Blogging is about communicating, sharing and marketing

I have just finished reading quite an interesting blog post, all about asking the right questions. It talks about using focused, situation-specific questions to get to the crux of the matter, rather than the usual big picture questions we tend to ask. I won't go into any more detail on that. You can read the post yourself if you're interested.

What I wanted to talk about was a comment posted in response to the article. The author relates the point he's trying to make back to a web project that he is working on, providing a link to the website in question. The project was funded by Xerox, for whom the author and developer works. There is a passing comment (but no link) to Xerox in the post. At the very end of the article, as a sidenote, he references a book he is writing, a chapter of which is based upon the same concept. He provides a link allowing readers to be notified when the book is published. This all seems fairly reasonable to me but one of the commenters took exception to this, saying:

You completely lost my respect when you mentioned your website.

I’ve noticed a trend in the last 6 months to a year where smart people write really smart articles, which I really enjoy reading, then make a really dumb mistake by tying what they’ve been talking about into their website / business / startup. It just seems really f**king lazy to me. You basically invalidate everything you’ve said previously by throwing in an advertisement for your website toward the end of your article. You (and I mean blog writers in general, I don’t mean to attack you directly) lull the reader into a sense of trust with your excellently written article (and yours is a very excellently written article, make no mistake) then drop an advertisement casually into the story, hoping readers will go to your website based solely on the quality of your writing only it now has had the opposite effect.

As I was reading, I had decided that I was going to bookmark this story and share it with my good friend (yes, I only have one. So what?) when I was finished with it, except now I won’t be bookmarking it and I won’t be sharing it with anyone. I certainly won’t be visiting your website, that’s for sure. Instead, I write this comment, in the vain hope that you will make a blog post about it and tell other bloggers so that you (again, all blog writers) will stop advertising your damn websites in your blogs.

Again, thank you for the article. It was enlightening and interesting, and I wish I could’ve enjoyed it more.

Frankly, I'm not surprised this fella has only one good friend. What a rude sod. I'm not sure what sort of a world he lives in but I thought this was the point of blogging. Experts freely share information that they find interesting/useful etc. but in turn they are advertising either themselves or their business. If I'm going to read a blog post I want to know a little bit about the author. "What makes him such an expert? What does he do? Oh! He wrote Trailmeme. Well, what's that then? Let's click on this link. Well, would you look at that. That is cool." Or, "hey! I liked that. What else has he written? Oh he's writing a whole book. That could be worth a read."

Some of the best things I've found on the internet have been stumbled across in this way. The blogging community survives by sharing, commenting, linking and it's a bit naive to think that everyone else is like me, typing away for the sake of it without much thought or care as to who is reading it or why I'm doing it. (And frankly, I only started doing this in order to advertise my professional services and expertise sometime in the future, should it become necessary.) Providing links between blogs and sites, talking about our work and advertising products we love is what blogging is all about.

What I do take exception to, however, is underhand or blatent advertising. Comments suggesting I sign up for online dating, which clearly has nothing to do with the article being commented on. Commercial links within posts just for the sake of it. Or false reviews of sites, products, services. That sort of thing gives blogging and the world of Web 2.0 a bad name and makes people mistrust what they read online.

Incidentally, I (not the commenter) asterisked out the f-word, which was a totally unnecessary addition. I think Mike, who provided no link back to his own website, has serious anger issues, expects way too much of the world and probably misses out on a lot of good things because of his negative attitude. Poor Mike.

Building optimum font stacks

Those of us with a development background, as opposed to design, often don't give typography much thought. We're most likely to pick a common font stack, say "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" and use it to death.

But typography is really important. It's only when you go to a website with clearly thought out fonts that aren't overused all over the web that you realise just how much difference they can make.

The problem for developers is that it's difficult to devise your own font stack without really understanding the attributes of the different fonts. Some are wider than others (x-width), others taller (x-height), some heavier, others look different on Windows and Mac. If you don't match them up well it can throw your design off balance.

