bit.ly/NGaB9 RT: @andysowards:8:09 AM Aug 14th

40 Great Web Interface Design #Photoshop Tutorials – http://is.gd/2fhjA (via @accessko)(via @EFranz13) RT: @hashphotoshop:8:09 AM Aug 14th

Free Hi-Res Swirls and Flourishes #Photoshop #Brushes: http://bit.ly/zPcVb(via @writer_sheri) RT: @hashphotoshop:8:09 AM Aug 14th

The most creative and skilful corporate web designs of all times http://bit.ly/10y5p3 RT: @seanHodge:8:08 AM Aug 14th

20 Top Design Blogs Looking for Freelance Writers http://bit.ly/15a6Qx RT: @styletime:8:08 AM Aug 14th

40 Fresh High-Quality Free Fonts For Your Designs | Fonts | instantShift http://bit.ly/2ynRta RT: @seanHodge: RT @instantshift8:08 AM Aug 14th

40 Absolutely Stunning Dark #Ads http://bit.ly/Ke8X3 RT: @webupd8: RT @webdesign_news #Inspiration:8:07 AM Aug 14th

20 Free Keyword Research Tools – Comprehensive Insight http://bit.ly/UFKt5 RT: @webupd8: RT @webdesign_news #SEO:8:07 AM Aug 14th

15 Great Free Online File Sharing Alternatives #design http://bit.ly/u76g0 RT: @webdesignjoy:8:07 AM Aug 14th

20 portfolios from great logo designers – http://is.gd/2gEak (via @mlane) *love some of these logo designers RT: @seanHodge: RT @VECTORTUTS:8:06 AM Aug 14th

How To Create the Photo Manipulation “Brightness Tomorrows” http://bit.ly/19nYGo RT: @PSDTUTS:8:06 AM Aug 14th

Cover Illustration

Solent Uni

Billboards / TV

Samsung

Digital Illustration

BBC South

Design / illustration

Brompton Cross

Typographical illustration

Smirnoff

Advert Illustration

Asante Records

Album Artwork

DM Magazine

Cover Illustrations

Phat Kev / MrBongo

Album Artwork

Epping Plaza

Ident illustration

Splatters, Shapes

Book Cover

Cassette Baby

Artist ident

Simplicity

Digital Illustration

MiniCooper

Custom graphics

Blossom Hill / Wimbledon

Digital Illustration

Playstation

Campaign Illustration

A dark love tale

Exhibition print

Terry Callier

Album Artwork

Birger Jarl

Campaign Illustration

Advanced Photoshop

Tutorial / Interview

EcoBank

Advert Illustrations

Solace Magazine

Cover Illustration

AlienZoo

Web design / Illustration

Computer Arts 159

Tutorial Feature

Digital Arts

Cover Illustration

Fuze

Campaign Illustration

MTV Digital

Digital Illustration

Penguin Books

Book Cover

Various magazines

Editorial illustrations

O2 Germany

Digital Illustration

A header gives you room to play and be creative, especially on the homepage, and there are a number of techniques you can use to connect with your user.

Take a look at these 5 different types of header design and see how the examples have used them creatively to make an impact.

The Huge Header

Takes up a lot of room and can be risky as you’re taking up valuable space, but done right it looks great and makes an impact.

Lewro’s Blog

Chris Hortsch

enRoute Film Festival

Simple Art

Alpha Multimedia Solutions

The Web App

Web apps generally want to show a screenshot of their product with a prominent call to action button that will immediately entice users to find out more or signup.

Ekklesia 360

PlanHQ

Campaign Monitor

Wufoo

Traffik

The Illustrated Character

Illustrated characters are currently a popular trend. They add character, personality and a sense of friendliness to your website.

MailChimp

Digimurai

Enrichment

Wishlistr

Cleverful

The Portfolio Screenshots

If you want to show off your work then use this layout to show different examples of work alongside a tagline introducing yourself.

Tony Greer

Mark Lamb

OnWired

Design Moves Me

James Lai Creative

The Carousel

Carousels allow you to fit in more information into the header with a slider effect. Useful for websites with many features or for showing off your portfolio. With the Javascript libraries currently available they are very easy to implement.

Rob Palmer

Icon Designer

Jason Larose Design

Benjamin David

Paramore|Redd

SEE THE ORIGINAL POST HERE >>

In this article, we’ll take a look at the footer and see what exactly makes for a good website footer. Keep in mind that just because the footer is at the bottom of the page doesn’t mean you should slack off with good design practice.

We’ll look here at what to include in footers, the importance of site maps, usability practices and styling ideas and trends. We’ve also compiled almost 50 well-designed footers to give you ideas and inspiration for your own footer designs.

