Articles
My Ramblings
Z-Nuggets *CSS Mutterings*
Here we use span in CSS. Great for highlighting parts of
a sentence. Anyone can create unique "tags" in moments. For example, the
bright orange text is my "acronym" tag. When used in conjunction with
the "title" tag, it can provide you with an explanation. LOL!
Z-nugget *Learning PHP? *
Functions are a necessary part of PHP
and a huge time saver. You can use the PHP
built-in functions or create your own. Looking for a way to save time
when you program? Look no further! Creating functions lets you reuse code
over and over.
Articles Recent All Titles Archives
Looking for a web designer?
Created: 2008-04-09 01:46:24
I have written numerous articles on the different facets of web design, usability, accessibility, SEO, etc. The one topic I have not whipped to date is selecting a web designer. There are many ins and outs regarding a website. The same goes for selecting a designer. Be careful in what you get for your money. Here are some things you might look for in your search.Read the story
Optimizing for SEO
Created: 2008-04-06 20:07:24
Lets optimize your site for various search engines. Search engine optimization techniques for the various big boys are quite different. Many websites rank well in one search engine but not the other. This is the direct result of each search engine having its own unique ranking algorithm. The Google algorithm predominantly values the anchor text of inbound links. Yahoo places more emphasis on keyword density and meta tags.
The Greatest Differences.
Google places a significant amount of emphasis on inbound links to your website.Read the story
INTRODUCING PHP
Created: 2008-04-01 17:19:06
This site was created to support and introduce the Possum Kingdom Lake area. The site was built utilizing PHP as its primary language. PHP supports CSS and XHTML for layout and it utilizes MySQL for the areas that are database driven.
Most of my articles are geared around what it takes to build a website. There are so many areas such as: security, hosting, graphics, accessibility, navigation, continuity and layout. We cannot hope to touch on all of them so we stick to what we used on this site and discuss the different features.
Many people start with a image software to create a layout for their site and then build from there.Read the story
How to create a simple scrollpane?
Created: 2008-03-26 17:28:27
Back by popular demand. I had a friendly request for a tutorial on creating a scrollpane using basic HTML. I decided to post it as an article entry for the rest of the netizen that may be surfing through the FlashbyZ domain. We no longer use this site for tutorials but they asked so nicely.
Lets keep it very basic. Create a div and turn the style overflow to auto.Read the story
Understanding the user: Site Navigation
Created: 2008-03-25 18:12:54
Until recently, most of us thought cool graphics, clean code and content were the main keys to a successful site. Now we are realizing that navigation is the area of web design that can make or break a site. Anyone interested in communicating effectively on the Web must recognize the importance of navigation. Navigation must be clear cut and goal oriented. In general, most people need to know some basic things in order to orientate themselves.
The basic navigation needs to include answers to the following questions:
"Where am I?"Read the story
Understanding Online Award Programs
Created: 2008-03-15 22:12:37
Notes for award seekers
The World Wide Web has created a medium for individuals from all walks of life to come together and they created the largest community on earth. Award programs started shortly after the birth of this new era and believe it or not, it has an agenda. To better the internet one site at a time.
This article was originally written by me as a checklist for webmasters applying to my award program at Z3 Design back in 2001. It continues to pop-up around the web as an article. What was once a fresh idea as an article is now considered regurgitated and old news.
The plan: A web site.
The purpose: To share ideas (hobbies).
The goal: Generate traffic (visitors).
The award program goal: A better Internet.Read the story
Soothing, Calming White
Created: 2008-03-15 18:05:44
White can be a soothing and relaxing color to see. For some people white is simply a refreshing color while for others it is a dull, common color. If you have been in the web design world for quite a while you would often hear the word white space. What does this term mean? Simply put, white space is a term used to denote open space between designs. It is like creating a site that is neat to look at with lots of room or space.Read the story
The SEO Shortlist
Created: 2008-03-11 20:19:34
I spent the day working on websites and on a few SEO projects and realized my previous article may have been too detailed. By that I mean it bored you to tears and you walk away with nothing. So I created a short list for newbies that like the quick in and out version.
If you can wrap your mittens around these you will be ahead and they are not complicated.
1. The copy on your home page will greatly determine your website's relevancy to a search engine, so it should contain your major key words and phrases.Read the story
Criterium and the winds of change
Created: 2008-03-02 23:28:07
There is a time for change and a time for updating criteria within an award program. For many, that time is now. Like so many fly specks on a window that is in need of a good washing, criterium for some award sites needs cleansing.
Keep in mind that I hold the awards community in very high regard. Many will question the motivation of the article or my qualifications to make such a statement. Well, like you, I only want to better the net but I burned out mulling over the twenty plus applications a week.Read the story
CSS in not new to the WWW
Created: 2008-02-24 16:37:21
CSS is not a new element in Web Design. In fact it came out just about 5 years after HTML. If you already use them for layout then CONGRATS. You understand the extraordinary things that can be done with cascading style sheets. If you start using them, you will never look back. Tables in HTML are a thing of the past.Read the story
COPYRIGHTS MATTER
Created: 2008-02-24 10:19:43
Dealing with copyright issues can be a nasty business. I know few people that visit a website and ACTUALLY click on the privacy and legal links. Unless it is for the specific purpose of evaluation, shopping, downloading or "borrowing" some text. With this in mind I now divulge to you my copyright statement.
The content of this site is freely accessible on the internet. It is protected by federal copyright laws and international copyright conventions. Any person wanting to use in whole or in part any article found on this site has my permission.Read the story
Freebies from FlashbyZ.com -Helping the netizen
Created: 2008-02-22 17:21:10
Thank you for taking the time to browse Flash by Z. If you are currently reading this, you have a website, you don't know much about web development and you need some help with interactivity on your site, then you ARE IN LUCK. I believe in giving something back to web! So many people have websites straight out of the box or use templates. Usually you are stuck with stale, unforgiving layouts and have no idea on how to create interactivity without 3rd party plug-ins. Customizing layouts and creating graphics for online use can be a pain but well worth the effort.Read the story
Site Updates
Created: 2008-02-19 18:04:03
Since this site has stepped out of its skeleton stage and the Flash is gone, I thought it time to post an update page. This site is updated daily for content but the mainframe has now been completely overhauled for the third time in twelve months. Because of SEO matters, we will no longer be a Flash proto site. In fact, all Flash has been stripped off due to color scheme and layout conflicts. Below lies what took place in the last 6 months of this site re-creation.
The admin section is now complete. It is author driven and dynamically creates all images and articles for the site.Read the story
CSS Tableless Design
Created: 2008-01-26 20:08:45
I have bought tons of books over the last decade that have affected my mindset in regards to web design. Back in the day our only choice was HTML and just adding images to your website made you cutting edge. Funny how times have changed. So many decisions to be made in deploying a simple website. For those wondering, I finally settled on PHP utilizing XHTML and CSS for my layout and Flash for visual effects with my homemade CMS to drive it.
Seven years ago, I discovered a love for Flash animation and the many different ways of utilizing it with a website. Five years ago, I decided on starting a forum and selected PHP for my platform.Read the story
