Website 101 Podcast

Amanda and Mike discuss the impact of bot traffic on their websites, share strategies to stop bot registrations, and explain how to identify bot traffic. OverviewDiscuss strategies to prevent bot registrations and traffic on websites. Discussion includes various security measures like recaptcha, honeypot fields, rate limiting, time-based submission checks, and email verification before access.Key TopicsDiscussion of bot registrations and traffic on websites[01:08] Amanda discusses her website, Sidewalk Bingo, being targeted by bots causing registration issues[06:34] Mike asks questions about the activation process for Sidewalk Bingo accounts to better understand the problem[15:41] Claude AI suggestions for preventing bot registrations are discussed, including recaptcha, honeypot fields, rate limiting, time-based submission checks, and email verification before accessKey TakeawaysRecaptcha is a popular method for preventing bots but has its drawbacksHoneypot fields can be an effective strategy against

Discussion about the use of AI in creating generic art, the limits of AI creativity, and a new feature in HTML canvas that allows for putting HTML inside a canvas element. Key TopicsAI limitations and predictive nature ([01:35 - 04:03])The analogy of AI as a toddler learning language ([04:03 - 06:14])AI being used in place of humans in various scenarios ([06:01 - 07:36])HTML canvas and its new capabilities ([08:13 - 15:27])Key TakeawaysAI is not creative, but predictive. It can't process new thoughts or ideas.The new HTML canvas feature allows for putting HTML inside a canvas element, potentially opening up possibilities for complex animations and interactions.The new feature may face challenges with accessibility and SEO.Links & ResourcesChatGPT — Mentioned in the transcriptGoogle Gemini — Mentioned in the transcript (only if used in a project) Show Links More Website 101 Podcast Email the

From websites built without a CMS to QR codes on work vans and AI-generated novels, we cover a mix of current web and tech topics. Discussion on the benefits and limitations of non-CMS websites, with real life examples and suggestions for using AI as a tool instead of a replacement.The use of AI in writing books The benefits and potential drawbacks of AI generated meeting notes (18:50 - 23:04)The use of AI to alter faces in documentaries (23:04 - 26:56)The use of AI in fashion industry (26:56 - 30:38) Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1928pHVyFo Show Links Trust Me: The False Profit Notion More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

Sean walks Mike and Amanda through Location Scout, a fully functional Android app he shipped over a weekend using Claude Code, React Native, and Tailwind. A discussion about prompting tips and more follows. Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLjfh3Qb46I&t=24s Show Links More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

Can AI replace the apps you pay for? We dig into the SaaSpocalypse debate, vibe coding wins, AI tells in writing, and why "just build it yourself" isn't that simple. Sean, Mike, and Amanda kick things off with quick life updates before diving into two main topics: the so-called "SaaSpocalypse" and how AI is changing the way people write and code.Is Saas dead?AI Writing 'tells' or giveaways Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_e2LY0M9U&t=162s Show Links More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

The hosts dig into the rapid rise of AI‑generated video and deepfakes, reacting to everything from celebrity fight scenes to political misinformation. What starts as a fun tech chat quickly turns into a thoughtful look at ethics, creativity, and the risks of synthetic media. It’s equal parts entertaining and unsettling. Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_S4SX0Fc5U Show Links More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

In this episode we discuss various things that people use to help them improve their productivity at work. CoffeeEnergy DrinksMusicCoffeeshopDrugs / AlcoholOffice TalkCold environmentsRoutinePomodoro TimerBoundaries and work/life balance Show Links More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

Season eight wrap and a look forward to season nine. We'll continue to do Lunch Bytes every first and third Wednesday of the month. Season eight wrap and a look forward to season nine. We'll continue to do Lunch Bytes every first and third Wednesday of the month. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss an episode. Show Links More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

A discussion on various ethical scenarios and issues, including politics, pricing, green washing, and more in web development. The beginning of the website 101 Podcast - guests, ethical plans, diversity and inclusion.When turning down work for ethical reasons, is it important to provide the reason why?Where is your line in the sand? Porn, gambling, something else?Working with people with opposing political views.Ethics of value based pricing.Industry level blacklist vs per project evaluation.Green hosting & green washing.Multi Level MarketingOnline presence - inappropriate content.What to consider when turning a project down?It's not all black and white, there are shades of gray. How to politely decline work. Show Links S07 E01 When to Say No Craft CMS Discord The Dream More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sea

Want to save time? Learn common keyboard shortcuts for all your software. WordPress updateKeyboard shortcutsDevelopment shortcutsShortcut tools Show Links What is going on with WordPress?! Judge hands WP Engine a win in legal fight with Automattic WordPress CEO Rage Quits Community Slack After Court Injunction Raycast Stream Deck Auto Hotkey Keyboard Maestro Whisper Flow More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

Mike and Amanda discuss the current WordPress controversy and how it affects how it affects developers and website owners. What is WordPressOriginal WordPress.orgWordpress.com hostingBroad overview of the issueTrademark LawsuitAdvanced Custom Fields vs Secure Custom FieldsMatt's conflict of interestSummaryAdvice for the futureCautionary tale Show Links WordPress WordPress.com (hosting) Automattic WP Engine Advanced Custom fields Secure Custom Fields More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