This post on A Way Back talks about optimum font stacks. It includes a useful table that looks at the percentage of Macs and PCs with certain fonts loaded. It then takes a handful of websites as examples and makes suggestions as to the optimum font stacks for them. Less common fonts are moved up the stack so they're more likely to be used. Mac fonts are matched with similar Windows fonts. Fonts that are wider than the desired font are removed or replaced. And so on.

This is a useful resource for web developers, giving you much of the information you may require to design your own font stacks. Better than that, it gives some marvellous suggestions of font stacks that you can re-use on your own site.

Notepad++ Tips and Tricks

As regular readers will know, I'm a great fan of free software. I use Notepad++ for most of my code editing. Here are a few useful tips and tricks I've picked up along the way. Much of this stuff is standard for a text editor but not necessarily that easy to find in Notepad++.

1. View in browser: You can easily view your open HTML file in a browser by clicking on Run. Choose from IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Or select Run... and browse to another executable. You can also update the shortcuts.xml file to add another browser, or change the location of a browser executable.
2. Basic version control: By turning on Verbose backup (Settings > Backup/Auto-Completion) you can set up Notepad++ to implement very basic revision control. Every time you save a file, Notepad++ will save a "clean" version in a backup sub-folder called nppBackup. That is, the version that you last saved, with none of your recent changes. The backup filename is appended with a date and timestamp so you end up with a new backup for every change. It probably goes without saying that it's a good idea to periodically delete the ones you don't want. Even if you're using some kind of version control this can be useful between check-ins.
3. Auto-completion: Whilst you're in the Backup/Auto-Completion screen set it to auto-complete functions.
4. Create templates: Notepad++ doesn't have the concepts of templates but I decided to set up my own. I created a templates folder and saved a few varieties of basic HTML files, including DOCTYPE, external CSS and JS calls, and an empty body tag. I did this for XHTML Strict and HTML4 Strict, with variations for JQuery and CSS 960grid. I open the relevant template and then Save As... to create my new file.
5. Close tags: You can use TextFX to automatically close any XHTML tags. Go to TextFX > TextFX > Settings > Autoclose XHTML/XML . There are a whole host of other useful TextFX features, such as converting case and quotes, escaping and unescaping characters, submitting to W3 validators, running HTMLTidy and a whole host of other features I haven't yet found a need for.
6. Create new tab group: Similar to Visual Studio's New Vertical Tab Group, you can view documents (or tabbed groups of documents) side-by-side using View > Move/Clone Current Document > Move to Other View. F8 then toggles between these views. Choosing to Clone effectively implements split screen and any changes made to one view of the document will be replicated in the other.
7. Use bookmarks to navigate large documents: When reading through large code files I often spend much of my time scrolling between two or more parts of the file. Clicking between the line number and the line adds a bookmark. I can then easily navigate from one bookmark to the next using F2 (down) and Shift+F2 (up).

SEO: Infographic of important concepts

Infographic. Now there's a cool word. Information in a graphic. It really is a picture telling a story. This is a great infographic from Datadial all about search engine optimisation. It seems like it would be a useful at-a-glance reference for anyone trying to promote a website and improve its search ranking.



For a more detailed description of what is being depicted you can check out HostWisely's Infographic Important Aspects of SEO. But I think the infographic pretty much says it all.

lindseybuckle.com redesign

Regular visitors may have noticed some recent changes to this blog.

Firstly, my byline has evolved over the last few weeks and, having shed a few words is now looking a lot trimmer and to the point.

Secondly, the name has changed. The Journey of the Buckle was one of those off-the-cuff, "let's just get this thing going without much real thought to the name" sort of things. It resulted in some really strange Adwords being placed upon the page. The title of the blog is placed into the "title" tag of the site and Google obviously places a lot of importance upon these words. So I was getting ads for saddleries, belts, leather, you name it, all thanks to the word "Buckle" in the title. I figured the same thing would happen with search engine rankings once I get into the whole SEO thing. Changing the title to lindseybuckle.com obviously made it clear to Google that this is a name, not the subject of the site.

