Date: 01/16/07 (Web Development)    Keywords: css, html, java, web, google

Hi, folks. I just found out that in roughly 26 hours, I'll have to interview someone for a job at my company. That is to say, I already have a job. We're hiring someone else to do more-or-less what I already do, which is JavaScript and AJAX web development. (I occasionally have to mess with HTML, CSS and images, but that's a secondary duty.)

I've tried a few Google searches involving words like "javascript" and "ajax" prepended to "interview questions" and gotten some pretty hideous results, so I thought I'd ask here: What do you think would be good questions to ask? What questions would you ask a prospective employee for such a position? Ideally, I want to be able to figure out:

1. Does this guy actually know his stuff, or has he padded his résumé?
   
2. What's his coding and architecture philosophy like? Aside from simply knowing JS, will he actually write good code, rather than some kludged-up mess?
   
3. Will he be good to work with?

javascript

Date: 01/18/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google, ebay

Google is helping to sell newspaper and radio ads, while eBay is building an online exchange for cable TV ads.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6151005.html

Date: 01/19/07 (Computer Geeks)    Keywords: google

Ok so I use both Firefox and Internet Explorer, I am currently trying to make my computer "kid-safe" so when the kids come to visit they can use my computer, unfortunately if they go to google and hit a particular letter they will see my previous searches, something I would much rather they didn't. I have gone to Internet Options and deleted the cookies and Temporary Internet Files, but these searches are still coming up in Google.
How do I make it so the Google page is like new, fresh and without those previous searches coming up in the search bar?

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computergeeks/1024813.html

Date: 01/22/07 (Java Web)    Keywords: microsoft, google

I am using Google Calendar, as an experiment, for my projects. I noticed 5 things, between unprintable curses, which make it seriously dysfunctional as an usable product. Inability to show details in longer than month view, a handy features in Microsoft Outlook. Fails to bring up event details in many occassions.The only thing you can do is [...]

Source: http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/5-things-i-dont-like-about-google-calendar/

Date: 01/23/07 (Computer Geeks)    Keywords: google

I sometimes read Cracked.com and I came across this article about working at google.

I found it fairly hilarious and thought you guys might enjoy it too...

maybe someday all of us will be able to enjoy these kind of perks, eh? hahaha.... or not.

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computergeeks/1027537.html

Date: 01/25/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Television studio asks Google subsidiary for identity of user who uploaded entire recent episodes of 24, The Simpsons.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6153207.html

Date: 01/26/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Google, Apple top global list that includes an increasing number of online brands. Starbucks gets nudged to fifth.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6153686.html

Date: 01/26/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Some are concerned the company has slipped in its aim to better compete against Google.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6153879.html

Date: 01/29/07 (Computer Geeks)    Keywords: web, google

Hi,

I hope I'm not posting an inappropriate question, but I'm hoping someone can help me.

My work has often blocked useful internet sites (like penny-arcade.com and xbox.com), but lately they've started blocking sites that I need to access, like rentertainer.com.au (our Australian equivalent of gamefly) and even, briefly, Google. Can you believe it?

I remember hearing some time ago about a website or sites that will allow you to bypass blocks and will retrieve websites anonymously for you. Now I'm wishing that I'd paid more attention.

Is anyone able to point me in the right direction for something like that?

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computergeeks/1030925.html

Date: 01/30/07 (Java Web)    Keywords: yahoo, google

Google announced that they have devised an algorithm to defuse Google bombs like “Miserable Failure” pointing to the current President of USA - George W Bush. Currently “miserable failure” in Google points to a BBC article explaining the hoax. However in MSN and Yahoo search engines the search for “msierable failure” still leads to the [...]

Source: http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/bush-still-a-miserable-failure/

Date: 02/05/07 (PHP Community)    Keywords: php, programming, css, html, xml, asp, sql, java, web, google

As I look for alternative employment I see a lot of wanted ads asking for a web designer who are proficient in several web-programming languages (they usually specify PHP/ASP/CGI-Perl), the use of several different databasing formats (Access, SQL of some sort, Oracle) - proficient in several different forms of design (Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, FreeHand, Quark, etc) as well as being a master of JavaScript, XHTML, XML, DHTML, CSS and any other acronym they seem to have found on google.

