Latest Postings
November 7 2008
If you spend any time coding CSS from scratch or debugging existing stylesheets, you know how tricky it can be to find that pesky error! Whether it is getting IE6 to play nice or just understanding where all that white space is coming from, these Firefox add-ons should help you do the job better and faster. I’ve only chosen a couple of my favorite add-ons and my favorite features of each. Feel free to include your favorite features or add-ons in the comments as this list is anything but exhaustive.
The Web Developer Toolbar by Chris Pederick has many useful features like an easy-access javascript disabler, a simple window resize to test 800×600 screen resolution, and an option to view all of the stylesheets associated with a page (easily searchable!).
One of my favorite features, however, is surprisingly simple and incredibly useful. Using the Outline menu, you can outline any block level element on the page with just two clicks of the mouse. Personally, I can end up spending minutes of wasted time adding borders to elements here and there trying to figure out why I am seeing too much or too little space in a certain area. No need to do that anymore with this feature. It outlines your div tags for you, making spatial debugging a much simpler and faster process.
My other favorite feature in the web developer toolbar is the quick access to the W3C XHTML validator. It will upload your local file and display your pass/fail status quickly and efficiently!
Next on my list is the Firebug add-on which again, has a wealth of useful and time-saving debugging tools. My favorite, by far, is what I’ve coined as their CSS specificity revealer. Ok, you got me, I just made that up. The feature I’m referring to goes something like this:
1. You add some CSS rule
2. Your CSS rule doesn’t work
3. You can’t figure out why it doesn’t work
4. You wish to yourself there was some tool out there that could tell you if someone wrote a rule that is somehow overriding your own
5. You realize that firebug has that very feature and you’re going to use it now!
Launch firebug after you’ve installed it and click the “Inspect” button at the top of the console. Now, watch the Style panel on the right hand side. As you mouse over different elements on the page, you will see which rules apply to which elements. You will also see which rules are being overridden by others as evidenced by the line through.
For instance, in the above example, the #description rule is overriding our normal <p> tag line height of 1.4em because #description is an ID (which will always have a higher specificity than a non-ID rule).
Personally, I think this feature of firebug makes it one of the best CSS debugging tools out there.
And remember, feel free to leave me some tips and tricks in the comments section if you have any!
September 17 2008
Did you plan on how you would train your employees for an upcoming software migration/upgrade?
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September 10 2008
Learning web design can be easy with a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor, like Dreamweaver or Microsoft’s Expression Web. You create a new document and edit it like a PowerPoint slide or a new file in Microsoft Word. You add text, tables, and pictures. Voila, you have a web page.
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May 1 2008
If you haven’t heard of our Guest Instructor Series, you have been missing out on the opportunity to come and learn first hand from some of the industry’s top experts!
ISInc selects guest instructors that are known internationally for their background, specialties, writing, and for talking at the most attended conferences. We hope you will be able to take advantage of some of the upcoming sessions. The next three in the series are included here. To keep up to date on new ones as they are added, please subscribe to our newsletter. Remember, these seats often fill quickly, so please don’t wait too long to register.
TOGAF 8.1 Certification, Course No. TOGAF, Jun 2-5, limited seats left
TOGAF is an architecture framework – The Open Group Architecture Framework. It enables you to design, evaluate, and build the right architecture for your organization. Customers who design and implement enterprise architectures using TOGAF are ensured of a design and a procurement specification that will greatly facilitate open systems implementation, and will enable the benefits of open systems to accrue to their organizations with reduced risk. To register, or for more information, click here.
ITZIK BEN-GAN TEACHES ADVANCED TRANSACT-SQL
Itzik Ben-Gan, international expert and the author of Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Querying (MSPress, 2006) and Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2005: T-SQL Programming will teach the course, Advanced Transact-SQL Querying, Programming and Tuning for SQL Server. Course ISI-1119, Sep 15-19. A limited number of seats are left. Itzik Ben-Gan is a Microsoft SQL Server MVP (Most Valuable Professional) since 1999, Itzik has delivered numerous training events around the world focused on T-SQL Querying, Query Tuning and Programming. Itzik is the author of several books on Microsoft SQL Server. He has written many articles for SQL Server Magazine as well as articles and whitepapers for MSDN. Itzik’s speaking activities include Tech Ed, DevWeek, various SQL User Groups around the world, PASS, SQL Server Magazine Connections, and other events to name a few. Don’t miss out on you opportunity to learn from him directly here in Sacramento. Find out more information on his course by clicking here.
KALEN DELANEY TEACHES SQL SQL Server 2005 Architecture, Internals and Tuning, Course ISI-1079, Sep 8-12
You’re reading her books. Now you can attend her class. The instructor, Kalen Delaney, a well-known world expert in SQL Internals, is the author of the best selling books, Inside SQL Server 2000 and Inside SQL Server 2005. Kalen has been a columnist at SQL Server Magazine since the first issue, as well as writing for MSDN and TechNet Magazines. The course includes extensive demonstrations and hands-on exercises that illustrate the details of SQL Server internals as well as tuning techniques. This course will be presented on SQL Server 2005 and cover features specific to that version, but much of the information is relevant to SQL Server 2000 as well. For more information on this course, please click here.