Finally, I have been redesigning the site using Inkscape. This is a whole new skill set for me. I don't usually give a lot of thought to design, other than to pick out what is wrong with someone else's design. Designing something from scratch is a scary process for me. Being a programmer, I tend to muck around with HTML and CSS straight up rather than lay out the page in a graphical editor first. So, as well as focusing on the aesthetics, I have been learning how to use Inkscape, an open source free alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

The current design is another element that was just knocked out quickly for the purposes of getting the site up and running. I created the header graphic myself in GIMP, using one of my own photographs, but it isn't something I spent much time over. The template is a modified standard Blogger template.

The process of designing the site has been a good one for teaching me how to use the software. I have learned some useful keyboard shortcuts, and general vector principles. I used the Inkscape templates delivered as part of the 960-grid package. I kept the designs fairly simple and typically blogger-esque but got a bit bolder with colours as the process developed. Hopefully I will soon have this built and implemented, but until then, here are some of the designs I came up with.

Convert IE6 users to the latest IE browser with IE6 Update

This is brilliant.

IE6 Update provides any IE6 visitors to your site with an information bar, similar to that which they're used to seeing for sites with ActiveX controls. Instead of downloading an ActiveX plugin it sends the user to a website where they can download the latest version of IE.

Simply follow this link, copy and paste the code into your website and away you go. So simple, yet ingenious.

[Credit where credit is due: thanks to Jez Watts for sending me the link.]

11 steps to writing a resume

[Skip to the good stuff]

It stands to reason that someone who loves writing and dreams of making a career of it would be able to sit down and knock out a resume in a few short hours, right?

Wrong! No matter who you are, or how kick-ass you believe yourself to be, writing about your achievements is incredibly hard. Self-doubt creeps in: "I think I was completely awesome in that situation but what if that is normal for other people?" And even when it doesn't it's often difficult to put into words exactly what it was that you did that was so damn good.

And then there's the issue of brevity. How much does an employer actually want to read? How can I make the good stuff stand out? What if I leave out some important detail? What information should I put in my CV and what can I leave for my cover letter?

And what about visual layout and design. Is plain and simple good enough or do I need to jazz it up somehow? My husband works in mapping and he just produced what I consider to be a radical CV. It was more like an essay illustrated with brightly coloured pictures of various maps he'd produced. I'm more of a conformist and just want to get the job done.

Some even question whether a resume is necessary in the first place. A compelling and insightful blog is enough, they say. (Well, that's me sorted then.) Others disagree. A blog can only enhance a resume but can't replace it. So long as the resume is well written, that is.

So here I am rewriting my CV for the first time in over six years. Yes, that's how long I've been with my employer doing what I do. Even I'm surprised. It's the longest I've worked anywhere. Apart from school. Another 4 ½ years and I'm eligible for long service leave.

I've kept my resume up to date during that time by going to the top section once a year and adding my latest projects. There is now a lot of useless information on there. Projects that I worked on twelve years ago on outdated technologies doing things that bear no relevance to what I want to do next. Sure, six years ago they seemed important. They were valuable experiences that contributed to my skill level. But I've done enough in the last six years to be able to reduce these older achievements to one line summaries.

So, here is my guide to writing a great resume, based upon the research I am currently doing and the feedback that I'm getting from reviewers and industry contacts.

