ITS Web Services

ZDNet has taken Firefox 3.0 Beta 2 for a spin and found some things to celebrate. Among the improvements over the previous beta release are:

• Improved security features
• Greater ease of use
• More personalization options
• Improved graphics and font rendering
• Improved performance

You can find a complete listing of what’s new in Firefox 3.0 beta 2 here.

An interesting read at AjaxWorldMagazine in which eight experts are asked what questions we should now all be asking about where AJAX is headed next. The suggested questions are refreshingly hard-headed, including: ‘How are we to fix the web?’; ‘When will AJAX development finally be easy?’; and ‘Do we really need JavaScript 2.0?’ The idea is that by using this insight, readers can themselves infer where AJAX is headed.

If you’re a fan of the “Getting Things Done” (GTD) approach to personal productivity, check out this new e-book by Mark McGuinness. The author Creative Commons license allows you to “copy and share the e-book on a noncommercial basis, as long as you keep it intact” and credit McGuinness.

From University Business:

1. Define strategic goals.
2. Do your homework.
3. Don’t forget ADA and web standards.
4. Put on your project manager hat.
5. Spend quality time with your content.
6. Invite feedback, but refrain from doing a redesign by democracy or by committee.
7. Don’t forget to test as you redesign.
8. Get a CMS when you redesign.
9. Embrace incremental redesigns (rather than redesigning every two or three years).
10. Don’t worry.

(Hat tip: Audrey)

Came across this list of the first 100 “dot com” domains ever registered. You’ll need to overlook the fact that the source looks like it was made in 1985, but considering some stats indicate as many as 400,000 domains are registered daily, it’s really interesting that it took two years for this list to develop. Also, note that Micrsoft.com is not present, as it was not registered until 1991.