Category Archives: Web

CSS3: Rounded Table Corners (No images)

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You cannot give a whole table (<table>) rounded corners using CSS, browsers will ignore it, you must round the corners of the cells (<td>) inside.

The following uses CSS2 selectors (:first-child etc) and CSS3′s corner-rounding border-radius to selectively round the outer corners of the cells in the corners.
This will work for any size table.

table.rounded-corners tr:first-child td:first-child {
	border-top-left-radius: 5px;
}
table.rounded-corners tr:first-child td:last-child {
	border-top-right-radius: 5px;
}
table.rounded-corners tr:last-child td:first-child {
	border-bottom-left-radius: 5px;
}
table.rounded-corners tr:last-child td:last-child {
	border-bottom-right-radius: 5px;
}

PHP Bug: json_encode() misleading warning on object with private properties

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I have found a peculiar issue with PHP’s json_encode() function.

If you have an instance object with private properties and use json_encode() it will give you a very misleading warning.

class ExampleObject {
    private $privateProperty;
    ...
}
$obj = new ExampleObject();
json_encode($obj);

results in

Warning: json_encode() … recursion detected …

There are two workarounds in the comments for the function at php.net but this is simply a PHP bug as far as I am concerned.

Firefox still has memory leak issue?

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I had to kill Firefox earlier today after noticing that it was using around 750MB of memory!

It hung when I tried to close it normally, but perhaps I was just impatient.

This time I’m going to give it the benefit of doubt and blame some crappy Flash advert or something.

BT (Bastards Telepunish) Woes

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My ISP, BT, have got my goat again.

They’re punishing me by crippling my (already joke-worthy) download speeds, because I used a lot last week.
So they’ll probably charge me for that (fair enough, I suppose).

I understand that they need to provide a fair service to all their customers, but why does that have to mean reducing my speed when I’m not even trying to download excessive amounts? Surely they should simply cap my speed?

A double punishment.
I can’t even call to complain or plead my case because the relevant department is only open 9-5 Mon-Fri. Isn’t that absurd? They have the power to make their service even worse, on purpose, and don’t even have the guts to be around to answer for it.

Firefox 3 to break Zoom (Edit: I’m mistaken)

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Mozilla is about the make a big mistake, the same as that made by IE7.

Zooming the whole page is not a good idea.

Browser Zoom Method Comparison

Current Firefox text-only zoom on the left, IE7 on the right.

Using the current Fx way you can easily read the text without having to scroll sideways, but the new way (which is how IE7 works) means you have to scroll right for each line of text, then back to the left, and so on.

I simply cannot fathom how they thought this was the right move.

NatWest Anti-Fraud Team: Impressive

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Despite my reservations regarding NatWest’s Card Reader, I wish to voice how impressed I was with their Anti-Fraud Team.

DreamHost’s incredible billing blunder resulted in some peculiar charges to my card.
So when I was trying to pay what I actually owed, it was denied by the issuer.

I tried a few times (just in case), but then my mobile rings. It’s NatWest asking if it’s me attempting to make these payments.

That’s joined-up thinking. Some automated system has obviously spotted the unusual activity and gets a human to check it out. They have my number, call me, I explain. They then inform me that I should wait a short while and try again.

Bit of a pointless post I guess, but I thought they should get some credit.

BBC Homepage Beta Using jQuery

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The BBC Beta Homepage is using jQuery, but unfortunately it’s ugly.

I should qualify that – I think it’s a good move to make the homepage more personalisable, but does it have to look so Web2.0?
Big text was a fad a year ago, but it’s too informal for an internationally recognised and respected news source, and it makes it look so childish – I dread to think what the new CBBC sites would look like!

I realise this is only a beta, and may well change considerably, but without a bit of a shrink I won’t be likely to use it as a homepage tab.

BT (‘British’ Tele-extortion) Woes

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BT have me in a head-lock.

I get my phone and broadband service from them, and am charged, on average, £30 per month.
This is not overly excessive, but I wanted to reduce it somehow, since I’ve been made better offers by Virgin Media.

After digging through the website after looking at my online (paperfree) bill, I eventually find a number. (The usual 0800 800 150).
On calling this number I’m asked by the automated system whether I’m calling from the phone[line] I wish to talk about.
I am, and press ’1′ to indicate as such. (The alternative is to enter the phone number.)
So why am I asked for that number every bleeding time I actually talk to a real human being?

I’m then asked for my account number for ID verification (though they are loathe to admit that’s why), oh, and my name and my address and postcode. (All of which are on the bill, so anyone who can intercept my bill can claim to be me.)

So, who do I speak with? Various people in India, that well-known British territory.
Is that why they can’t see my phone number, because they’re on some crappy-quality network 5000 miles away?

After explaining the reason for my call I’m told all the things I already know, the total cost of my last bill etc., and I have to suggest that we look into changing my broadband package. Oh no, that means I have to be put through to another department! Okay, fine, just get on with it.
“Welcome to BT. Your call may be recorded…” … “If you’re calling from the phone you wish to talk about…” Argh!

I give all my details again, and am eventually told that I might be better of upgrading my broadband package to avoid a repeat of “your recent email” notifying me that I went over my 8GB limit. That was about 6 months ago.

Can I just cancel my account? “Yes, but you’ll be charged the cancellation fee.”
Not actually a fee, just the whole bill (minus call charges) for the remainder of the contract, which is until August ’08.

Oh bugger.

Recursive Moved Itself

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The highly observant amongst you may have noticed that I have moved this blog to my personal domain, jezmckean.com.
You should have been brought to this domain automatically, and I hope to fix the multitude of links online, but need the automatic move for those I can’t fix.
I’ve done this because I’m working to separate my freelance business, jazzle.co.uk, from my personal stuff.

Eventually, the blog subdomain at jazzle will be replaced with a work related one.