1. Tailor your CV for the work you want to do.
   This is an obvious one but it's so easy to leave irrelevant stuff in there. Or to fail to see the relevance. For example, I don't feel it particularly necessary to say much about my experience programming a bank security system in C on a Vax VMS platform back in 1997. But it probably is important that I mention the change management, release procedure and screen design practices that were used there and that I learnt how they contribute to a good development process.
2. Don't delete anything.
   Yes, I am totally contradicting the last point but you don't have to delete the information altogether in order to remove it from your resume. It's a good idea to always have a full, detailed copy of your resume. A master resume, if you wish. Then, you can tailor the CV that you submit for a particular industry, employer or project. If they want to see more detailed information on past projects that you have skimmed over then you can quickly and easily whip out your full copy.
3. Have multiple versions.
   Tying in with the previous two points, keep multiple versions of your resume. For example, I might use my master copy to write a CV tailored to web development, focusing on all of the technical aspects of my career. I might also have a version of my resume which highlights my writing and communication skills and how I have applied these throughout my career. Or, I might have one which looks at aspects of both skill sets. I can then submit whichever one is most relevant to the position I am applying for. This is not deception or dishonesty. It's just filtering out the irrelevant stuff on behalf of that poor person who has to sift through hundreds of resumes.
4. Don't procrastinate. Just do it.
   Again, an obvious one but advice I find very difficult to follow. I seem to be spending more time researching resume advice online, writing this post, or wondering how I can improve my LinkedIn profile than I am actually editing my CV.
5. Say what you mean.
   Use plain language. Don't dumb down technical jargon if you are applying for a position with an employer who will understand that jargon. Likewise, don't use long sparsely-used words where short common ones will do. Don't use two words where one will suffice. My husband has very generously been providing useful comment on my resume but there was one point he made that I'm not sure I would agree with. I said that I "wrote the User Guide for the Blackboard Community System, and distributed it to IT Services and Administration areas throughout the organisation." He suggested that I "Authored, Published and Distributed the ‘User Guide’...etc." I don't think Authored, Published and Distributed warrant capitals (they're not names) and I'm not entirely sure why I would benefit by saying all of that over "I wrote". It feels like I'm just using big words out of context to make me sound clever.
6. Don't be bland. Be bold. or Ditch the buzzwords and be unique
   You won't stand out if you write the same mindless babble that everyone else writes. So, you're "highly motivated"? Would you tell a potential employer if you weren't? Pick an example that demonstrates your motivation and use that instead. Tell stories and make it personal.
7. Focus on achievements.
   Don't talk about responsibilities. Talk about achievements. Everyone has responsibilities. That's the point of a job. They're outlined in your position description for all to see. What matters is what you do to fulfil your responsibilities. If you're going to mention skills, give examples of when you used them and what you achieved with them. Enhance your achievements with results: what were the measurable benefits for your organisation? Consider emphasising results by stating them before explaining what actions you took to achieve them.
8. Be brief and add summaries
   According to The Careerhub Guide to Resume Writing, the average manager spends less than 30 seconds reviewing a resume. They will spend most of this time looking at the top third of the first page of your document. As such, it's a good idea to add a couple of summaries to draw attention to your core areas of expertise. Add a career profile, and a skills/experience summary. Create a brand using keywords in a byline (e.g. web developer, client-focused, standards-driven, usability, accessibility); or a list of high-profile employers, or even different kinds of working environments (e.g. small start-up, technology enterprise, large multinational, public sector, higher education, software house, financial institution). Add testimonials if you have them (trawl through old emails and performance reviews).
9. Send it early and send it often
   Your resume is useless if you don't send it to a potential employer. This is courtesy of my husband. I suspect it's his way of saying "stop writing your blog, Lindsey and send off your resume."
10. Seek feedback.
    Another of my husband's. Once you have sent your resume off, seek feedback. If the person you have sent it to isn't interested then find out why. Could you have written or styled your resume differently in order to get the position?
11. Add a photograph
    It may be true that not everyone would benefit from the addition of a photograph. But if you're reasonably young, or look it (or use an old photograph) and fairly pleasant looking then this can only be a benefit. It adds a human element to a boring old pile of words. And it's harder to say "no" to a face than a disembodied name.

Resources

Careerhub Guide to Resume Writing (PDF)
Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist: Resumes
My husband