Required Reading: Yahoo Research on Mobile Cache Size

by Rob Larsen

With more and more people embracing the idea of producing HTML5 mobile web apps, research like this is becoming vital. There are a lot of gotchas in this article, especially if you’ve been ignoring this space.

You should read the whole article, but I just want to point out a pair of findings before I send you on your way. One has been a known issue for a while (it’s a ySlow rule, after all,) but it’s still worth pointing out. The other… wow… my emphasis.

Results varied wildly across the three most recent versions of iOS. Astonishingly, Mobile Safari on iOS 3.1.3 did not cache components of any size, despite having an apparently unlimited page cache size. This is troubling since it means iOS 3.1.3 users are likely getting a suboptimal browsing experience, especially if they aren’t using wifi. The unlimited page cache size does little good here, since it only comes into play for back/forward navigations. This behavior is a significant change from what others observed in previous iOS releases and I can’t imagine any good reason for it, so I suspect this may be a bug.

Mobile Safari on iOS 3.2 (which is only available on the iPad) does not exhibit this bug. Its 25.6KB component limit and ~281.6KB total cache limit are better than nothing, but they still seem paltry compared to the other devices tested. Uniquely among iOS devices, the iPad appears to limit the size of pages in the page cache to 25.6KB, the same as its component size limit.

Read the rest of the article:

Mobile Browser Cache Limits: Android, iOS, and webOS

I’m on TV. WordPress.TV That Is.

by Rob Larsen

You’ve all seen this, but now here it is from the official channel.

Speaking of WordPress and HTML5, I’m knee deep in the process of getting DrunkenFist.com relaunched and I’ve been doing the WordPress component for the past few days. It’s super complicated. Which means, of course, I’m having a blast with it :)

Recent Reading (Analytics, WordPress Short Codes, Jira, JavaScript Videos, Protocol Relative URLS, Facebook)

by Rob Larsen

There’s a lot of content this week, including about 5 hours of video embedded right in the page for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

Analytics – The Usability Lab of the new decade

Peter Merholz from Adaptive Path talks up analytics. Don’t I feel like a smart guy with all my fancy analytics experience?

That’s probably something I don’t talk enough about here- analytics. I’ve got a ton of experience with both Omniture and Google Analytics, doing some pretty advanced work. I should share that.

Anyway, good article talking about the UX benefits of analytics data. Check it out.

Short Code resources

This is a little resource page from one of the WordCamp Boston Ingite talks. WordPress Short Codes are clearly awesome and I don’t use them enough. I aim to change that.

I’m actually using them for the table of contents on my ongoing How To Make a Web Site series.
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I’m Messing Around With an HTML5 Version of the Default WordPress Theme

by Rob Larsen

WordCamp Boston is less than a week away, and as part of my presentation I wanted to show the new elements in an environment that basically everyone that works on WordPress sites will recognize- the default theme. To that end, I mocked up a functioning HTML5ized version of the home page to use as an example. That was both easy and fun.
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A New Site I Made is Live- AWiderNet.com (HTML5 + CSS3 + WordPress)

by Rob Larsen

We relaunched the Cramer blog today. It’s a soft launch. We’re hoping to shake out any kinks over the quiet time around the holiday. I did the initial HTML5/CSS3 templates and then shepherded the project for a couple of weeks* until I was freed up enough this past week to get the thing out the door.
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I’m Presenting at WordCamp Boston January 23, 2010

by Rob Larsen

I’m excited to announce that I’m going to be speaking at the 1st WordCamp Boston. I’ll be talking about the marriage of two of my favorite technologies: WordPress and HTML5.

The Future is Now: WP Themes With HTML 5

Excited about HTML5? Wish you could start using the new semantic elements right now? You can. In this presentation Rob Larsen will show you how to create cross-browser, HTML5 enhanced WordPress themes using nothing more than a little extra JavaScript, basic WordPress knowledge and some knowledge of the new elements.

Check out the rest of the program.

It takes place January 23, 2010 and is being held at:

Microsoft New England Research and Development Center
1 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02142

Thanks once again to Microsoft for hosting pretty much every technology group in the area :)

I Think I’m Going to Start Dreaming in WordPress

by Rob Larsen

Between home (getting this place into shape and looking forward to my personal site redesign), freelance (helping out with Tom’s blog once again) and work (three separate, concurrent, WP projects) I think I’m going to a bit mental with WordPress. Good mental. Hacker mental. But mental nonetheless.

Why mental? It’s rare for me to do so much server side coding. I’ve always done it- in moderation. This is absolute gluttony. All kinds of custom features, complicated, multi-template themes, etc. It’s all there. All I’m missing is a plugin and I’ll be working the full WordPress experience.

Which isn’t to say it’s all PHP all the time for me. As anyone who’s worked with WordPress knows, it’s a serious mix between server side code and good-old HTML + CSS and JavaScript, so I’m still able to push some boundaries with my core competencies- even while I’m stretching my brain with some semi-serious PHP.

Now if I could just work some Python into the mix, I’d be all set

I’m dying to share some of the work I’m doing. I’m super happy with the results so far.

Anyone out there doing any similar cross-training? I find it helps keep things interesting and ends up making me a better programmer when I get back to my home turf.

You?