If you’re working in a development environment where the number of developers > 1, then the likelihood is you’ll want some kind of SVN / code repository / revision / version control in place.  Or failing that, a good yoga teacher and some valium.  We’re currently using GIT for our web development projects.

GIT has a Windows client installer that you can hit up and the installation wizard runs pretty nicely.  Yes, it’s free, Yes, it’s open source, and Yes, legendary Linus Torvald is largely responsible for Git’s development.

If this is what you’re after, go get the GIT client, download and kick off the install.

Do I need to say ‘click next’ / agree to the licence / change your default installation location if required? Okay.

Some options here that are good for us Windows users:-

Make sure you check on the Git Bash Here and Git GUI Here to integrate with Windows Explorer context menus.

Now, I chose the safe option here, however if you need to be able to use Cygwin prompt – option 2.

I haven’t touched option 3 myself yet.

I’m going with option 1- on Windows desktop, but punting up to a ‘nix server, I think this is the option for us.

Hit next > scratch scrotum > pick nose >

And voila, bingo-bongo.

Hit the Release Notes if you’re particularly interested in a problem you had with a previous version.

Otherwise you’re good to go and set up your code repository, or tap into the existing code repository you’re using for a current development.

Happy Days.

Posted via email from bournemouthwebdesign’s posterous

So, you’re developing your shiny new WordPress theme with Dreamweaver CS5…

Here’s how you enable site specific code hints for WordPress.  Dead simple.

We’ll assume you already have your site defined for your web design and have set your Testing Server server model to PHP MySQL

Now, do the following:

1. Click on Site > Site Specific Code Hints

2. Dreamweaver should pick up you want WordPress in the Structure dropdown at top (as you’ve already defined your site and assuming you’re currently working on a theme / other wp project).  If not, just select it.

3. Click OK

Now, when you hit Ctrl & Space, codehints specific to WordPress appear:

4. Voila. Bingo.

Posted via email from bournemouthwebdesign’s posterous

Random Matrix theory seems to be useful everywhere – I’d bet a few pounds that Google are using it somewhere in their algorithms to rank websites….

First we had the web, and websites.  Then we had social media, and social media websites.  Now – we’re going full-circle, back to TV, and social media TV.  Do I want to be chatting online while I’m watching Jack Bauer turn around an impossible situation again?  I don’t know…..

And all I needed to focus on when trying to rank my websites was……HITS!

Google have released their new Analytics package, and a book is also being published to help us with the complicated business of adjusting to the ‘new way’.

Read it and weep here

It took her two years over $17,000 and a lot of frustration to get through it.  The guy who tried to register the trademark for the letters SEO was called Jason Gambert, his supposed goal was registering the trademark SPO was to prevent companies from selling SEO under false pretences.

Rhea Drysdale decided she didn’t like Jason Gambert’s idea and although she is all for education didn’t want this power in the hands of one man. She filed for oppositions to the registration and did some research into the comments left across the blogosphere by seemingly different people which all turned out to belong to the same IP address.

When Rhea started the proceedings she didn’t exactly have a high paid job let alone the finance required to pay a huge lawsuit, but her efforts based on her principle of freedom to the Internet have left her with a reputation that would have been difficult to most people to forge.

Theories abound on how to use language best for a given situation.  There are many different approaches and schools of thought, from etiquette, manners and social graces, formal letter writing, article writing.  The list goes on and on, and the field of vocabulary is itself a huge one.

I personally like to go with what feels right.  I don’t like to write copy that comes across as a pushy sales letter.  I don’t like to write copy that promises my clients they’ll get rich quick.  What I do like to write is copy that I hope conveys my feelings about a topic, and write in a way that contains at least a little of my personality.

There are as many different writing styles out there as there are writers I’d guess.  The people I seem to identify with the most in terms of reading their posts online would be the ones that aren’t afraid to say something funny for fear of seeming stupid.  Of course, the information within the post needs to be relevant to what I want to know.  And vocabulary plays a much bigger part than I gave it credit for in years gone by.  If you like words, then the visual thesaurus may appeal. It’s a little like the Google Wonder Wheel, or a brainstorming session online!

With the right vocabulary, meaning can be conveyed with less ‘waffle’.  Succinct, to the point and accurate.  Maybe I should put this line at the start of my post…..

Location has played an important part in search engine optimisation and services that businesses offer to local areas for some time now.

Location is also becoming more important for people searching with mobile phones, pda’s and laptops.  Both twitter and Facebook already have features related to location or are expected to have them at a point close in the future.

Location, location, location.  That seems to be the way things will be going in 2010 with around 30% of searches from mobile devices being related to location in some way.

To help small businesses get their first step on the internet ladder, 123 Web Design Bournemouth are offering to set up, completely free a blog-based website for their clients.  With only a small annual fee for the client to pay for web hosting, the offer provides an easy, inexpensive way for local businesses to get themselves online.

Darren, owner of 123 Web Design Bournemouth said “Small businesses are often squeezed out of the market for website design and development in the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch areas.  We are aiming to help smaller businesses in the area with their website needs and we hope the service proves useful in and around the Dorset and Hampshire areas.”

To find out more about the offer, visit our free bournemouth website page.  A more detailed explanation of the offer is available on the website, or you can call on 07734 069480 for more information.

If the glory of rounded corners and multiple background images and image layers can be handled within CSS3, then will there be any use for trusty old PS or Illustrator even?

I’m not sure as yet whether Css3 will be able to manage gradient images, I’m going to look into that one…

I’ll still use good ol’ Photoshop I think.  And Illustrator too – CSS3 will probably have to come a long way yet to negate the need for these two friends of most web designers.  Image editing, colour correction and I’d guess resizing will probably still be better done by the Adobe suite (or other, more open flavours of software if that’s your cup of tea!)