jQuery Slideshow: Progressive Enhancement

Design48 is the online portfolio of work I have done for a number of corporations over my 40-year career in Silicon Valley. I have also used Thetawaves and Designstudio8 to differentiate my webdesign from my graphic work, and my corporate work from my creative work. But I find it harder than ever to keep these in separate categories. Fine art blends into graphic design which blends into commercial art and technical illustration. Every art school on the planet now teaches digital art and webdesign. More than ever, artists need to be engineers.

This widget is an example of one that uses the principles of Progressive Enhancement: accessibility, semantic markup, and scripting technology (jquery). I am putting it here on the first page, because the principles represented are currently the trend. My thanks to Jacob Gube at Six Revisions as well as Wikipedia for making all these ideas "accessible" to the right brainers like me who are just trying to keep up with the left brainers. Thanks, guys!

Progressive Enhancement is a strategy for web design that emphasizes accessibility, semantic markup, external stylesheets and scripting technologies. Progressive enhancement uses web technologies in a layered fashion that allows everyone to access the basic content and functionality of a web page, using any browser or Internet connection, while also providing those with better bandwidth or more advanced browser software an enhanced version of the page. This is in contrast to what is called "graceful degradation."

Graceful Degradation The progressive enhancement strategy is an attempt to subvert (or reverse) the traditional web design strategy known as "graceful degradation", wherein designers would create web pages for the latest browsers that would also work well in older versions of browser software. [Like progressive enhancement] graceful degradation was supposed to allow the page to "degrade", or remain presentable even if certain technologies assumed by the design were not present, without being jarring to the user of such older software.

In Progressive Enhancement (PE) the strategy is deliberately reversed: a basic markup document is created, [initially] geared towards the lowest common denominator (LCD) of browser software functionality, and then the designer adds in functionality or enhancements to the presentation and behavior of the page, using modern technologies such as Cascading Style Sheets or JavaScript (or other advanced technologies, such as Flash or Java applets or SVG, etc.) All such enhancements are externally linked, or "unobtrusive" to the LCD user.

In conformance with Progressive Enhancement techniques, this javascript slideshow widget is designed to be seen in three different possible versions: one with no javascript or css, one with no javascript but with css, and one with both javascript and css. You could think of them as plain vanilla, fudge swirl, and gold medal ribbon. The versions are made possible by jQuery scripting which modifies the html/css dynamically. And the Photoshop is all mine.

MARTE THOMPSON
home: Cupertino, CA :: cellphone: (408) 667-9751
website: http://www.design48.com :: email: marte48@gmail.com

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

SYMANTEC: :: IT Web Apps Specialist :: My most recent contract was with Symantec in Mountain View, CA. (10/2007 - 6/2009) :: Using both table and tableless page structures, XHTML, CSS, javascript and Photoshop, I assisted in the creation of online applications for the MySymantec and PartnerNet subsites of the Symantec corporate website. I supported a team of java server-side JSP engineers. I built new pages and overlays from scratch, wrote new css in the style of the existing pages, resolved cross-browser issues, validated with W3C online validator service. As of 1/2009, the Symantec IT group was acquired by EDS, an HP company. All of the projects remained the same.

VIMO.COM: Los Altos, CA :: Web Graphic Designer :: (6/2007) I created numerous email ads in Photoshop and HTML.

AICPA - CPA2BIZ: Santa Clara, CA :: (2007) :: Contract Web Developer ::
CPA2biz.com is the online store of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) a non-profit national organization based in NYC. I built and modified web pages for the new website. The development tools we used were: Eclipse, Merant PVCS, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Visual Web Developer, testing in various browsers, XHTML, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), Photoshop.

MCAFEE: Santa Clara, CA :: (2007) :: Interactive Web Developer ::
Table / tableless design, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), XHTML, XML, XSL and Photoshop for image optimization and page mockup. Code version control and content editing in Accurev CMS development environment. Previous website design was in table structures, I assisted in re-formatting into tableless CSS, pages involved extensive XHTML, ASP and javascript (form-validation.) Previous website design needed to be updated to new design templates.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY: Palo Alto, CA :: (2006) :: Web Developer ::
Table and tableless design, CSS, XHTML, Photoshop image optimization, as well as modified Flash files., content editing: I formatted 99 pages from Word doc content to XHTML for the Stanford Challenge part of the Stanford website in under three weeks. TeamSite content management.

FILEMAKER: Santa Clara, CA :: (2006) :: Contract Web Developer ::
FilemakerCMS environment, new page design and site updates in advance of new product release. Tableless design/extensive CSS, XML, XHTML, DHTML, Photoshop image optimization, as well as modified Flash files..

CORETECHS: Redwood City, CA :: (2006) :: Freelance Web Developer ::
One of my freelance projects in 2006 was for Coretechs, a recruitment firm in Silicon Valley. Their website was several years old, and needed a facelift. They were leaning towards a Flash site, but were, like most small companies, working on a strict budget and short timeline. I suggested starting with a Flash template, and customizing it for a flat fee. The results were a great success.

