This topic was presented at the October 2011 Chicago Web Professionals Meetup.

What are Variables?

The sole purpose of a variable is to store a value. The reason why it’s called a variable is the value can change at any time within the JavaScript application. Variables are used throughout programming with JavaScript, there’s just no escaping them.

Before you can use a variable, you must declare it. To declare a variable, you use the var (for variable) keyword, followed by the identifier (or variable name).

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Expressions are operations on numbers or text strings.

Numeric Expressions

On numbers, you typically perform arithmetic operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, etc. To code an arithmetic expression, you use arithmetic operators to operate on two or more values.

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A brief diversion from my “Learning JavaScript” series, to discuss a major secret in email marketing. I call it “Single Theme to Right Audience.”

The idea is this; when you send out your blast emails, make sure you’re sending the value that your recipients opted-in for. Now, for some businesses, that’s simple. Say you sell electronic widgets (sorry, couldn’t help myself) and people opted-in for deals on electronic widgets. As long as you give them electronic widgets, whether their blue, green, etc., they’ll likely be happy.

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There are three types of data in JavaScript:

• Number
• String
• Boolean

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JavaScript Identifiers are names; names that you give things in JavaScript. These JavaScript “things” include

• variables
• functions
• objects
• properties
• methods
• events

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JavaScript statements are the core building block for anything JavaScript. A JavaScript statement is merely an instruction, telling your JavaScript what to do. Here are some examples of basic JavaScript statements:

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Before you write your Javascript, you have to know how best to incorporate it into your pages. Officially, there are three methods.

• In-line
• Embedded
• External

Inline “was” one of the more popular methods of including JavaScript on a page. However, in keeping the web standards approach in mind (seperation of content, design & functionality), we’ll focus on the last two.

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Things come easy, things come difficult.

For the past 17+ years, I’ve created websites. HTML, XHTML, HTML5, CSS, CSS3, you name it, I’ve done it. I’ve even used Flash, JavaScript and jQuery to enhance my sites. Again, I’ve used JavaScript & jQuery, but I haven’t known it up to this point.

I’ve spent over a decade trying to grasp it; each time, it would elude me and/or I’d become distracted by something more digestible. With the JavaScript renaissance (the advent of JavaScript libraries, AJAX, and all the other developer toys), JavaScript and related libraries have become a requirement in the front-end developer’s tool belt. And overnight, I was behind the ball instead of alongside or in front. So this year, I’ve made it a priority to not only learn, but know JavaScript. I don’t want nor need to be an expert (as I’m heading down a UX track). But I have to know it, create it, manipulate it.

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WordCamp Chicago

I just returned from attending a web-related event, WordCamp Chicago. It reminded me how valuable these type of events are. Not only for the formal presentations, but also for the networking and connecting with like-minded people with similar interests.

There are a few excuses I frequently hear for not being able to attend a web event; money and time.

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There’s two things that befuddle me (well, there are more, but I digress…). Job titles in the web/internet industry and Twitter.

I love Twitter. I primarily use Twitter to follow my mentors and peers in the web/Internet industry. One thing though that frustrates me to no end is that lack of dialog, discussion. I’m also frustrated by the lack of engagement when I post items/questions of interest. I’ll eventually figure that out. But discussion on Twitter is lacking. Sharing online resources and Instagrams is hot, but not opinions and discussions (@mollydotcom, excluding you for now, but you’re my fav).

This was true until this morning. A fantastic thread started between Andy Budd (@andybudd) and Mark Bouton (@markbouton), then spread to a few other luminaries in the web design and user experience industries. For now, I’ll leave them nameless. Below, I’ve attempted to capture the thread in its entirety for posterity, awareness and a note on how a proper debate should be handled. Apologies in advance for any inaccuracies/order discrepancies. Maybe our politicians should consider Twitter during the upcoming campaign. Keep rebuttals down to 140 characters … HA!

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I previously wrote about an experience where a restaurant forced me to visit their website for their menu, only to discover that their website (including their menu) were in Flash.

Recently, I again had the need to lookup a restaurants menu online, via a mobile device. This time, the menu was in PDF format, making me traverse virtual hoops to see what the restaurant offered. Why do restaurants make it so hard to obtain information?

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I recently searched the web for some deals on a new product I had tried out. Visiting the manufacturer’s website, I discovered a coupon offering decent savings. You had to provide your contact information, which for me was a decent exchange for the coupon’s value. I completed the form and submitted it.

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— “Put the cart before the horse.”

Why do website owner’s do this? All the time? They come up with a great website element or feature. Then, they build the site around it. But they forget the primary reason for the site. The goal. Increase sales. Sell books. Increase downloads of brochures. They’ll all agree that these are the reasons they wanted a website in the first place.

Then why is the goofy menu, or the tacky videos the focus?

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It’s been a while since I last posted to the blog here. A lot of things have happened in my live, both professionally and personally. I’ll cover the professional here.

In June, I started a contract gig at United Airlines as a HTML Developer. Hands-on, indeed. It has been an adventure and a great experience. Although I don’t yet write my own JavaScript, I’ve been engaged in working with JavaScript, calling on the expertise of others. I’ve actually written and worked with JSP more than JavaScript. This, from a front-end guy.

It has, although, placed my on an emotional roller coaster. A good chunk of it relates to my lack of control; being able to handle certain tasks on my own. And there’s the “things” that just drive you nuts (nope, won’t go into it).

When this gig is over, I will be a better web professional. Stay tuned. I promise to be more prolific with my writing soon.

This project was not so much a redesign as a refresh of the site’s current design. The original design was flat & dated. The initial view of the site was a Flash-based animation, followed by a redirect to the About page which contained information on the organization, PDF newsletters and the club’s board members, not hardly the primary interest when the club’s goal was to promote activities, events and membership.  

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Google recent released a change to its search engine results page. While the change is subtle, one of the new features is a handy, easy to access tool for performing keyword research for optimizing your web site for the search engines.

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Search engine optimization is an ongoing task that covers a variety of aspects of your website. One item of note is the relevancy of your landing pages. I’m not referring to search engine ranking, but meeting the expectation of site visitors when they first arrive on your site.

Here’s an exercise that can improve your website’s landing pages. The article assumes you have your site hooked up to Google Analytics. If not, stop reading, register the site and install the code.

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I’ve done several presentations in my time. They tend to be text heavy, as I want the presentation to have value long after I’ve delivered it.

In the last several years, there’s been a trend in the Internet community to give presentations where primarily supportive imagery is displayed on the slide, while the presenter talks through the points he/she wishes to communicate. This is great for during the presentation. However, after the event, when a presentation is posted for all to view online, there’s only frustration when the viewer cannot obtain the “message.” Just read the comments of frustration from many of the presentations from SXSW.

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Late last year, I wanted to verify thoughts I had on web design and the industry, specifically related to the web design process. I tapped my network at LinkedIn to poll. The results are definitely not scientific, as the questions were polled at different times, with different responders. Consider this just a quick check into the industry, not an all encompassing survey, like A List Apart’s Web Design Survey.

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