My Bookshelf. Books on JavaScript, Python, Linux, WebOS, etc.

Posted on by Rob Larsen

Here are the books that sit next to me at work.

No, there are no HTML or CSS books. I haven’t felt the need to dive into those subjects, in depth, since 1999. Based on the foundation I got from studying specs and experimenting in 1998-2000, I can read the occasional A List Apart article, look at Quirksmode and keep up to date.

I should add, I’m reading Dive Into HTML5 as it’s released. That’s what the first change in the specs in 10 years will do to a fellow.

In my “to read” pile:

Dive Into Python 3

I like Mark Pilgrim‘s writing, in general, and I want to learn more about Python.

Palm webOS

Read and build. Build and read. That’s my fall, I hope. With the new changes to their app distribution program, I’ve decided I’m going to do something open source.

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More Numbers On the Effect of Page Performance on the Bottom Line

Posted on by Rob Larsen

I eat this stuff up. The more data like this we get the easier it is to sell performance to team members and clients.

Do faster web pages mean better business? Definitely. We’ve seen hard evidence from major web operators like Shopzilla, Google, and Microsoft. But what about other websites? How big an impact does performance optimization have on the business metrics of a typical media or e-commerce site?

Proof that speeding up websites improves online business

Thirteen Web Development Tools I Can’t Live Without

Posted on by Rob Larsen

I got a new machine at work yesterday and in the process of building the thing out and getting it ready to actually work with, I came up with a list of the tools and utilities I use on a regular basis. Not the big stuff (Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Photoshop, etc.) The stuff that fills in the cracks that the big tools don’t cover. Thinking such a list might be useful for other folks, I added a couple of online services that I can’t live without and am now sharing the highlights of the list with the world.

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I, For One, Welcome Our New CSS3 Overlords. As Long As They Bring box-sizing With Them.

Posted on by Rob Larsen

I’ve always preferred the “IE Box model.” I’ve always wanted width to actually be the width of the element. Instead, I’ve been forced, for years, to break out my math skills to calculate “actual” value of the width property by subtracting padding, margin and borders. That still seems broken to me after all these years.

I’m not alone in this. Here are some big shots sharing their thoughts on the matter:
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Google Chrome Frame- I’ll Be Taking Advantage Of It

Posted on by Rob Larsen

I did some testing today with Google Chrome Frame. I wanted to see if it would mesh with my normal methods for serving IE specific code and, as far as I can tell, it behaves exactly as desired.

Here’s the code I used to test
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