Tiffany B. Brown » Tech Events

XHR2 + CORS Slides, some AppCache-fu, OpenWebCamp, and Opera News

tiffany — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 01:00:49 +0000

For the June meeting of the HTML5 & CSS3 LA User Group, I spoke about XMLHttpRequest, Level 2 and Cross-Origin Resource Sharing headers. It’s always tough to present code. That goes double when you are sleep deprived, yet caffeinated and tongue-tied.

In any case, the slides — which is really just one really long, really heavy HTML file with inline CSS, JS, and images (thanks, data URIs!) — are now available.

Data URIs have been available for quite a while now, though Internet Explorer versions 5-7 don’t support them. They are string representations of file data, typically base-64 encoded. When used as an img or url() source, they reduce the number of HTTP requests. And as we know, making fewer HTTP requests is the number 1 rule of web site optimization … except y’know when it creates a 1.8MB HTML file .

It’s simple enough to convert files to a base64 encoded string with a few lines of code. Let’s assume we want to convert a file named “cars.png.” In PHP it might looks like this:

$filename = 'cars.png';
$ext = pathinfo($filename,PATHINFO_EXTENSION);
switch($ext){
     case 'gif':
          $type = 'image/gif';
          break;
     case 'png':
          $type = 'image/png';
          break;
     case 'jpeg':
          $type = 'image/jpeg';
          break;
}
$fileHandler = fopen($filename,"r");
$data = fread($fileHandler, filesize($filename));
print 'data:'.$type.';base64,'.base64_encode($data);

Despite the ginormous HTML file, I still think it’s useful for it to be a single-file package. After all, you only have to save and keep track of that one HTML file.

Application Cache

Bonus: you can view it offline because I took advantage of Application Cache.

Application Cache is an awesome technique that can speed up load times by caching data locally. But it also ensures that if connectivity is lost or unavailable, you can still visit that URL and have access to the content. This assumes, of course, that you’re using a browser that supports AppCache. The latest versions of most major browsers, including Opera 11+, do.

Application Cache is also quite simple — at least the basics of it are. First, add a manifest attribute to your element.

Then create a manifest file. It’s a simple, plain text file that must be sent with a Content-type: text/cache-manifest header. Typically the file name should have an .appcache extension, though it will work (for now, at least) if it’s named foo.manifest provided you send the correct content type header.

A basic manifest — the one I’ve used for the slides in fact — looks like this:

CACHE MANIFEST

CACHE:
index.html

That’s it. We have told our browser to cache this page. You can also specify which files the browser should always retrieve from the server with NETWORK, or which files to use if you need to fall back. It’s fascinating stuff. For more, check out HTML5 Doctor’s post, Go offline with application cache.

I’ll be at Open Web Camp!

I’ll be speaking more about AppCache and other things at Open Web Camp July 16 at Stanford University in Palo Alto. Come say hi.

Opera news, in case you missed it:

Opera 11.50 was released Tuesday
Opera Mini 6.1 and Opera Mobile 11.1 were released yesterday (6/29)

I’m most excited that the Opera Mobile rendering engine is now running Presto 2.8 which means it now supports multi-layouts (we run on tablets too!), session history and navigation, and the File API (among other things).

UPDATED: Atlanta, GA: PHP Atlanta “Join-Fu: The Art of SQL”

tiffany — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:33:43 +0000

This meeting has been rescheduled to Thursday, August 14th at 7 p.m.

Jay Pipes of MySQL AB and co-author of Pro MySQL, comes to Atlanta this month to present “Join-Fu: The Art of SQL.”

I’ve seen Pipes speak before, and his presentation was incredibly informative. If you do a lot of development with MySQL, you should definitely attend.

Event details

When: Thursday, August 14th, 2008 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Where: Consulate General of Canada 17th floor Colony Square (see the concierge for access)
How much?: Free to attend.
More information

Jay Pipes’s Slides for Join-Fu: The Art of SQL (I and II) (I do not know whether this will be the same talk as the one Pipes will give next month.)
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Atlanta, GA: php|works and PyWorks

tiffany — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:49:48 +0000

Marco Tabini & Associates, publishers of PHP Architect and Python Magazine are bringing their php|works conference back to Atlanta this fall, November 12th through 14th, 2008.

This year, though, the conference has an added bonus: PyWorks, a conference devoted to Python. Registering for one conference allows you to attend both.