What To Include In Footers

Before we go over how exactly to design the footer, let’s talk about common elements to include in footers and the importance of each. Of course, you don’t need to include all of these items; just use this list to gather ideas.

Site Map

Usability is foremost in importance in Web design. Providing a site map in the footer, no matter how small, improves usability. It’s one of those small elements that often go unnoticed but are occasionally useful to some. One benefit of providing a site map is its convenience for users. A site map is simply a detailed list of the pages on a website, divided into categories. It tells a user exactly what pages and information can be found on the website and provide access to those pages.

SEE THE ORIGINAL POST HERE >>

Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.

1: One of the “Big Three” (.NET, Java, PHP)

Unless there is a radical shift in the development world (akin to an asteroid hitting Redmond), most developers will need to know at least one of the Big Three development systems — .NET (VB.NET or C#), Java, or PHP — for the near future. It’s not enough to know the core languages, either. As projects encompass more and more disparate functionality, you’ll need to know the associated frameworks and libraries more deeply.

2: Rich Internet Applications (RIAs)

Love it or hate it, in the last few years, Flash is suddenly being used for more than just animations of politicians singing goofy songs. Flash has also sprouted additional functionality in the form or Flex and AIR. Flash’s competitors, such as JavaFx and Silverlight, are also upping the ante on features and performance. To make things even more complicated, HTML 5 is incorporating all sorts of RIA functionality, including database connectivity, and putting the formal W3C stamp on AJAX. In the near future, being an RIA pro will be a key resume differentiator.

3: Web development

Web development is not going away anytime soon. Many developers have been content to lay back and ignore the Web or to just stick to “the basics” their framework provides them with. But companies have been demanding more and more who really know how to work with the underlying technology at a “hand code” level. So bone up on JavaScript, CSS, and HTML to succeed over the next five years.

4: Web services

REST or SOAP? JSON or XML? While the choices and the answers depend on the project, it’s getting increasingly difficult to be a developer (even one not writing Web applications) without consuming or creating a Web service. Even areas that used to be ODBC, COM, or RPC domains are now being transitioned to Web services of some variety. Developers who can’t work with Web services will find themselves relegated to legacy and maintenance roles.

5: Soft skills

One trend that has been going for quite some time is the increasing visibility of IT within and outside the enterprise. Developers are being brought into more and more non-development meetings and processes to provide feedback. For example, the CFO can’t change the accounting rules without working with IT to update the systems. And an operations manager can’t change a call center process without IT updating the CRM workflow. Likewise, customers often need to work directly with the development teams to make sure that their needs are met. Will every developer need to go to Toastmasters or study How to Win Friends and Influence People? No. But the developers who do will be much more valuable to their employers — and highly sought after in the job market.

6: One dynamic and/or functional programming language

Languages like Ruby, Python, F#, and Groovy still aren’t quite mainstream –  but the ideas in them are. For example, the LINQ system in Microsoft’s .NET is a direct descendent of functional programming techniques. Both Ruby and Python are becoming hot in some sectors, thanks to the Rails framework and Silverlight, respectively. Learning one of these languages won’t just improve your resume, though; it will expand your horizons. Every top-flight developer I’ve met recommends learning at least one dynamic or functional programming language to learn new ways of thinking, and from personal experience, I can tell you that it works.

7: Agile methodologies

When Agile first hit mainstream awareness, I was a skeptic, along with many other folks I know. It seemed to be some sort of knee-jerk reaction to tradition, throwing away the controls and standards in favor of anarchy. But as time went on, the ideas behind Agile became both better defined and better expressed. Many shops are either adopting Agile or running proof-of-concept experiments with Agile. While Agile is not the ultimate panacea for project failure, it does indeed have a place on many projects. Developers with a proven track record of understanding and succeeding in Agile environments will be in increasingly high demand over the next few years.

8: Domain knowledge

Hand-in-hand with Agile methodologies, development teams are increasingly being viewed as partners in the definition of projects. This means that developers who understand the problem domain are able to contribute to the project in a highly visible, valuable way. With Agile, a developer who can say, “From here, we can also add this functionality fairly easily, and it will get us a lot of value,” or “Gee, that requirement really doesn’t match the usage patterns our logs show” will excel. As much as many developers resist the idea of having to know anything about the problem domain at all, it is undeniable that increasing numbers of organizations prefer (if not require) developers to at least understand the basics.

9: Development “hygiene”

A few years ago, many (if not most) shops did not have access to bug tracking systems, version control, and other such tools; it was just the developers and their IDE of choice. But thanks to the development of new, integrated stacks, like the Microsoft Visual Studio Team System, and the explosion in availability of high quality, open source environments, organizations without these tools are becoming much less common. Developers must know more than just how to check code in and out of source control or how to use the VM system to build test environments. They need to have a rigorous habit of hygiene in place to make sure that they are properly coordinating with their teams. “Code cowboys” who store everything on a personal USB drive, don’t document which changes correspond to which task item, and so on, are unwelcome in more traditional shops and even more unwelcome in Agile environments, which rely on a tight coordination between team members to operate.

