Why using BEM for your CSS is a good idea
Four years after writing that BEM syntax in CSS indicates weak coding principles, it's time for a retraction.
Published on 21st August 2019
Blog posts about Internet
The internet plays a huge role in my life, from a place to share photos and videos, to a career, to a means of communication linking me to friends and family all over the world.
Creating a single-width Gutenberg block
How to create your own Gutenberg block with only a full or wide alignment option, instead of the usual possibilities.
Published on 19th August 2019
The wonders of CSS Grid
I'm beginning to delve into the newest extension of the CSS style rule possibilities at a professional level, in order to design and create websites which break the mould.
Published on 17th May 2019
Technical case study: simple, invisible language switching
Using a website visitor's browser settings to seamlessly display content in a language they can understand.
Published on 7th March 2019
cubetech Desk Memories
The farewell photo of my fourth office desk in Switzerland, before I start afresh in the Bernese Oberland.
Published on 8th December 2018
What I’ve built with WordPress
Some people believe that WordPress isn't suitable for more than a simple website. Throughout my career, I've proved that assumption wrong many times over.
Published on 4th December 2018
Saying hello to a better future
I'm moving to Swiss web agency Say Hello as partner, client consultant and full-stack developer from January 2019.
Published on 3rd December 2018
Technical case study: working around an intensive site cache
How we swapped out individual sections of a high-traffic site to make best use of WordPress' REST API.
Published on 29th November 2018
How to get your visitors where they need to be
I presented at the WordCamp conference in Lausanne a couple of weeks ago, on the subject of website usability. The video of my talk is now online.
Published on 9th October 2018
Working with multilingual theme options
I’ve been using the Advanced Custom Fields plugin for WordPress for nearly five years, and it’s implemented in every project I’ve created or worked on since I began using it. At work, our WordPress Themes depend on…
Published on 26th September 2018
Technical case study: HTML5 video
How I quickly implemented a splash page for Sulzer Schmid Laboratories, containing an autoplaying HTML5 video.
Published on 18th September 2018
Speaking at WordCamp Lausanne
I'm presenting at WordCamp Lausanne at the end of September. Come and hear me talk about user interfaces and usability, and get your questions answered too.
Published on 14th September 2018
Integrating Mailchimp fields and interest groups to a Gravity Form
I was recently set the task of integrating a Mailchimp mailing list to a WordPress website by way of a multi-step Gravity Form. The regular form fields were easy to link, but the interest groups needed a…
Published on 10th August 2018
WordPress’ Gutenberg editor
The major update of WordPress, scheduled for this year, will contain a brand-new and much-improved editor.
Published on 6th July 2018
In Focus – an interview with cubetech
An interview with me which first appeared on the cubetech website in June.
Published on 5th June 2018
DSGVO der EU: Auswirkungen auf Schweizer Website-Betreiber
Am WordPress Meetup in Bern am 17. April 2018 sprach Martin Steiger über die Auswirkungen der Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO) auf Schweizer Website-Betreiber.
Published on 18th April 2018
Why the age of WordPress’ Core code doesn’t matter all that much
Many developers complain that WordPress is an outdated system, relying on old code for the sake of the widest range of possible support. I see that as one of the advantages of WordPress.
Published on 22nd March 2018
The Day Job
It was inevitable, I suppose, that I would, one day, have to start applying my experience to The Day Job instead of just my hours. Instead of just being the go-to-guy for programming, I’d have to take over a more…
Published on 15th March 2018
Speaking at WordCamp Bern
Through my participation of the regular and sociable “WordPress Meetup” in Bern, I was one of the volunteers who helped organize the WordCamp conference in Switzerland's capital last weekend.
