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Archives for the August 2009

Django ManyToMany

One thing that I think is important when it comes to a CMS, is that the CMS be very user friendly. That means that every little thing counts when it comes to the layout and how each of the data elements fit together. We all know that the Django developers have provided us with a great out-of-the-box solution for entering data in the Django admin. However there is one piece that I'm not to thrilled about, and that's the ManyToMany field.

The ManyToMany field is a great feature, and having the ability to add a new relationship from another models interface, is pretty slick, but I'm not to wild about how long lists are managed.

Posted: Monday, August 31, 2009

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Small Update

For those that are following along at home, I've updated the blog so that there is a an ever present listing of links that I find important/inspiring/useful/fun/etc. On the Sidebar you will find "Links" which is my way of managing those urls that I find ...

Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2009

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Be Your Own Boss

Recently I was asked by a friend of mine to discuss with a client of his, the moment I knew that I wanted to start my own company and not work for someone else. As hard as that question may seem to answer, for me it was rather easy. I didn't start my own business because I wanted to be rich, nope not even close. I started doing my own thing because I wanted to do things that I thought were interesting. I've done the startup thing and it was fun, and I've done the big company things, and it too had it's advantages. However, neither has been as rewarding as owning my own small agency.

With that said, that isn't the object of this post. As I sat down with my "new friend", I discovered that I had been through a lot of trials and tribulations while going out on my own, and that I owed it to those that actually ready my posts to share with them the highs and lows of such an adventure. Setting sail on your own adventure in web development can be an exciting and scary all at the same time, but what I hope to share with you over the next few posts is how I did it and how my experiences may help you. As with anything here, your mileage may vary, and I welcome hearing your comments on whether you've had the same experiences.

Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009

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Changing the Django Admin

Yesterday I was giving a demo of Django and I got a question that I normally don't get. The question was simple enough, "How did you get the admin to look like that?". Pretty simple question, and one I never really thought to much about. I just kinda do it for each client, meaning that I brand the admin specifically to the clients needs. So what I've decided to do today is explain how I do the most simple branding of all. Change the log in screen and the website name at the top of the admin. In addition to that I'm going to change the color of the admin as well. The nice green and yellow is nice, but I've yet to be at a client where those were the chosen colors.

Posted: Saturday, August 22, 2009

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I'm in the News

Ok, I might not "actually" be in the news, but I have been commissioned to build a news site with all the bells and whistles that one might expect from a major online publication. This particular project has some really interesting and unique aspects to it that immediately got my creative mind working. Like anyone when you decide to become a freelancer, you're painfully aware that you're only as good as the last paying project. So if this puppy fails, I probably wont see any additional revenue from them, nor will I have the chance to explore exciting new projects. But, the current project is something that I think i can turn into something very cool and hit every one of their requirements on the head. In addition to that there are some bonuses that I can throw in to make sure they are setup for enhancements in the future.

Posted: Thursday, August 20, 2009

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Some Good CSS Frameworks

As I stated in my last post, it's come to my attention that one of the most tedious parts of any new project, is the creation of pieces that are included in every project. For me that's usually some "template" or starting point for a design. Yes, it's true that not all designs are the same, but most leverage some common starting points.

While redesigning the Worthless Stuff site, I decided to take a larger look at some very popular CSS frameworks and see how they might help my workflow. There are plenty of posts on various blogs that boast about each and everyone of these frameworks. Keep in mind this is my opinion for the type of websites I design, however using these as a starting point can dramatically decrease the amount of time you spend creating structure, type, and layout.

Posted: Monday, August 03, 2009

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Worthless Stuff

A long time ago in a web design job far far away, I created a website that was just going to be for my personal musing. I basically needed a place to post the things that I find interesting and unique. You know those stories that you just have to send a list of friends via email with your anecdote attached to it.

Right, one of those sites. So I created such a site, and called it Worthless Stuff. I didn't get any more basic than that, it was just worthless stuff that wouldn't enhance your life any. I guess it kinda went really well with my Cynical Tees site. Hmm, maybe that makes me a cynic?

Posted: Saturday, August 01, 2009

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