Both conferences have an open call for papers, which ends July 25, 2008. Registration costs $599 (discounts are available).

RSS: Tech Events

Atlanta, Ga: php|works 2007

tiffany — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:39:13 +0000

Local PHP geeks rejoice! php|works 2007 is happening in our neck of the woods in about a month. Speakers include Atlanta PHP founder Ben Ramsey, PHP guru Sara Goleman and security expert Chris Shiflett.

Event details

When: Sept 13 – 14, 2007
Where: Sheraton Gateway Hotel
How much: US$650 and $200 for the tutorial add-on. Discounts available for students, non-profits, educators and groups
More info

Related entries

Dallas, TX: Webmaster Jam Session

tiffany — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 19:03:02 +0000

Get up to speed on web standards and design techniques with some of the industry’s top names. Just based on the speaker list, this could be the web conference to attend if you can’t make it to South by Southwest next March.

Speakers include Molly Holzschlag, Garrett Dimon, Stephanie Sullivan, and Jared Spool. It’s really a top-notch list.

Event details

Where: Adam’s Mark Hotel and Resort, 400 North Olive Street, Dallas, TX 75201 (map)
When: September 20th and 21st, 2007
How much: $199 for an attendee badge; $399 for a platinum badge with access to special sessions

New York City: Future of Web Design

tiffany — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:00:58 +0000

UK-based Carson Systems brings its Future of Web Design conference to the Big Apple this fall.

~~Details are thin at this point, but registration begins July 5, 2007. I’ll update this page as more information becomes available.~~

Confirmed speakers include Jina Bolton, Andy Clarke, Jeffrey Zeldman, and Brian Fling. And that’s the short list. The entire roster is pretty bad-ass.

It’s being held at the Javits Convention Center which has some pretty cool views of the Hudson River.

Event details

When: November 7th and 8th, 2007
Where: Javits Center, 655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001 [map]
How much: $195 for the conference. $595 for the conference and workshops. Early bird discounts are available.

Boston, MA: Flashforward 2007

tiffany — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:10:28 +0000

Flash and ActionScript heads listen up: This year’s Flashforward conference will be held in Boston in the fall.

Speakers include John Maeda of of the MIT Media Lab and Craig Swann of CRASH!MEDIA. Session topics will include ActionScript 3.0, Flex and Designing with Sound.

Flashforward is produced by Lynda.com events.

Event details

When: September 19th through 21st, 2007
Where: Marriott Copley Place, Boston Massachusetts
How much: $899 – $1299 depending on when you register and which package you choose. Exhibits and Film Festival-only admission is $50.

Burlingame, CA: Zend / PHP Conference 2007

tiffany — Wed, 16 May 2007 08:00:37 +0000

The conference is now in its “Call for Papers” stage (proposals are due May 31). But it should feature a strong lineup of PHP industry experts. I will update this post ass more information becomes available, or you can follow the conference web site for details.

When: October 8 – 11, 2007
Where: Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, 1333 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA 94010 [map]
How much: $795 for previous conference attendees; Early registration: $895 (before August 15, 2007); Regular registration: $1,295; Onsite: $1,395

Santa Clara, CA: AJAXWorld Conference & Expo

tiffany — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:00:50 +0000

Three days of Ajax development and nerdery. Featuring keynotes by Brad Adams of Microsoft and JSON creator Douglas Crockford. Session speakers include FutureText founder Ajit Jaokar, Steve Rubel, Yahoo! front-end guru Eric Miraglia, and web developer / educator Molly Holzschlag.

When: September 24 – 26, 2007
Where: Santa Clara, CA (a more specific locale is forthcoming)
How much: US$1,395 before April 25; $1,495 before May 25; $1595 before July 25; $1695 on site. Also developer bootcamps for an additional fee.
More information

Atlanta, GA: ApacheCon US 2007

tiffany — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:48:23 +0000

ApacheCon US will be in Atlanta from November 12 – 16, 2007 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza.

As of April 27, the conference is seeking papers. Topics include:

Apache HTTP server
Apache Software Foundation projects and incubated projects such as Jakarta, SpamAssassin and Roller
Dynamic content and scripting, including Python and PHP
Security and e-commerce
Performance and availability
Web services and web 2.0

More information forthcoming.