Published on 14th September 2017
WordPress Switzerland
As my working career moves towards being involved with WordPress 100% of the time in future, I’ve started to gradually invest a little more of my time and effort into the WordPress community. My aim is to work with…
Published on 1st March 2017
A new role at WordPress agency cubetech
After six years with my current employer, the time has come to move into a role which better suits my abilities and which will provide me with new challenges. I'm really excited that I've been asked to join WordPress agency…
Published on 27th February 2017
Investment in a proper website concept is usually the least expensive option
Spending money on an informed, experienced website concept document will usually work out cheaper than trying to battle through for days on your own. It will also mean that the end result will be more reliable and more likely to…
Published on 22nd February 2017
The dangers of technical evangelism
Why the software you love may not always be the right one for the project at hand, and how you can recognize and plan for it.
Published on 20th February 2017
WordPress is bigger than you think
In 2016, 27% of all of the websites on the internet were powered by WordPress. That's 8 times more than Joomla, 12 times more than Drupal, and 70 times more than TYPO3.
Published on 17th February 2017
Simple CSS specificity rule guide
There are a few ways to apply CSS styling rules to an element. Each one is less or more specific than another. Applying a rule using a class selector when you’ve applied a different rule using an ID selector won’t…
Published on 16th February 2017
Responsive imagemap with interactive highlighting function
A short post to help anyone who is looking to implement a responsive HTML imagemap, which also features an interactive highlighting function.
Published on 16th February 2017
The (Not So) Secret Powers Of The Mobile Browser
I have a 16Gb iPhone, with comparatively few apps installed. 70% of these 16Gb are filled with data for these apps, although only 6% are music stored for offline listening, and only 2% are photos. From the apps, the main offender…
Published on 22nd December 2016
Using WordPress template parts for my new WordPress theme
The new WordPress theme running this website has been improved by the use of WordPress' get_template_part function.
Published on 20th December 2016
Screen resolutions in Sketch
Defining custom artboards in Sketch to better reflect modern screen resolutions.
Published on 16th December 2016
The minimum viable product
A stripped-back, simple WordPress theme for my personal website, which I can begin extending as and when I have the time.
Published on 15th December 2016
Modular functionality – making WordPress development easier
A summarized insight into maintaining individual features in your own WordPress plugins through the flexibility and organisation of modular development.
Published on 30th November 2016
Examples of WordPress as a headless CMS
WordPress is much more than a simple tool for building websites. Here are a few prominent sites which use WordPress and its new REST API for much more than a simple blog.
Published on 28th November 2016
Base code for a WordPress theme using PHP namespaces
I provide a free public Github repository containing example code for starting work on a WordPress theme which uses PHP namespaces and template parts.
Published on 25th November 2016
Base code for a WordPress plugin using PHP namespaces
I provide a free public Github repository containing example code for starting work on a WordPress plugin, which uses PHP namespaces.
Published on 25th November 2016
Tailoring your web design process to site visitors’ needs
An analysis of the visitor statistics during a recent web project showed that a large number of visitors were visiting the site using medium-small devices with 1024px x 768px screens. This corresponds to an iPad held in horizontal format.
Published on 3rd November 2016
New Slack channel opened for WordPress Switzerland
Providing WordPress developers and designers in Switzerland with an online place to hang out and exchange tips and ideas.
Published on 1st November 2016
Handling file requests with the WordPress Rewrite API
I occasionally have a need to divert file requests on a website to a PHP script. By doing so, I can determine whether the visitor may access it, see whether an image should have a watermark automatically applied, or notify…
Published on 20th October 2016
The JavaScript argument is racist
The battle royal du jour in the web development community is the argument of whether websites should be built with a JavaScript-based technology like AngularJS, Node.js or React, or using the classic composition of HTML and CSS, then extending it with JavaScript…
Published on 14th October 2016
Technical case study: the SBB CFF FFS brand panel
Using modern web technologies to replicate the ubiquitous red panel used by Swiss railway company SBB CFF FFS.
Published on 28th September 2016
The WordPress technology behind my new photo galleries
Publishing photos to WordPress directly via FTP using Adobe Lightroom.
Published on 23rd September 2016