APPLE: Cupertino, CA (2006) :: Interactive Web Developer / ::
Table and tableless design, extensive CSS, XHTML, DHTML, Photoshop image optimization, as well as modified Flash files.. Editing, proofreading/QA, and writing content for Apple.com. Legacy pages of the Apple Support website needed to be updated in standards-compliant XHTML and tableless div structure.

INTUIT: Mountain View, CA :: (2005) :: Contract Web Developer ::
I reformatted dynamic HTML Intuit web content for the retail sites, including BestBuy, CompUSA, Staples, OfficeMax, etc. Table and tableless design, extensive CSS, XHTML, DHTML, Photoshop image optimization, as well as modified Flash files..

HEWLETT PACKARD: Santa Clara, CA :: (2005) :: Powerpoint Specialist ::
I assisted an upper level manager at HP in the design and completion of a time-critical executive Powerpoint Presentation to be presented to Mark Hurd.

SNP COMMUNICATIONS: San Francisco, CA :: (2005) :: Designer ::
I built an interactive Flash project (online training guide) for SNP client, Sun Microsystems. Photoshop image editing, InDesign layout, and website design.

SILICON VALLEY COLLEGE: San Jose, CA :: (2005) :: Digital Media Instructor :: Digital Media (InDesign) and traditional Storyboarding Instructor - see course websites.

INTRANSA: San Jose, CA :: (2004) :: Contract Web Developer ::
Intransa, a growing startup company in San Jose, CA, involved in IPSAN Data Storage Management. I redesigned and maintained the website, color brochures, Powerpoint and Flash presentations.

KLA-TENCOR: San Jose, CA :: (2004) :: Freelance Powerpoint Designer ::
PowerPoint presentation design work for Information Technology Status review. I interfaced with and provided graphics support to several IT engineers and management personnel in the creation of PowerPoint presentation slides

LOCKHEED-MARTIN: (via Deloitte & Touche) Sunnyvale, CA :: (2003) :: Contract web developer :: Design and creation of SAP/LotusNotes online (interactive) training course - revision of existing training guides. Project involved the conversion of Powerpoint presentation courseware into online interactive HTML version.

NASA AMES RESEARCH: Moffett Field, Mt. View, CA :: (2003) :: Contract web developer :: Design and creation of website for the Exobiology Principal Investigators' Conference hosted for NASA by SETI.

GOBOSH: (AKA Central Design Systems) :: San Jose, CA :: (2001) :: :: Senior Webdesigner: Created several client sites for Gobosh, a Sun VAR which unfortunately went out of business with the dotcom crash.

CREATUS: San Jose, CA :: (2000) :: Contract Web Developer ::
At Creatus I was principal designer (code, navigation, and graphics) on their website. I also wrote their new tagline: "Where technology is an art." I used the classical daVinci drawing of human proportions as a perfect symbol for a webdesign firm: the convergence of engineering and art. Unfortunately, they merged with a design firm and replaced my site with one the new VP of design created himself.

ORACLE: Redwood Shores, CA :: (1999) :: Contract Web Developer ::
Site design for an intranet portal for a Sales and Marketing Communications group.

COMPUTER CURRICULUM CORP: Sunnyvale, CA :: (1998) Computer Graphic Artist :: Digital Photoshop Icon Designs. I created a suite of original characters for the interactive GUI of a children's educational CDROM for CCC, a division of Simon and Schuster.

THE LEARNING COMPANY: Newark, CA :: (1998) :: Computer Graphic Artist :: 2D Computer animation and re-rendering of children's educational software.

ORACLE: Redwood Shores, CA :: (1997) :: Computer Graphic Artist ::
I created over 200 Adobe Illustrator technical drawings (scalable vector graphics) for the release of Oracle 8. These were then archived into the corporate repository.

PDI: Sunnyvale CA :: (1996) several contract technical illustration positions:
Northrop Grumman (Westinghouse), Sunnyvale, CA
LORAL, WDL Labs, Milpitas, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto, CA

SEGA OF AMERICA: Redwood Shores, CA :: (1994 - 1995) :: Computer Graphic Artist Digital (2D) Animation / Concept Art / Fantasy Cartoons / Backgrounds

NASA AMES RESEARCH: Moffett Field, Mt. View, CA :: (1993) :: Subcontract Technical Illustration: Adobe Illustrator vector technical drawings.

LOCKHEED MISSILES AND SPACE CO: Sunnyvale, CA :: (Lockheed-Martin) :: (1980-93) Technical Publications Department :: Senior Technical Illustrator, Assistant Art Coordinator/Commercial artist in the largest tech pubs in the valley for 13 years.

SAN JOSE CITY COLLEGE: Instructor :: San Jose, CA (1973 - 1980) :: Graphic Design / Layout Design / Typography :: I taught beginning college level graphic design for 14 semesters. The course was designed as a vocational course, i.e. a fast-track to a career in graphics.

EDUCATION: I hold a BA from San Jose State University, and have finished all requirements for the MA, including the exhibit. Moreover, I continue to learn software and coding skills on the job, through online tutorials, and at the local Junior Colleges: De Anza, West Valley, and UC Extension.

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES: Available upon request.

The rest of my site is in the process of Progressive Enhancement, but you can view it here: DESIGN48 or on SUSHIBOAT.

VIEW MY RESUME IN ANOTHER JS WIDGET