I R Sam

Hi, I am Sam Howat. I design websites and create smart, useable web applications for everyday people. Welcome to my personal website.

Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

Mac Vs. PC

Thursday, September 14th, 2006

I am contemplating a switch from PC to Mac after about 14 years of PC-only use. One of my Co-workers recently switched to a Mac and is hardcore supporter of it.

However, I’d like to get the feedback of Web Professionals who can skip the hype and just give me a straight up opinion of why I should switch to a Mac or not.

I have been looking enviously at alot of features on the Mac, including Textmate and OSX itself looks like a beautifuly designed operating system.

If you have the time, please just post a quick comment in this post. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Fighting for Web Standards - Old School

Thursday, September 7th, 2006

Well, I was browsing around my favorite websites last night and ended up getting an old archived link to a Slashdot interview with Jeffery Zeldman. The interview was certainly stacked against Mr. Zeldman with naive (by current standards) comments and even rough questions being asked of him.

Being a member of the web-standards community and a huge Zeldman fan, I was proud as could be to read his responses to questions that some might consider antagonistic. Each response was true to the work he has promoted through the years and could even be considered ‘pioneering’ so to speak.

Wordpress Part I

Friday, September 1st, 2006

I’ve just finished my first attempt to completely template my new WordPress install to fit in with the shiny new design I created. Though the entire process of getting used to WordPress wasn’t all fun and games it is a huge improvement over the install process of say, Moveable Type. I’ve always used Moveable Type in my sites before this but the simple “5 Minute Install” was true to it’s word and really seemed quicker.

Though I was impressed with the install, documentation, backend and useability of WordPress, I’m having a hardtime with implimenting some of the more advanced template features that I need in order to finish this design off. The WordPress website has some great resources but often times I’d go and look for more details on fixing a problem and all I’d find is people talking about what should be added to the page instead of answers to the problems they were having. Maybe it was just the way I was browsing the sections or something but I ended up going back to Google for all my answers.

Finaly I got things templated generally the way I want and soon hope to have more details on the more advanced features I am currently installing.