The death of the app

I have been thinking this for a while.  Why are companies and individuals all over the world wasting their money on apps?  There seems to be a wealth of apps available on various app stores that simply offer information that can be gathered from the companies website.  It seems to me a number of people see apps as a way of creating a mobile website.  This is ridiculous and simply not necessary.

However, its not just this kind of app that bugs me.  There are a host of apps that interact with a wealth of API’s to get their data from a website, or use the GPS functionality of a phone to taylor information to their location. WHY?

This is all possible with standard web technologies! Rather than paying a front and back end web developer to design and build a website, and then an Android and iOS developer to create apps for Android, iPhone and iPad, why not get the front and back end developer, (whom will likely be on a lower rate) to develop a responsive site with all of the functionality you would have on the desktop site and mobile apps.

Less scripting, less time, easier maintenance, lower priced developers – it all seems so simple! Has the world gone completely mad?

Manage multiple WordPress installations easily

At work, I’m managing quite a number of websites.  We have all the clients sites setup with their own account in cPanel and in quite a number of cases were running WordPress to content manage.  As the number of sites we’re managing is going up, maintenance is becoming something of an issue, and falling behind on an update is simple a no go – hackers are ready to take pot shots at WordPress installations at a moments notice, due to something like 15% of the webs top sites running it (http://wordpress.org/news/2011/08/state-of-the-word/).  This is where Manage WP steps in! (more…)

My first mobile post

So it thought I’d try a mobile post to see if it works. Hopefully it should, but I’m wondering if my cache plugin will clear cache afterwards.  I could see this being very useful! A good little iOS app WordPress have here! (more…)

Optimise your site with scheduled image optimisation

I have found a tool that loslessly reduces image sizes, and best of all, it can be scheduled via a cronjob as it is a Linux based solution. (more…)

10 photography portfolios to inspire

I have gathered a number of photography portfolios together that will impress and stun you all. With some of them, their excellence is not immediately apparent, but if you take a look at their portfolios, you guaranteed to be impressed. Again, this isn’t a collection simply of amazing websites, but also of amazing content! There are some superb photographers on show here, so take the time to look at there work. 

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15 amazing websites to visit

I have put together a list of impressive websites that you may find inspiration from! They amazed me with either there design, their use of technology or in some cases just there content! Enjoy!

Study web development at Harvard University, for free!

I have found a resource that I have found hugely useful in improving my web development skills.  Harvard University released a series of incredibly insightful lectures entitled, Computer Science E75, and I have been sitting these in order to expand my knowledge of web development.

The course covers a number of topics including HTTP, PHP, XML, SQL, JavaScript, AJAX, security and scaleability, all of which hugely helpful.  A number of other little nuggets of information also show up in lectures, thanks to students questions and a number of the lectures pet hate or suggested best practices.

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