Atlanta, GA: AiMA Search Engine Marketing panel

tiffany — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 05:43:45 +0000

This is one of the more popular sessions of the AiMA calendar: Search Engine Marketing. Panelists will discuss what works, what doesn’t, and what’s changing in the world of search engine marketing and optimization.

No word just yet on who is speaking, but AiMA is usually pretty good at picking first-rate speakers. Plus they serve wine and beer during the networking sessions. I’ll update this post as details become available.

Event details

Where: Georgia Tech’s GLCC, 84 5th St, NW, Atlanta, GA
When: Wednesday, February 28, 2007, 6:30 p.m.
How much: Usually it’s $25 for non-members and $15 for members
More info

San Francisco: @media 2007 – America

tiffany — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:01:16 +0000

The @media conference has grown from being a U. K. thing to a world-wide thing. This year, they’re doing three sessions in San Francisco, Hong Kong and in the conference’s hometown of London.

The S. F. conference will include presentations by Tantek Çelik, Dan Cederholm, Jesse James Garrett, Molly Holzschlag, and Cameron Moll (check out the full speaker list). Sessions will cover Ajax, usability, accessibility and other web development goodness.

Event details

When: May 24th through May 25th, 2007
Where: Argent Hotel, 50 Third Street, San Francisco, CA [map]
How much: $795 (Early bird rate; conference only. Conference and hotel packages available)

Portland, Oregon: RailsConf 2007

tiffany — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 09:00:05 +0000

Ruby Central and O’Reilly have teamed up for RailsConf 2007, a conference all about the Ruby on Rails framework. It promises to offer sessions for beginners through experts, with lots of networking opportunities mixed in.

At this point, the conference is accepting proposals (deadline: November 27, 2006). I’ll update this post when more details are available.

Event details

When: Thursday, May 17 through Sunday, May 20, 2007
Where: Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon (map)
How much: To be announced

Chicago, Illinois: php|tek 2007

tiffany — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:00:50 +0000

Details for php|tek are finally up. Speakers include PHP heavyweights Wez Furlong, Ilia Alshanetsk, and John Coggeshall. Jay Pipes of MySQL is also set to present.

Topics for talks include security, enhancing MySQL performance, debugging tools and design patterns. Sounds like a winner to me.

~~The conference is, however, accepting papers through November 20, 2006. I’ll update this page as more details are announced.~~

Event details

When: May 16 through May 18, 2007
Where: Hyatt Regency O’Hare, 9300 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, Illinois
How much: US$749 (discounts available for education and non-profit attendees); Tutorial Day is another US$239

San Francisco: Web 2.0 Expo

tiffany — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:01:46 +0000

O’Reilly’s Web 2.0 Expo promises to be the first event specifically designed to help teach Web 2.0 techniques and best practices to people in the trenches directly involved in the design, development, engineering, marketing, and business of second-generation internet technology.

Note that this is a separate, “companion event” to the Web 2.0 Conference, which is happening November 7 through 9, 2006 (it’s sold out).

At this point, the conference is seeking proposals (deadline: November 10, 2006). Registration isn’t yet open.

Planned tracks include:

Web 2.0 Fundamentals
Web 2.0 Services and Platforms
Marketing and Community
Design and User Experience
Strategy and Business Models
Products and Services

Event details

When: Sunday, April 15 through Thursday, April 18, 2007
Where: Moscone West, San Francisco, California
How much: No word just yet. Stay tuned.

Tiffany B. Brown » Tech Events

XHR2 + CORS Slides, some AppCache-fu, OpenWebCamp, and Opera News

Application Cache

I’ll be at Open Web Camp!

Opera news, in case you missed it:

UPDATED: Atlanta, GA: PHP Atlanta “Join-Fu: The Art of SQL”

Event details

Related:

Atlanta, GA: php|works and PyWorks

Atlanta, Ga: php|works 2007

Event details

Related entries

Dallas, TX: Webmaster Jam Session

Event details

Other upcoming conferences

New York City: Future of Web Design

Event details

Boston, MA: Flashforward 2007

Event details

Burlingame, CA: Zend / PHP Conference 2007

Santa Clara, CA: AJAXWorld Conference & Expo

Atlanta, GA: ApacheCon US 2007

Atlanta, GA: AiMA Search Engine Marketing panel

Event details

San Francisco: @media 2007 – America

Event details

Portland, Oregon: RailsConf 2007

Event details

Chicago, Illinois: php|tek 2007

Event details

San Francisco: Web 2.0 Expo

Event details