In this episode we discuss strategies for keeping up with technology trends and how to choose what to learn. Welcome to season 8CMS - how do you choose a new CMS?Maintenance contracts and security updatesFront end frameworks - CSS, Javascript, etc..Laravel Mix and ViteFriends and colleagues influencingCode Editors (VsCode, Cursor and more)AI and Copilotupcoming topics in season 8 Show Links Lunch Bytes (November 20, 2024) Imposter Syndrome (S07 E04) SyntaxFM Visual Studio Code Cursor Claude AI More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

Sean was interviewed on the Craft Entries podcast. Listen to a snippet of the episode here. Sean was interviewed on the Craft Entries podcast. Listen to a snippet of the episode here. You can listen to the full episode at Craft Entries Show Links The Joy of Self Taught Coding More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

The season finale is a raw and unedited episode. In this episode we express our gratitude towards our clients. Lunch Bytes - our live stream every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 11:30am EST.Cool ProjectsTestimonialsReferralsGifts Show Links Lunch Bytes More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

Rebroadcast of a season 5 episode - 11 Things to avoid doing on your website - We discuss various things to avoid doing with your website and why they are not a good idea. Disabling copy/pasteOpen in new tabClick hereUsing placeholder text and not using labelsLow contrast textNot enough white space / breathing roomNo comments in your code or unformatted codeFor clients: Identify problems, don't suggest solutions.Dates on blogs that are infrequently updatedCarousels / slidersPopups, modals, lightboxesFull size images on mobile Show Links stop disabling copy/paste in form fields (tweet) Should external links open in a new tab or not? Why you shouldnt say click here Season 4 Episode 1 - Click Here Should I use a Carousel More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on Lin

Chris discusses how ADHD has impacted his career as a web developer and provides resources to other developers. What is ADHD?Chris's history and experience with ADHDChallenges for women getting diagnosedHow does ADHD impact Chris's career in web developThings an employer can do for an employee with ADHDTime awareness / blindnessReactions Chris receives when people learn he has ADHDWhat teachers can do to support students with ADHDSee all the resources and links Chris has prepared for people with ADHD here: https://adhdftw.com/website-101/ Show Links ADHD-Autism-OCD Jonathon Stark ADHD ftw! More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

In this episode we talk with Online educator Ryan Irelan about online learning and keeping up with technology in web development. Ryans path to online teacherFirst course was with Pragmatic ProgrammersThe switch from a la cart to subscription modalUdemy and course platformsCommunication with Pixel and Tonic about upcoming features and changesAdvantages/disadvantages of discord serversChat GPTCraftQuest is launching a discord server!How Ryan learns new technologiesRyan's approach to teaching explainedRyan has strong opinions about Craft CMSWhat makes a good topic for a course, a lesson, or a livestreamWhat Ryan does use for screen recording and editing Show Links CraftQuest Pragmatic Bookshelf (formally programmer) Udemy Craft Quest community & discord Obsidian CraftQuest RSS feed More Website

In this episode we talk to returning guest Ben Croker about how to write a good support request. Turn it off and onOur experiences providing technical supportHow to troubleshoot before submitting a support requestRubber duckingUse the correct support channel: not DMs on social mediaWhen providing support a public, discoverable approach, such as github issues, is recommendedRTFM - read the docsWhat to include in a support requestWhat to exclude in a support requestSean's mistake asking Ben for support a few months agoSecurity issuesClosing the issue Show Links The Dangers of Over Reliance on Plugins in Website Builds More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn  

In this episode we reminisce about how things used to be done and how much web development has changed in the last 25 years. From under construction gifs to the rise and fall of jQuery we cover it all. GeocitiesTable based layoutsFloat based layoutsClearfix.clearfix::after { content: ""; clear: both; display: table; } Equal Height columns Matchmedia.jsConditional comments<!--[if lt IE 7]> Your code for IE 7 only <![endif]-->star selector hack ('star plus html) css hack.Microsoft Kicks Off Campaign to Kill Internet Explorer 6Microsoft anti-trust lawsuitImage Ready - slicing designWYSISWYG (drag and drop) html editorsMacromedia DreamweaverMicrosoft Front PageAdobe Go LiveAdaptive Design (not responsive design)Fluid Layout (CSS tricks article)Rounded corners with sliding doorsImage SpritesCufon FontsNavigation tabsCSS Zen GardenBlink, Marquee (blink no longer works despite what Sean said in the show. However, the marquee tag does work)Sean's Boilerplate (Season 7 Episode 5)Animated gifs

In this episode we discuss the advantages of using a boilerplate to start a new website build and what to include or not include when establishing a boilerplate. Github stars and forksPackagistWhat is a boilerplateSave time by pre-configuring settings for all projectsWireframe componentsWhat to include in a boilerplateWhat to exclude from a boilerplateDisadvantages to a boilerplateReadMe file and documentationFeature requests for your boilerplatePersonal conventions Show Links Sean's Craft CMS boilerplate Packagist Swup MatrixMate SEOmatic More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn