Well turns out the CSS code given before doesn’t work with IE. The problem with IE that I could figure so far is that it needs to have local src.

@font-face { font-family: 'MyFont'; src: url('fonts/MyFont.eot'); src: local('My Font'), local('MyFont'), url('fonts/MyFont.ttf') format('truetype'); }

Without the “local” font-face won’t work in IE.

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I’m working on a client website that requires a custom font on the navigation menu’s and headers. The font came in the old Apple format, PostScript type. The easiest way to use this would be using sIFR or Cufon. But I am partial to those methods due that they require Flash and/or JavaScript.

To use font-face I need a TrueType(.ttf) file for Gecko and Webkit browers and Embedded OpenType(.eot) for Internet Explorer.

First thing I did was a Google search to find out how to convert PostScript type font. This can be done by opening your Terminal, navigate to the location of the font you want to convert and run the following command: cat "MyFont/..namedfork/rsrc" > "MyFont.dfont"

This will convert the PostScript to dfont.

Through Googling I found a free online converter where you can upload your dfont file and convert it to TrueType(.ttf). You can convert to eot. also but the file it generated didn’t work for me. Instead I used the command line tool TTF2EOT I found via Jonathan Snook’s Font Embed article.

So now I had a .ttf and an eot. file. Next was a working CSS. I used the following CSS code:

@font-face { font-family: 'MyFont'; src: url('fonts/MyFont.eot'); src: url('fonts/MyFont.ttf') format('truetype'); }wrong code, see above update

Good practice shows you have to use the local: method too in case users have the font on their computer. But in this case the chance is of that is neglect able. So I opted to keep the code to a minimum.

The simplicity of font-face makes me really want there to be a license solution for web fonts that doesn’t require an intermediate. I’m not a browser tech, but of if there could be a way to to protect the font files from direct download or an encryption method, that already would go a long way to protecting licensed fonts.

But as long as there isn’t I will use free fonts and in commercial situations Typekit will have to do, that is if they have the font in their library.

Support is something difficult to guarantee, it depends who handles your support more then what the company promises. When I send in a support ticket I always make sure to specify the problem, what I already tried to do to fix it, etc. So it’s obvious that I know my stuff. Yet a lot of time I get replies assuming I’m a noob.

In any case I just wanted full control and want to provide the same for others. So together with someone else we got a dv server(rage) from Media Temple. Yesterday it went online so this week when my new website design is done I’ll be moving this weblog to its new home.

The price range for the packages is based on the market on Aruba and the Netherlands. Also it’s not the intention to stuff the server full with websites risking it to random sites slowing it down or affecting it in any other way. I’ll be doing the support myself together with my server partner. Also I’ll be focusing on clients with no tech knowledge so I’m the one who will be doing the basic things like creating databases, emails, etc.

So in account of all the above I came with Storage Nine. I think of it of web hosting services with a personal touch. In any case it will be for website clients I already have, and small to middle business who need website or/and an email server.

And as an extra because Google tells me a lot of people look for it: a specific package to host your Feed a Fever app. I run my own Fever install on the server and it runs well, it passed the compatibility test without problems. I’ll be doing a write up shortly about how I moved my installation from one host to the other.

So to sum it up I’ll continue my freelance services and now web hosting under Storage Nine.

So I did what usually delivers my best design, I started from a photo. I used the sky color for the background, and other hues of blue for the text. Then I tried a contrasting color, I wanted green first but wasn’t real happy with it and then I decided why not yellow. You don’t see a lot of yellow on websites.

For the bold text I went with Courier New, because it is the same font the text of my tattoo is in. And Helvetica for the smaller text. Because Helvetica is cool. And white was just the logical color to go with.

Considering I was keeping graphics at a minimum I still wanted some nice effects, enter CSS3. Here is where CSS3.info came in handy. I know IE7 and lesser don’t support it but I don’t even care for IE6 in connection with my personal website, I leave that headache for work. And people who have IE7 are way more likely to upgrade to IE8.

