Another monthly update where I explain what happened with Xdebug development in this past month. These will be published on the first Tuesday after the 5th of each month.
Patreon and GitHub supporters will get it earlier, on the first of each month.
I am currently looking for more funding, especially now some companies have dropped out, and that GitHub sponsors is no longer matching supporters.
After about a year and a half after starting with this massive undertaking, it is finally ready. I released it the day before PHP 8 came out. Of course Xdebug 3 also supports PHP 8. It however drops support for PHP 7.1 as per the support policy.
As is custom with a x.0.0 release, a few bugs did occur. I am currently working at addressing then. I plan to release bug release versions weekly throughout December, as long as it makes sense to do so.
Xdebug 3 should be a lot faster, as it is a lot more clever on when it hooks into things it needs to do. That does come with changes as to how Xdebug needs to be configured. Xdebug 3's upgrade guide lists all the changes.
I will be recording some videos about the ideas behind the changes, and how to use Xdebug 3. I am also playing with the idea of hosting "Office Hours" for an hour a week where users can drop-in with questions and problems. If that is something that you're interested in, please let me know.
Xdebug Cloud
I have been continuing to test Xdebug Cloud, and I am working with a few private alpha testers. They're putting the hosted Cloud service to its paces with the latest PhpStorm 2020.3 release candidate. As I suspected, the alpha testers found some minor issues which I will be addressing during December.
The web site for Xdebug Cloud does not have a design yet, but this is coming this month as well.
If you want to be kept up to date with Xdebug Cloud, please sign up to the mailinglist, which I will use to send out an update not more than once a month.
A new emulator has been added to the
Free Atari Emulators page. The Atari
referred to here was a series of personal computers sold in the early days of computing, and is fondly remembered by those used it then.
This software emulates an Atari Falcon (among others), and lets you run your old Atari programs on a modern computer.
All released this year, each of these free web-based apps offers a time-saving solution to many of the web design tasks you will need to perform from time to time. Without ever having to install anything, all you have to do is bookmark and save them for that day when they will be called upon.
Some of these tiny time-savers will help you to better manage your SVG icon collections, organize code snippets, randomnly create profile pictures, generate CSS animations, or even translate CSS selectors into plain English. Whatever the web design time-saver you’re looking for, the chances are you will find it here.
I wanted to create a video that is a 3x2 grid of 6 other videos. This one to be precise:
I was hoping I can use ffmpeg, because the thought of using a proper video editing software gives me the chills. In fact at some point I thought things will require iMovie and went to install it. But it required OS update. Screw that! FFMPEG it is.
Turns out there's more than one way to skin that particular cat. One is using xstack filter
I'm no ffmpeg expert so I cannot afford the luxury of even pretending to begin to explain this syntax. But it works!
Side note: video editing with Reaper
How do I trim and time-align video without a video editor? I use my music editing software Reaper (unlimitted trial, $60 otherwise). I record the audio in Reaper and the video on an oldish iPhone. Then I drop the video in Reaper and cut it as regular audio file. And visually align the waveforms from the audio recording and the video. Then turn down the volume of the video.
For small and medium-sized organizations, content is usually the trickiest part of putting together a website. That often results in it being the one thing web designers are left waiting for when trying to finish off a project. Even if the overall design and functionality are a go, a lack of content halts progress.
Over the years, I’ve found myself asking why this is such a challenge. But after seeing it time and again, a few things have become clear.
First, clients are generally not content creators. Most don’t sit there and write on a daily basis. Therefore, they don’t necessarily know what to say. Or, even if they have some talking points, they might struggle in articulating them.
Then there is also the obstacle of time. People who are busy running their business or non-profit may simply have trouble finding a few hours to concentrate on writing. Content strategy takes a back seat to other tasks.
This presents an opportunity for web designers to come in and save the day. With a little help, we can get the processes of creating and organizing content moving in the right direction.
Here are a few ways you can help your clients with their website content strategy.
The Web Designer Toolbox
Unlimited Downloads: 1,000,000+ Web Templates, Themes, Plugins, Design Assets, and much more!
If you’re redesigning or completely rebuilding an existing website, some of the hard work may be done for you. You can look to that content for clues regarding what’s important.
Even if that existing content is messy, it can still be useful. Search out the key selling points and discuss them with your client. Present them as a means to achieve their goals for the project.
Each organization will have their own unique message to share. An eCommerce shop, for example, may want to talk about their attention to detail when it comes to customer service. Meanwhile, a medical practice will want to concentrate on their expert staff and specialties. This type of information can prove vital in content creation.
The goal is to help your client to narrow their focus. Having a better understanding of the task at hand can provide them with confidence. They’ll be better positioned to produce compelling content.
Provide Visual Guidance
Another way to help clients develop a successful content strategy is through visualization. We do this by providing templates or prototypes that outline the various sections of a page.
This offers an immediate form of guidance that your client can reference when writing. They’ll have a better idea as to the desired length of content, along with how to make it easy to digest. It takes a lot of guesswork out of the process.
Of course, they may not exactly stick to the standards you’ve set. But that’s not the point. It’s more about getting them to think in terms of how that content will be seen by users. Even if they’re not initially thrilled with the mockup, you can work together on finding the right balance.
Another side benefit is that this trains clients to take a more consistent approach. In practice, this means that although the content may change from page to page, the format doesn’t. Users won’t be treated to succinct descriptions on the Services page while being expected to read a meandering, 20-paragraph opus on the About Us page.
By providing visual guidance, clients can simply fill in the blanks. It’s more efficient and less stressful.
Promote Common Sense and Ease-of-Use
When it comes to organizing content, things can get out of hand in a hurry. And they often become extreme.
Some clients may insist on cramming a massive amount of information onto a single page. Others could be just the opposite, with secondary pages that contain no more than a sentence or two. Neither of these strategies is likely to be a hit with users.
Thankfully, a little education can go a long way. When discussing content organization, focus on these fundamental questions:
How easy is it for users to navigate?
Is all the content on a particular page truly relevant?
What is the overall point of the content, and, is it obvious to the user?
Should a long page be split up into multiple sub-pages?
Are we missing any key information?
What’s best for SEO?
By asking these questions, you have the opportunity to fill your clients in on the finer points of a user-first approach. The answers should lead everyone in the right direction.
Write It Yourself
There are certain clients who may never become comfortable with writing and organizing content. Or they may just be unlikely to get around to doing the work. This is not only fine, but it’s also an opportunity for web designers.
By offering to write the content yourself, you will take some pressure off your clients – not to mention make some extra money. It could be a win-win situation.
You may find clients who are very happy to delegate this responsibility and pay you for it. In addition, it allows them to act in more of an editorial role. They can review what you’ve done and then collaborate with you to make the content the best it can be.
However, your work will likely be better received if you put in that initial research. As mentioned above, have a discussion about the most important messaging points. This will ensure a smoother process and better end result.
A Proactive Approach to Content Strategy
As with other areas of web design, being proactive with content is often key to a successful project. Keep in mind that your clients are most likely looking to you for some guidance. Therefore, your expertise and leadership may be just what they need to move forward with confidence.
And, just maybe, it means you won’t have to wait around nearly as long for that content to arrive.
A Question and Answer period with pre-recorded videos will follow State of the Word. To take part, record a video of you asking your question to Matt on your computer or phone (landscape format, please). Don’t forget to include your name and how you use WordPress! Try to keep your video to under a minute so Matt can answer as many questions as possible.