Please contact ISInc at 916.920.1700 or email us at [email protected] if you want more information on any of our current Guest Instructor Series courses or if you have requests on future guests you would like to see at ISInc.
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Did you know that ISInc was the first nationally accredited training facility by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) #191-743 for computer training? We are also accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) #9092 as a provider for Continuing Education hours. Our courses provide six contact Continuing Education hours. To receive credit for the classes, simply notify an ISInc Education Consultant upon enrollment that you would like to take advantage of the Continuing Education hours and the proper forms will be ready for you when you attend classes.
In addition, ISInc is also a registered education provider for the Project Management Institute so we do provide Professional Development Units (pdu’s) for our project management courses. Again, talk to an ISInc Education Consultant by calling 916.920.1700 or email [email protected] for more information on how to obtain these credits and for the amount of credits available for each course.
April 1 2008
Want to learn more about Windows Server 2008, but are short on time? Learning Snacks are short, interactive presentations about popular Windows Server 2008 topics and have been created by Microsoft Learning experts. Each Snack is delivered by using innovative Microsoft Silverlight technology and includes various media, such as animations and recorded demos. At the end of each presentation, you can view more Snacks, learn more about the topic, or visit a related Web site. You will be prompted to install Silverlight before viewing any of the learning snacks when you select a program to watch. Happy viewing!
Of course, when you are done if you’d like even more information on Windows Server 2008, check out some of the new instructor-led Windows Server 2008 courses that ISInc is offering. We are pleased that we are the only one in the valley offering a few of them, such as the Windows Server 2008 Readiness course.
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Learning Snacks
Introducing Branch Office Server in Windows Server 2008
This free Snack describes the benefits that Windows Server 2008 provides for installing and maintaining a branch office network. It demonstrates the installation of a branch office network by using the new server core option. It also lists the benefits of Active Directory read-only domain controllers (RODCs) and BitLocker Drive Encryption.
Introducing Centralized Application Access in Windows Server 2008
This free Snack explains the operational benefits of centralizing applications by using Windows Server 2008. It examines the benefits of Terminal Services. It lists ways to provide remote users with access to centralized applications by using Terminal Services Web Access. It also describes the requirements for providing a single sign-on for remote users.
Implementing Active Directory Domain Services in Windows Server 2008
This free Snack describes the new options available in Windows Server 2008 for installing and configuring Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and auditing changes to it. It lists the features of read-only domain controllers (RODCs) and describes how to perform a nonauthoritative or an authoritative restore of AD DS data.
Implementing Network Access Protection in Windows Server 2008
This free Snack describes the benefits of implementing Network Access Protection (NAP) in Windows Server 2008. It describes how to configure network and health policies for various types of clients. It identifies the options for configuring Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) enforcement for NAP and demonstrates the steps for testing a NAP implementation with DHCP enforcement.
Implementing Windows Server 2008 Security
This free Snack examines and lists the features of Group Policy settings in Windows Server 2008. It demonstrates the steps for implementing Group Policy settings and the process of upgrading them. It also explains the purpose of security templates that can be imported into Group Policy settings.
Introducing Server Virtualization in Windows Server 2008
This free Snack explains the new virtualization features in Windows Server 2008 and lists the system requirements. It also demonstrates the steps necessary to install Windows Server virtualization.
February 25 2008
We’ve heard from many of our customers about the difficulty they have been having getting training on VMware (travel expenses for training often mean training requests will not be approved). ISInc is excited to announce that you now have a local option for VMware training right here in Sacramento at ISInc.
If there are other VMware courses that you or your organization are interested in, please contact us at [email protected] or by calling 916.920.1700 and let us know. Here are the courses that are currently being offered at ISInc’s facility:
- Virtualization with VMware ESX and VirtualCenter SMB to Enterprise
Want more information on VMware?
VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the data center. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.33 billion, more than 100,000 customers and more than 10,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest-growing public software companies. VMware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and on the Web at http://www.VMware.com.
February 6 2008
Microsoft has selected ISInc to deliver this 3 day instructor-led course which provides students with an understanding of the primary product changes in Windows Server 2008. This course is intended to allow individuals who already have experience with Windows Server to upgrade their skills for Windows Server 2008 and prepare for Windows Server 2008 certification exams. This course is based on an interim build of Windows Server 2008. The course is 3 days and is being offered February 19-21 for only $299! If you are interested in attending, please go to www.msreadiness.com/coursedetail.aspx?id=6686 to register. Space is limited so be sure to register early.
February 4 2008
ISInc accepts Novell Training Vouchers for all of our Novell courses. If you have Novell vouchers, please contact an ISInc Representative at 916.920.1700 or via email at [email protected] for more information on how to redeem them. Remember, unlike ISInc training vouchers, Novell vouchers have an expiration date so be sure to use them before you lose them.