Web Perspectives Sean G

Dan Stevenson, a seasoned instructor at SAIT, demystifies the complexities of web development. Dan emphasizes the significance of mastering fundamental web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while highlighting the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the face of evolving trends. He delves into the challenges of balancing innovation with accessibility and performance in web design, offering valuable insights and practical tips for aspiring and experienced web developers alike. The discussion further explores the role of AI in web development, the advantages and disadvantages of using frameworks, and the crucial role of soft skills in career success.



Links:


SAIT Interactive Design - Web Design and Development Major
SAIT Student for a Day: https://www.sait.ca/programs-and-courses/student-for-a-day
Dan's website:https://danstephenson.ca
Dan's podcast: Fireside chat: https://www.firesidechat.ca/

What is web accessibility, and why does it matter? Daryl Suttie, accessibility enthusiast, answers our questions about accessibility gotchas and illustrates how we can promote web accessibility and "sell" it to large software companies.

Timestamps


[00:01:00]: Daryl's Background
- Accidental accessibility specialist; held roles in design,
development, product management, QA; now advocates passionately for web
accessibility
[00:03:24]: Accessibility Laws and Regulations - Current state in Canada, US, Europe; accessibility becomes hotter topic in coming years
[00:06:49]: Accessibility Debt - Exceeds general technical debt; often unchecked upfront; much costlier to fix later than baking in from start
[00:09:00]: TV Remote Analogy - TV remote navigation parallels keyboard-only web browsing; relatable way to build empathy for these users
[00:18:00]: Screen Reader User Diversity
- Benefits many beyond blind users - those with low vision, dyslexia,
cognitive issues, distractibility; many lack power user skills
[00:35:53]: Manual Testing Importance - Value of manual accessibility checks, even quick tab review; catches issues automation misses; some manual testing critical
[00:41:19]: Expanding Accessibility Knowledge - How to stay updated on best accessibility practices; constant learning curve even for experts
[00:51:07]: Growing Accessibility Demand - Increased demand predicted as more jurisdictions tighten regulations; uptick in RFPs requiring accessibility
[00:51:51]: Reach Out to Daryl
- Connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/darylsuttie for accessibility
questions, website audits, or to learn about his accessibility journey
[00:53:07]: Accessibility Barriers Unintentional - Most accessibility barriers stem from lack of awareness rather than malice; still problematic and important to address
[01:04:00]: Form Interactions and Accessibility
- Challenges with instant form submissions; separate actions for option
changes and form submission; avoid unexpected context shifts
[01:10:27]: Neglect of HTML Fundamentals - Developers often lack HTML knowledge; over-reliance on CSS and JS; semantic HTML benefits accessibility
[01:17:00]: Daryl's Journey into Accessibility - From early HTML dabbling to accessibility-focused roles; fueled by passion for inclusivity and better user experiences
[01:36:33]: Business Case for Accessibility - Opportunities in serving untapped user segments; competitive advantage; sticky users; millions with disabilities
[01:40:25]: Responding to Accessibility Pushback - Incremental improvements over perfection; celebrate small wins; 10% progress still meaningful; ratchet up gradually
[01:44:41]: Keeping Up with Evolving Standards - Continuous learning essential; even experts encounter knowledge gaps; importance of referencing latest documentation
[01:46:41]: Accessibility in B2B Contexts - Readiness to adapt if needed; quick wins possible with focused training; direct user feedback critical
[01:49:00]: Rising Frequency of Accessibility Requests
- Increasing RFPs with accessibility requirements, especially in public
sector; accessibility gaining visibility across industries

Links


Daryl Suttie LinkedIn
https://makeitfable.com/
https://inclusive.microsoft.design/
https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/developing-websites-accessibility-getting-started

Sub-sea cables make the internet possible today, but what about the data centres they connect to? Take a look inside the operations of what happens inside "colo" or "metro" centres that keep the internet fast and efficient via "peering". Coral Taylor Bliss of Equinix, which manages over 112 data centres worldwide, gives us the inside scoop on what it takes to run some of the world's most critical infrastructure.


Coral Taylor Bliss (LinkedIn)
Equinex Website

Timestamps:


00:01:36 - Introduction of guest Coral Bliss Taylor
00:02:23 - Coral talks about her background
00:03:09 - Overview of Equinix and its founding principles
00:04:21 - Explanation of internet peering
00:07:37 - Importance of physical internet infrastructure
00:08:06 - How internet infrastructure enables web development
00:13:25 - Difference between Equinix and public cloud providers
00:45:25 - Equinix's platform and how customers utilize it
00:57:08 - Cost comparisons between Equinix, owning your own data centers, and public clouds
01:02:35 - Equinix Fabric for connecting data centers and clouds
01:06:10 - Equinix's ecosystem of connected networks and services
01:07:41 - Internet connectivity challenges in some countries
01:13:01 - Impact of satellite internet like Starlink
01:14:29 - Excitement about AI and internet-enabled entrepreneurship
01:16:00 - Sustainability considerations with aggregated data centers
01:22:19 - Where to connect with Coral / Equinix

Kevin Powell gives out his #1 tip on learning and teaching CSS. How can you keep up to date with all the new CSS features coming? Should you still use Bootstrap? What about Tailwind? CSS in JS? How do you CSS in 2023?

Learn how Kevin got started with web development and teaching CSS. Hear his perspective on using frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind to learn. Get insights on the challenges beginners face when starting with CSS and how to overcome them.

Discover Kevin's approach to using CSS tools and frameworks in projects. Find out his tips for structuring HTML to support styles. Learn about semantic HTML and accessibility best practices.

Get the inside scoop on starting a YouTube channel, podcast, and online courses. Hear Kevin's pain points with CSS units and lack of colour mix support.


Kevin Powell on YouTube
Kevin Powell's Newsletter
Kevin Powell's Podcast
Kevin's Website

Timestamps


(00:04:04 - 00:07:04) How Kevin got started with web development and teaching it
(00:07:04 - 00:10:04) Kevin's experience using CSS frameworks like Bootstrap to learn
(00:10:04 - 00:15:04) The challenges of learning CSS for beginners
(00:15:04 - 00:18:04) Kevin's approach to using CSS frameworks and tools
(00:18:04 - 00:24:04) Building your own learning management system vs using a platform
(00:24:04 - 00:29:04) How to structure HTML to support styles
(00:29:04 - 00:35:04) Semantic HTML and accessibility practices
(00:35:04 - 00:44:04) Kevin's YouTube channel and creating content
(00:44:04 - 00:47:04) Starting a podcast and newsletters
(00:47:04 - 00:54:04) Making YouTube a full-time job
(00:54:04 - 01:02:04) Kevin's tips for CSS
(01:02:04 - end) Pain points with CSS units and lack of color mix suppor

AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, Azure... the list goes on. But how hard is it to migrate an existing tech stack to the cloud? Heman Tailor, director of IT at SCA Interactive, gives us the lowdown on the pros, cons, challenges of migrating his infrastructure from on-prem to AWS.

Josh Collinsworth wrote a blog post about why ReactJS is outdated and which technologies to try instead, and we wanted to learn more. Why has ReactJS remained the king of front-end frameworks, and what can we do about it? What about frameworks like Svelte, Vue, and Astro? View transitions API as per Astro along with some life advice on how to choose a front-end framework in your next project.


Josh Collinsworth on Mastadon
Fresh framework for Deno
Quina word game
Hondo word game
VueJS interactive demo
Pass the Pigs game
PWA builder
Tauri Rust framework