Author: David Cochran

professor, geek, nerd, husband, dad

Modernizr: a script to smooth the road to HTML5 and CSS3

a JavaScript library allowing you to use CSS3 & HTML5 while maintaining control over unsupported browsers

Modernizr is a script that will detect native CSS3 and HTML5 features available in the current UA and provide an object containing all features with a true/false value, depending on whether the UA has native support for it or not.

In addition to that, Modernizr will add classes to the <html> element of the page, one for each cutting-edge feature. If the UA supports it, a class like cssgradients will be added. If not, the class name will be no-cssgradients. This allows for simple if-conditionals in CSS styling, making it easily to have fine control over the look and feel of your website.

via Modernizr/Modernizr – GitHub.

CSS Frameworks: Approaches Worth Emulating? » SitePoint

CSS frameworks are simply a solution to problems web designers experience on a daily basis, enabling them to produce clean, agile, cross-browser code. Even though these tools have their own issues to contend with, they can serve as an excellent model to produce higher quality, more portable, and reusable CSS.

From a nice article examining the strengths of CSS frameworks such as:

  • 960 Grid System
  • Blueprint
  • BlueTrip
  • Elements
  • YUI Grids
  • and others

Read: The Right Frame of Mind: Applying the Lessons of CSS Frameworks » SitePoint

Roots WordPress Theme: HTML5 Boilerplate and Blueprint CSS or 960.gs

Roots WordPress Theme: HTML5 Boilerplate and Blueprint CSS or 960.gs

Roots Theme ScreenshotThis new theme framework is getting some nice reviews: The Roots WordPress Theme by Ben Word.

From a review of the theme at Sitepoint.com:

To my thinking, Roots is a great example of the kind of features you should be looking for if you’re seeking out a framework. It’s up to date with today’s best development advice, it’s based on tried and tested projects that many developers will already be familiar with, and it’s been designed with speed and ease in mind—perfect for those of us who like to make it out of the office on time while still doing a great job. There’s a growing collection of documentation, and a glance at the project’s GitHub repository shows frequent updates to both the code and the manuals.

Go visit the Roots WordPress Theme

HTML5Boilerplate WordPress Theme by Aaron T. Grogg

HTML5 Boilerplate Theme Admin Panel

This is worth following. A theme framework based on the HTML5 Boilerplate, with minimal or no CSS — ready for you to add your own. No bloat. Just solid, tested, standards-compliant, cutting-edge code, with the benefits of the HTML5 Boilerplate community.

Here’s the original blog post: My First WP Theme: “Boilerplate: Starkers” | Aaron T. Grogg

Here is the theme itself in the WordPress free themes directory.

And here is a plugin Aaron’s developed to add HTML5 Boilerplate benefits to an existing theme.

More Meaningful Typography :: A List Apart

Designing with modular scales is one way to make more conscious, meaningful choices about measurement on the web. Modular scales work with—not against—responsive design and grids, provide a sensible alternative to basing our compositions on viewport limitations du jour, and help us achieve a visual harmony not found in compositions that use arbitrary, conventional, or easily divisible numbers. Tim Brown shows us how.

Link to the original post

Two Cats In A Sack: Designer-Developer Discord — SmashingMagazine.com

From SmashingMagazine: “The differences between designers and developers often erupt in pointed jabs on the Web or at conferences. Jokes or not, the jabs create friction whose consequences are real. I am a designer, and by no elaborate means of job-title-rejigging do I consider myself a developer, but I see the cruelty of designer and developer egos going both ways.”

Link to the original post