10: Mobile development

The late 1990s saw Web development rise to mainstream acceptance and then begin to marginalize traditional desktop applications in many areas. In 2008, mobile development left the launch pad, and over the next five years, it will become increasingly important. There are, of course, different approaches to mobile development: Web applications designed to work on mobile devices, RIAs aimed at that market, and applications that run directly on the devices. Regardless of which of these paths you choose, adding mobile development to your skill set will ensure that you are in demand for the future.

Source http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=643

Today we’re pleased to introduce the newest member of the Tuts+ family: Flashtuts+

Go on, open a new tab, check it out, leave a comment, then keep reading to learn more about our plans for the site.

We’ll be publishing a combination of step-by-step written tutorials and screencasts, with preview .SWF files of each effect so you can see the final result of each tutorial before you invest time in it. We’ll be providing Flash, Flex and ActionScript techniques for use in multimedia, web and UI design, games and apps. In most weeks we’ll be publishing 2 – 3 high quality tutorials, so make sure to subscribe to the Flashtuts+ RSS feed so you don’t miss a thing.

If you think you have the skills to create a screencast or text and image tutorial for Flashtuts+, it’s easy to familiarize yourself with the guidelines and pitch your idea. We’re hungry for user contributions and pay $150 USD for an accepted tutorial.

Meet the Editor, Ian Yates

Ian Yates is a British graphic designer specializing in illustration and web design. He’s also a regular Vectortuts+ author with a passion for Flash! Based in Spain, Ian works with clients far and wide and is proud to be part of the world’s growing community of freelancers.

We hope you enjoy Flashtuts+!

Original Post Here

The best thing is to have actual screen reader users test your work, but that isn’t always feasible to do on a day-to-day basis unless you happen to have a co-worker who uses a screen reader. So being able to do some testing on your own is pretty much a necessity.

There are several screen readers to choose from, but one that is particularly appealing is NVDA. It is free, open source, works with Firefox, and has support for WAI-ARIA. The catch is that NVDA is Windows only, so Mac users like myself will need to use virtual machine software like Parallels Desktop or VMWare Fusion to run it. I can live with that.

If you’re wondering why testing with Apple’s VoiceOver screen reader (which is shipped with Mac OS X) is not enough, there are a few reasons. One is that VoiceOver doesn’t have that great support for WAI-ARIA yet, another that it lacks some features that NVDA has, and a third that, just like testing with several different web browsers, it’s good to test with several different screen readers.

To start using NVDA, download the latest development snapshot and then read the NVDA User Guide.

Original Source here

No other company has managed to come up with such a crisp and brilliant style of presenting its recent designs as a new breakthrough innovation that will change our lives for a long time. Apple has found an extremely effective way to deliver its message to a wide audience, and Apple’s look and feel has played a major role in shaping that way.

In this post, we present a collection of beautiful Apple-inspired Adobe Photoshop tutorials. We collected them not because we are religiously in love with Apple, but because you may find these tutorials useful; for instance, if you are developing a new Mac or iPhone application or designing a concept for a new product. In these cases, you may want to consider Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines and our Designer’s Guide To Icon Design For Mac OS X. Please feel free to suggest further tutorials in the comments to this post.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE

If you are a smart shopper, it is not that easy to persuade you to actually buy something. There is the science behind how the products are organized, labels are written and sections are ordered to guide you through to making a purchase. That’s a wealth of tricks based on psychological theories and practices that in the end “convert” you from a regular visitor into the buyer.

One of the most powerful methods to appeal to a potential buyer is applying color theory to (e)commerce. Has it ever occurred to you why you feel safer in one store and more energetic in another one? Have you ever noticed that landing on some web page you feel like clicking some button/link and keep browsing the site? While other pages prompt you to stay and keep reading? To some extent, this might be the choice of colors for the page elements.

Color is believed to be one of the most powerful elements of design for web sites, direct mail, ads, and other marketing materials. It carries meaning through associations and/or your body physical response. Color associates can vary from country to country but in Western culture they are basically the same.

So don’t let (online) sellers affect your decision by showing you what you want to see. Let’s see how color choice may affect your shopping behavior and habits – for you to be able to buy with a cool head.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE

Internet Startup Raises Series A Financing from Google and Venture Capital Firms

Mountain View, Calif. — March 25, 2009 — Pixazza, Inc. today unveiled a new internet service which turns static images into engaging content, while generating incremental income for web publishers. Pixazza enables consumers to simply mouse over images on their favorite web sites to learn more and see related products. To achieve scale, Pixazza utilizes a proprietary crowdsourcing platform, enlisting a distributed workforce of product experts to match products inside an image, with similar items from its network of advertisers.

