Hello.

Custom URL schemes can enhance web app functionality by handling specific URLs, but detecting scheme support is tricky. Several methods exist, including click handlers, navigation handlers (Blink), and server-side redirects with meta refresh. While the server-side approach offers the most robust solution, it introduces complexity. A key challenge is the limited user understanding of custom schemes, leading to a preference for standard HTTPS URLs. This post explores a common pattern for custom scheme usage, involving detecting navigation failures and presenting alternative UI. The pattern addresses the issue of handling custom schemes like web+follow for Mastodon, aiming to improve user experience. While custom schemes are valuable developer tools, user preference for HTTPS URLs persists. Despite this, custom schemes empower developers to guide users to preferred apps or sites while gracefully handling cases where no suitable option exists. This approach also opens possibilities for other applications, like rebuilding web intents.

Excited for the 6th Chrome Dev Summit! Join us for two days of exploring modern web experiences. Day 1: Web of Today - focusing on Speed, UI, and Capability in modern web development. Day 2: Web of Tomorrow - a look at what we're working on for the future, including deep dives into new technologies and opportunities to give feedback. See you there!

I learnt a lot of things in India. 2: UC Browser is trying to be the browser for the region

Just tested the blogging feature from Microsoft Word 2007 and it's pretty cool if it works as expected. I'm loving the new interfaces for Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, especially the ribbon. Visio, however, seems a bit stale. Smart Art looks promising, like CSS taken to the next level. I might just switch to Word 2007 for good!

I've been testing Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 and noticed a significant improvement in font rendering, likely due to ClearType. The difference is subtle but noticeable, especially when comparing the BBC News website between Beta 1 and Beta 2. More info on IE7 changes can be found on the IE Blog.

YMDB.com is a great site for listing your favorite movies and finding others with similar tastes. While the current interface is a bit tedious for adding and sorting films, it's still a worthwhile resource. I'd love to see an AJAX-style update to improve the user experience. Check out my profile for some examples of how I use YMDB.

I'm developing a complex new version of the AJAX Tagger (2.0) with enhanced features for adding data to journal entries. However, I'm curious if there's still interest in a simpler version like the original AJAX Tagger. Please share your thoughts and comments!

I previously complained about a click-related bug on Start.com. I'm pleased to report that the Start.com team responded to my email, explaining they're overloaded but plan to fix the issue by replacing the "mouse down" event with a "mouse up" event. I'm happy with their response. Here are links to my previous posts about this issue.

This is the fifth installment in my series on the AJAXTagger's failures. A major issue is its lack of intuitiveness. Users couldn't understand its purpose or how to use it without a demo. While it significantly reduced my tagging time, the next version needs improvements. I'm looking for feedback on how to make it more user-friendly, including better visual cues, a clearer UI, and improved documentation. Email me or comment with your suggestions!

I've been experimenting with the Microsoft Avalon CTP (Community Technology Preview) Framework and wanted to share a simple XAML menu example. This example demonstrates how to create a custom style for menu items to make them look like GelButtons. Initially, I tried using a ControlTemplate but later realized a HeaderTemplate within the style was the correct approach. The XAML code provided creates a menu with styled menu items, showcasing how to customize the appearance and behavior of menu items in Avalon.