What Is ARIA Even For?

2020-11-09T00:00:00Z

In this inaugural episode, I talk about some common pitfalls of using ARIA with the help of Ada Lovelace, a goat, and a dinosaur with a for a head. Thanks to everyone who shared this and for all the nice comments. Those comments about it being NSFW confused me, though. It’s not porn!?

Is Progressive Enhancement Dead Yet?

2021-01-04T00:00:00Z

Progressive enhancement is Scary Mary™ to some but there is no need to cry or pass out. Let me use a shark in a fez, Tony Hawk, and a couple of zombie lads to explain. Shout out to my pal Andy whose skateboard/scooter analogy [https://archive.hankchizljaw.com/wrote/the-power-of-progressive-enhancement/] I borrowed. Also, check out [https://github.com/Heydon/watched-box].

Why The IndieWeb?

2021-02-08T00:00:00Z

This is the story of the birth of the web, its loss of innocence, its decline, and what we can do to make it a bit less gross. Or if you prefer, this is the video in which I say the expression “barbecue sets” far too many times.

Interlude #001

2021-02-15T00:00:00Z

Time for a brain massage! In between the educational stuff, Webbed Briefs includes ephemeral and experimental stuff. You can watch and listen or just listen or just—you get the idea. The music is generative, created using randomized triggers and LFOs, some written in JavaScript.

How do I draw a line?

2021-04-30T00:00:00Z

Created for and premiered at Web Directions’ [https://www.webdirections.org/] Hover conference. Discover all the different ways you can draw lines with the web platform—from horizontal rules all the way to WebGL. Actually “discover” is the wrong word, since I’m pointing you right at the damned video OK.

Interlude #002

2021-05-11T00:00:00Z

Time for another brief interlude. Open Collective supporters should check their inbox for a 20 minute mix of the generative music used in the piece. I hope you are able to start emerging from this pandemic and relatively unscathed. Visuals based on stock footage by Engin Akyurt [https://pixabay.com/users/engin_akyurt-3656355/?tab=videos].

Is HTML A Programming Language?

2022-03-05T00:00:00Z

It’s been a long time! Glad to be back. In this episode, I ask a question that has never been asked before and has certainly not in any way caused a great number of arguments and nobody has ever been blocked or muted on social media for asking it. Bon appétit. Help Ukraine defend itself [https://war.ukraine.ua/donate/].

What Happened To Text Inputs?

2022-11-22T00:00:00Z

Why do we keep screwing up the simplest parts of web interfaces? Are we bored or psychotic? Answers on a postcard, please (do not send it to me). This video is the story of how inputs became onputs then became something even less logical and more bad. Good luck!

What Is Web 3.0?

2023-06-02T00:00:00Z

There isn’t really much to say, so this is a rather short video. If you are interested in buying the NFT of this video… only kidding, nobody trades NFTs anymore. Contains some flickering images.

Choose your loading indicator

2023-06-09T00:00:00Z

You’re rendering your entire DOM in the client using a huge JavaScript library. Which type of loading indicator are your users going to be staring at? Contains some flickering images.

What is self-documenting code?

2023-07-04T00:00:00Z

People say self-documenting code is not possible. This is not true. Not only is it possible but it is recommended, in all cases. As I explain. In this video. Contains some flickering images.

I am leaving

2023-07-11T00:00:00Z

This video is dedicated to all those with an astonishingly enduring faith in tech billionaires and their products. And to all those who begin their updates with “Dear...” like they are writing a letter to an absent editor.

What Are Accessibility Overlays?

2023-09-25T00:00:00Z

All accessibility overlays are bad. Except the ones by overlay vendors planning to sue me. Those ones are good and I highly recommend them, despite what I may say during the video. If someone is asking for an accessibility overlay, either send them here or to overlayfactsheet.com [https://overlayfactsheet.com].

What’s The Deal With Large Language Models?

2023-10-27T00:00:00Z

What have Kanye West, Zombie Flesh Eaters, bees, and Potato Review magazine got to do with Large Language Models and generative AI? I don’t know, why don't you ask ChatGPT? Or save a polar icecap and just watch this video.

What Is React.js?

2024-09-02T00:00:00Z

Its proponents can be weird, it takes itself far too seriously, and its documentation is interminable. These are some ways that some people have described Christianity. This video is about React.js.

Why is everything binary?

2025-02-06T00:00:00Z

All of my videos are black and white, but especially this one.

Introducing: Webbed Sites

2025-05-28T00:00:00Z

We (I) are (am) proud to announce our (my) new no-code website building tool. And we (I) are (am) very sorry indeed.