Waterfall Web

Many years ago the Web Standards Project (or WASP) fought the fine fight to pressure browser manufacturers into complying with some sort of standard version of HTML. Prior to that we almost had to build separate sites for Netscape and Internet Explorer – it was horrible.

We have come so far with browsers, but unfortunately most email clients are, well, a long way behind. If you have ever tested an HTML email in a few different clients you’ll know the frustration.
Yesterday’s launch of the Email Standards Project hopes to remedy this situation. Some people love it, some hate it, but HTML email is here to stay. And if we could have the proper standards support in email clients then it’s probably fair to say that a lot of those opposed would change their mind.

We have a long way to go, but at least now we have a vehicle!

This is a great little resource – Pete Freitag has put together links for a bunch for cheat sheets. And lets face it – these things always come in handy.

Time to start downloading and printing! ;)

Some time ago 37 Signals pioneered what they call the Yellow Fade Technique, or YFT. You might have seen it on Basecamp or Backpack.

Jamie asked me the other day if I knew how it was done. I had seen a tutorial for it before, but hadn’t bookmarked or blogged it! So after a few minutes of Googling a found a couple of possible how-tos:

• The Yellow Fade Technique, Revisisted. I don’t know how or why this is better than the original. But it’s revisited, so it must be, I guess!
• The Fade Anything Technique
• And the find of the afternoon – script.aculo.us – this site has lots of goodies. Shall have to poke around here some more!

However, none of these were the original tutorial that I was looking for… :/

Tags: yellow fade technique | 37 signals | web 2.0 | javascript