In addition to launching its service, the company announced a $5.75 million Series A financing from August Capital, CMEA Capital and Google. Google’s investment underscores the innovative and promising nature of Pixazza’s new advertising technology. Pixazza’s financing also includes selected individual investors including angel investor Ron Conway, former eBay COO Maynard Webb, and Facebook CFO Gideon Yu.

“Pixazza hopes to do for images what Google’s AdSense™ did for web pages,” said Bob Lisbonne, CEO of Pixazza. “We are excited about the potential our technology holds for delivering an engaging user experience that creates incremental revenue for web publishers.”

Internet Pioneers Reunite for New Venture

Pixazza was founded in 2008 by CTO James Everingham, who recruited a veteran team of internet technologists. The entire team worked together at Netscape Communications in the 1990s, delivering numerous internet firsts. Everingham later served as CTO of LiveOps, where the same group comprised the founding engineering team, and developed expertise in crowdsourcing technology. As the former Sr. VP and General Manager of Netscape’s browser division, Lisbonne added to the company’s Netscape roots when he joined as CEO, after nine years as a Silicon Valley venture capitalist.

“Pixazza’s unique technical advantage is its crowdsourcing platform,” said CTO James Everingham. “No computer algorithm can identify a black pair of Jimmy Choo boots from the 2009 fall collection as well as a person. Rather than rely on computer algorithms, our platform enlists product experts to drive the process.”

“CMEA Capital has worked with the Pixazza team previously, and we know they have what it takes to build a successful company,” said Jim Watson, managing director at CMEA Capital. “Their unmatched expertise in building crowdsourcing platforms combined with a recession-proof business model, made this an investment opportunity we could not pass up.”

Finding Products in the Picture

Pixazza is not a shopping destination, but rather a service that web publishers employ to allow their visitors to gather insight on products that might interest them. To use it, consumers simply move their mouse over any image posted to participating sites. The motion instantly reveals information and pricing about a selection of products similar in look and style to the one that caught their eye. One click on any item brings them directly to the product page of an associated merchant to learn more and make a purchase.

“By using Pixazza, publishers will give consumers another reason to visit their favorite web sites,” said Howard Hartenbaum, general partner at August Capital and initial investor in Skype. “Consumers will quickly appreciate that, with one click of a mouse, they can discover in-depth information about the images that catch their eye. It will soon become a must-have offering across the web.”

Pixazza’s service has undergone testing since November 2008, is already live on multiple web sites, and is being made available to additional publishers at this time. Pixazza is initially seeking fashion-related publishers and apparel merchants, but plans to expand into other categories including home design/home furnishings, travel, electronics, and sports.

To activate Pixazza, Web publishers just add a line of javascript to their pages. Web publishers interested in adopting the Pixazza service, or merchants that would like to see their inventory included in the product mix, can find more information at www.pixazza.com.

About Pixazza

Founded in 2008, Pixazza, Inc. provides an internet service that turns static images into engaging content, while generating incremental income for web publishers. Pixazza enables consumers to simply mouse over images on their favorite web sites to learn more and see related products. Pixazza is a private company funded by August Capital, CMEA Ventures, and Google, with offices in Mountain View, CA. For more information, visit www.pixazza.com.

About August Capital

Founded in 1995, August Capital has funded an extraordinary group of entrepreneurs who have built significant, long-term value across the full range of information technologies. These companies represent an aggregate market capitalization of well over $250 billion, generate in excess of $75 billion in annual revenue around the world. This success is a testament to the entrepreneurs themselves, as well as the fundamental technologies they have created. The partners at August Capital were the earliest investors in a number of ground breaking technology companies,  including Microsoft, Intuit, Seagate, Sun, Skype, Compaq, Symantec, Sybase, Atheros, Grand Junction and many more. August Capital is located in Menlo Park, California. For more information, please visit: www.augustcap.com.

About CMEA Capital

CMEA Capital provides capital and counseling to entrepreneurs and investors in the life sciences, information technology, and energy & materials sectors. Through its combination of solid scientific credentials and seasoned management expertise, CMEA identifies, funds and manages new businesses based on the emerging, interdisciplinary science required to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing global economy. The firm currently manages seven funds representing investments in excess of $1 billion. CMEA has been an early stage investor in many leading companies, including A123Systems, Codexis, Entropic (ENTR), Flextronics (FLEX), Magma (LAVA), Maxygen (MAXY), Silicon Spice (BRCM), Solyndra, and Symyx (SMMX).