For the web developers out there: Do you regularly use a CMS framework in your projects?

First a little background about me
I’ve been developing websites seriously for about 6 years. I’m self-taught and have no formal training. I started out by learning HTML and table layouts — no CSS, no <DIV>’s, etc.

Pretty soon I began hearing some talk about server-side scripting and became interested in JSP. I had a short period of formal “C” training in my past, so I caught on to the Java syntax and language structure very quickly. However, for most of my clients, JSP was not a practical solution.

I started to notice that something called “PHP” was included in most hosting plans, and after some investigation discovered that it was a “lightweight” server-side scripting engine without all the overhead and server configuration required for JSP. So I dove right in and before long abandoned JSP entirely.

Then about a year ago I finally discovered the wonders of CSS and table-less layouts. What a liberation!

So up until about a month ago, my design process has been as follows:

Have you noticed this icon in the address bar of your web browser?

If you’re not using the Firefox browser, you may not be familiar with that icon.  But if you do, you’ve probably noticed it once or twice, perhaps with more frequency, and may be wondering what it means.

“RSS” stands for “Really Simple Syndication“, and basically refers to a live feed of article headlines which can be published by the owner of a particular website.  If you “subscribe” to a syndication, you will recieve a constantly updated list of headlines that are available on that website.

RSS is non-intrusive – you don’t see the list unless you want to, it doesn’t involve pop-ups or tickers or any such annoyances.  If you use Firefox, you simply save the syndication as a “Live Bookmark” that sits in your “Bookmarks” menu, and when you select the bookmark the menu  expands to show you individual bookmarks to each of the (usually 10) latest stories or articles on that website.

I provide an RSS feed on this blog of my latest entries.  If you have subscribed to my “feed” by clicking on the RSS icon and creating a “Live Bookmark”, you can see (usually within minutes) when I have posted a new entry just by checking your Bookmarks menu.

This is a great way to get news from websites you visit regularly.  Now you don’t actually have to go to the website to check the latest news, you can just see a list of headlines.  If something interests you, then you can click the headline to go read the article.

I have several feeds that I monitor regularly.  Maybe some of  you might be interested in these as well.  By visiting these websites and clicking on the RSS icon pictured above, you can save a live bookmark yourself.

I, Cringely – Inside insight from the tech industry – new article once every Friday.
John C. Dvorak – Often amusing, sometimes off-the-wall opinions from another IT industry expert.
I4U News – Tech Gadgets and stuff
Slashdot – Geek-related news stories
AnandTech – Hardware news and reviews
Tom’s Hardware – More hardware news and reviews

There are RSS feeds for ALL different topics and subject matter.  Pay attention next time you’re on your favorite websites, and look for that RSS icon.

What makes a job enjoyable? Is it what you do, or where you do it? Or is it some combination of the two? Or perhaps something else?

If you have a job that is extremely enjoyable, but you’re working for peanuts, is it worth it to change jobs?

I find myself in a quandry where the job that I have now is extremely enjoyable, but the amount of money I’m paid is just shy of embarassing. I enjoy the people that I work with, and I feel a sense of ownership and accomplishment for the work that I do. It’s a strange situation, because while I am enjoying my job more than any job I have had before, I feel underappreciated and taken advantage of (only as it pertains to salary) by my manager and those above him. On the other hand, I hear nothing but good things about the work that I do, even from those same managers, and others that I work closely with. It is a strange perplexity, I know.

The purpose of this post is not to complain about my job, but rather to examine the forces that are keeping me in this job. (1) First, I am reluctant to leave, for fear that a job with more pay may not be as enjoyable. (2) Second, despite my frustration with the management here, God is the one providing and sustaining this job for me, and ultimately I am working for Him. This gives me the peace to be able to look past the shortcomings of those I work for, and keep my focus on doing the best job I can every day. (3) Third, this job was provided to me by God at a time when we had hit rock-bottom, and I’ve gotten no indication that He wants me somewhere else yet.

Point #2 should cancel out point #1. If I truly believe that God provides and sustains my employment and that ultimately I am working for Him, I should be able to be happy whereever I am working, despite the environment. I shouldn’t be afraid to change jobs to better support my family on the chance that I might not be happy. Ultimately God is the giver of peace that will result in happiness. The more I think about it, point #3 is a cop-out. Perhaps the indication is in fact that I am not able to support my family.

So I will spread my wings and begin an all-out job search. I will pray and trust that God will bless my search, and guide me where he would have me go.

The answer to the first series of questions is this: Job satisfaction depends not on what you do, where you do it, or how much money you make. Job satisfaction is a result of a clear understanding of your worth before God through Christ – an understanding that because of Christ, you are perfect in God’s eyes, and he loves and cares for you and will provide for you no matter what your job here on earth. Keep your eyes on the spiritual prize, and let God take care of everything.

UPDATE:  Interestingly, before I was able to publish this post, I received a call from my boss who proceded to offer me a new position with greatly increased responsibility (from what I was able to glean from a whirlwind 10 minute meeting) and slightly increased pay.  This does not change my mind about an all-out job search, but it will help my finances through the rest of the year.  I’ll keep you posted!

I stumbled across a post at DSLRBlog, drawing attention to this gallery of recent photographs of old mining communities, or Ghost Towns. Don’t get me started on the web design (frames! obnoxious colors!), but once you get past that, the content is pretty well organized. One of the coolest features is the “Ghost Town Maps”, which is a clickable map of the various locations they shot. Some of the locations have descriptions of the history of the towns and the people, and there’s even a “Gold Rush History” page.

If you’re into that sort of thing, I highly recommend you check it out.

A recent BBC report suggests that

Cyclists who wear protective helmets are more likely to be knocked down by passing vehicles.

This could cause me to rethink my previous statement. Now the question is, together with the ugliness of those helmets is the increased safety risk enough to make you not wear them? Personally, I think this is somewhat less relevant that the “But then I can’t see where I’m going” argument that motorcyclists use with their helmets.

Read the article, it’s funny. Particularly:

Dr. Ian Walker was struck by a bus and a lorry during the experiment.

I’m sorry – no, it’s not funny that he was struck.  Luckily he had a helmet on both times.