To me this sounds like they are asking for a web-design team wrapped into one person. Am I crazy; or are they?

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/php/538219.html

Date: 02/05/07 (WebDesign)    Keywords: technology, web, google

cross-posted

[note: I am not involved with this conference, I'm just passing along the info]

Call for Papers

Web 2.0 and the Semantic Web: Hindrance or Opportunity?

The World Wide Web (Web) is in transition; a fundamental evolution of the model which underpins the traditional Web. This new Web, Web (2.0), is a mesh of enhanced semantics, push application widgets, and embedded scripting languages and was developed to pursue the promise of enhanced interactivity. The possible benefits of the Web 2.0 is great but it seems that without timely and prompt action disabled users will be barred from these benefits. Indeed, using sites which such as: Flicker, YouTube, MySpace, Google Maps, and Google Portal will rapidly become `off-limits' to disabled users. Semantic Web technologies have already shown themselves to be useful in addressing some issues of Web Accessibility. However, this new technology has not yet started to make its way into mainstream applications. Without change, will the benefits of the Semantic Web be lost? Will the promising enhanced interactivity of Web 2.0 technologies become increasingly inaccessible to disabled users? We pose the question: Web 2.0 and the Semantic Web: Hindrance or Opportunity?

In this case topics of interests include (but are not limited to):

• Advances in Web 2.0 and Semantic Web technologies;
• Tools and technologies based on Web 2.0 and Semantic Web to support Web accessibility;
• Tools and technologies to make Web 2.0 and Semantic Web applications and systems accessible;
• Design and best practice to support Web accessibility;
• Technological advances to support Web accessibility;
• End user tools;
• Accessibility guidelines, best practice, evaluation techniques, and tools;
• Psychology of end user experiences and scenarios;
• Innovative techniques to support accessibility;
• Universally accessible graphical design approaches;
• Design Perspectives;
• Adapting existing web content;
• Accessible graphic formats and tools for their creation.

Further Information

• Important Dates;
• Instructions for Authors.

More info on W4A.

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/webdesign/1217496.html

Date: 02/06/07 (Webmaster View)    Keywords: web, google

Want to find who links to your site? Google says:

Now you can use webmaster tools to view a much larger sample of links to pages on your site that we found on the web. Unlike the link: operator, this data is much more comprehensive and can be classified, filtered, and downloaded.

Source: http://www.webmasterview.com/tools/googles_backlink_checker

Date: 02/06/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Google's video-sharing subsidiary agrees to display warnings on its Japanese site not to upload pirated materials.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6156555.html

Date: 02/10/07 (Opera Browser)    Keywords: browser, google

Well, I tried their latest version. They still don't support Opera, sadly. Seeing how that Opera is my main/only browser, I uninstalled Google Desktop. Looks like it would have lots of nifty things, but none of which would be required. Just kind of meshes your computer with the internet. Puts a few things at your fingertips like google mail, various news sites and things of that nature. It seemed a bit bogged down, maybe too much going on at once? I got a pretty power system, so I'm just not sure if that is the case.

Why dosn't Google support Opera yet? =/

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/opera_browser/64038.html

Date: 02/13/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Court forbids reproduction of extracts from Belgium's French- and German-language newspapers; Google vows to appeal.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6158846.html

Date: 02/14/07 (Webmaster View)    Keywords: web, google

Google Toolbar 3 is now available for firefox.

One of the new features it has is custom buttons. You can make search buttons for your sites. You can also add your site feed into this button.

Try it right now: Add WebMaster View to your Google Toolbar.

Source: http://www.webmasterview.com/tools/make_a_google_toolbar_button

Date: 02/15/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Beijing-based search company, known as "China's Google," says it will spend $15 million on its nascent Japanese-language plan.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6159657.html

Date: 02/21/07 (Security)    Keywords: software, security, google

Google plugs security holes in popular desktop search software that could open up data on a PC to intruders.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6161171.html

Date: 02/22/07 (Web Technology)    Keywords: google

Subscription version of Gmail, Google Talk and other services--$50 a year per user--now includes Docs & Spreadsheets.

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6161344.html