For the Twitter status and Flickr preview I’m using Garrett Murray’s js_twitter_flickr. He also uses some CSS3 selectors like text-overflow: ellipsis;

Hopefully now with IE8 being released the likes of Dan Cederholm, Andy Budd and Eric Meyer will release books fully dedicated to CSS3. That’s is if they haven’t already, I have to check Amazon for the latest. Meanwhile I’m anciously waiting for A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web to be delivered.

But summing up, after a year and 4 months I have a fresh new design, in my favorite color blue. The WordPress template is clean and validates. Which I couldn’t say of the previous template.

I was always aware my own weblog isn’t the best usability wise, but then my weblog is not focused in making money or providing valuable information. It’s my personal playground and outlet on the internet. But now that I’m working to better my usability knowledge I’m thinking about a new design more user focused…it’s just I quite like my current design.

I recently also purchased Five Simple Steps by Mark Boulton.

A simple approach to applying graphic design to modern web design.

I read the first two chapters and it promises to be a good read. I’m not completly inept at designing but I’m more of a coder. So I hope this book will give me some new insight on how to aproach design. While I do like that I’m able to do both design(at certain level) and code(front and server side). Sometimes it would be great if I could be a guru on one of them. But I’m more a jack of all master of none. But I have nothing to complain considering it was in year 2000 that I learned what HTML is, seems like ages ago.

Reading these books also made me think, why there isn’t any book in those format available for SQL. What I have seen a few times in the field is that lots of people are real strong at PHP or ASP. But the the databases lacks a lot. If it wasn’t for college I wouldn’t be good at databases at all. But there we had written and practice exam on relational databases and SQL. It was a prety hard course which forced me to really delve into it.

So now out of habit I will spend a few hours mapping out a database, thinking of all possible relations and possible sitauations. This way I minimize the chance of having to rehaul the database if a script is adjusted dramatically in the future. But on SQL queries a book would be handy, with real life examples using apps like WordPress, or some other popular application.

I’ll be keeping an eye out for more useful books like these. Like “Don’t make me think” has been out for years already and just now came to my attention how such a good book it is. So sometimes the good ones slip under the radar. If you know any book I might like let me know.

My idea was for the 11 things guide to be short and to the point. I’m not trying to write a book or a paper. After brainstorming on and off and consulting a friend I came up with 11 strong and important points. Take note that these are my ideas based on experience and common knowledge. It was written for business owners or people who want to get a website done by a web designer.

Get your copy of 11 things about websites, A guide for business owners.

I just finished this version, no one has proof read it or checked the 11 points. So consider this more like a concept. If you have suggestions, comment or anything let me know. There is always room for improvement.

11 thing about websites A guide for business owners

1. A website is a composition consisting of fonts, colors, images and layout that match. This is all pulled together to enhance the most important element of a website, it’s content.

2. Good websites are hand coded by web designers. Using an editor like Frontpage or Publisher is a huge No No. See also point 10

3. It takes time to create quality website. Approach a web designer on time to allow for good planning.

4. Flash intros don’t improve your business. Most users will hit the ‘skip’ button right away. Flash websites don’t equal ‘easy to update’. Flash is useful for theme websites, a good example is www.jkrowling.com website of ‘Harry Potter’ author.

5. Requesting a design change after the website is done requires time. The design has to go back to the ‘design table’ and the websites re-coded. See also point 3

6. A clean coded website and good use of keywords is more effective to search engines then an expensive search engine booster. By good use of keywords meaning max 5 words. A clean coded site and good use of content is a must for a good ranking.

7. Copying a design or content from other websites without permission is against copyright. Each company has to provide its own product/service description.

8. Without content you don’t have a website. A web designer needs content to provide a fitting design and to deliver a complete website.

9. You get what you deliver. The web designer is not responsible for errors in the content delivered by the company; this is the company’s responsibility.

10. Having a non-web designer modifying the website with editors such as Frontpage or Publisher will break the design and code. With consequence that your website will not be displayed correctly in all browsers and computer platforms.

11. Know what you want before hiring a web designer. This will save you both time and money.

Update 1 – 22/06/2005

The updated version of 11 things about websites, A guide for business owners is up for grabs. You can publish it on your own website or somewhere else as long as you put the source.

For formality I have licensed it: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License You can find this back in the meta data.

Thanks to those who posted and e-mailed suggestions and helped in other ways.