By StrangeWork: SitePoint launched a new section a couple months ago which is a must bookmark for all web developers out there. Mash a solid reference book on HTML, CSS, and JavScript and you’ll have the SitePoint Reference.

SitePoint launched the CSS Reference in March of 2008, and just last week launched the HTML beta reference!

These reference sites couldn’t be easier to use and cover languages relatable to all web developers including HTML, CSS, and a soon to launch section on JavaScript. You can either search for specific elements or drill down in the easy to navigate categories.

Reference sites and books are great for developers like myself that know how to program, but need help remembering syntax from time to time. Do yourself a favor now and bookmark this site!

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By StrangeWork.com: As most of you know I am in the process of starting my own Web Development Company in New Jersey. Starting a company takes a lot of work, but of course I knew this going into it. Business is great and we are starting to grow!

I’ve decided to shift focus on my technologies track a little. I’ve always programmed with Microsoft technologies including classic ASP, ASP.NET, VB, SQL Server, etc. I’ve been developing dynamic websites with classic ASP for almost 8 years now and I still love that language. I use ASP.NET occasionally when the project calls for it, but I love scripting languages. I’ve decided to focus my efforts on PHP rather than ASP.NET.

Scripting has always come natural to me, so why focus on a more object-oriented language? Exactly, so from this point on I will be primarily developing in ASP and PHP. The logic is the same as ASP, just different syntax so the switch won’t be too dramatic.

Expect to see some sweet PHP applications rolling out in the coming months!

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By StrangeWork.com: I had my first boss in the Marine Corps, Chief Warrant Officer Lipscomb, contact me and my business partner Brian today. I haven’t spoken with him in over 7 years!

It was great catching up with him! Officer Lipscomb was the man in charge of Brian and I as we became Web Developers for the 2nd Force Service Support Group at Camp Lejeune. Thus the dynamic programming duo was born!

The Marine Corps was hard, but I’ll always have a deep respect for it. After all, it made me who I am today! I wouldn’t be undertaking this adventure to start a Web Dev company without the leadership and self motivation I gained from the Marines.

OOORAH!

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By StrangeWork.com: After months of planning I finally made my move to New Jersey!
It’s really a site to see your entire life packed in a moving truck. The trip was long and boring, but we made it in about 14 hours. We arrived at 4am and started unloading at 7! HARDCORE!

I have my office all setup and am working toward my dream of running my own company. There is still much to do, but at least the move is behind me. Expect more frequent postings coming soon!

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By StrangeWork.com: The Batteries.com warehouse/office move is officially over!

The warehouse servers were shutdown at 4:30pm on Thursday and back online 4 hours later. The warehouse crew spent the weekend moving over all of our products and we were testing shipments by Saturday.

Overall the warehouse move went amazingly well. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. This has been in the planning stages for about 2 months, so it’s very nice to have this done and over with.

I’m looking forward to getting back to my regular blog updates and podcasting. Next up is the BIG move to New Jersey!

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By StrangeWork.com: Tomorrow marks one month until my move to New Jersey! One month seems like a long time, but in all reality it’s extremely short considering I am picking up my entire life and moving to a new state to start my own company.

Thinks are busy as ever at work as we work on moving Batteries.com to two new buildings. I’m sure you’ve noticed my lack of posts lately, which is due to the Batteries.com move and my Jersey move. After March I will be back to regular posting, but until then it will be sporadic.

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By StrangeWork.com: Today I received my newest book from SitePoint, The Ultimate CSS Reference.

The first thing I noticed is the durable hard cover the book is wrapped in. There is something special about a hard cover book, especially when it’s a reference manual!

I’m a huge fan of reference books. Most of us out there know how to use different languages to develop our web sites. What we don’t always know is the correct syntax to make that magic happen. That’s where the reference manual comes in to play.

Of course we all know over time these manuals can take a beating from constant use. That is why I love the hard cover! It’s able to hold together when I launch it across the room in frustration.

Kidding of course! I highly recommend the entire line of SitePoint books for beginner and expert developers alike.

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By StrangeWork.com: After over a year of blogging I have finally taken over the number one spot on Google for the search term “Brad Williams”. It wasn’t an easy task, namely because there is a little person comedian of the same name that was on TV for a bit. Having a somewhat common name didn’t help either!

I realize everyone hits different Google servers and this could change at any minute, but for now it sticks and I have a picture for proof! BOOYA!

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By StrangeWork.com: The time has finally come for me to move on from Batteries.com. Not only am I leaving Batteries.com, but I am also leaving Indiana and moving to New Jersey in April!

I’ve come to a crossroad in my life where I had to make a decision. Take the safe route and keep working in the corporate world at a cushy job, or take the less safe route and go with my passion of being an entrepreneur and start my own company and try to make it big. I can happily say I’m taking the less safe route and going for it!

I’m going to be working part time at a development firm, called InfoLoop, where my friend currently works. The rest of the time I will be working on building my new company (Web Dev Studios) and pushing my startup sites (SnapFoo.com, iHotties.net, etc)

This is a huge change in my life and an exciting time. As much as I love Indiana I think it’s time for me to go. In New Jersey I will be within driving distance to New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington DC. All of these locations have HUGE tech scenes and I’m really looking forward to all the conferences/gatherings that I’ll be able to attend.

I’m taking a huge risk by leaving, but in the words of Robert F. Kennedy:

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

Wish me luck!

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By StrangeWork.com: I’m visiting an old Marine Corps friend in New Jersey until Monday. I’ll be back to regular posting when I return from my trip.

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