Andy Li's Blog

Since I am going to make a benchmark for ActionScript performance across different browser/platform, I take a look into the JavaScript benchmark to see if I can simply port one to be used in ActionScript.

The most famous ones should be Apple’s SunSpider, Google’s V8 Benchmark Suite, Mozilla’s Dromaeo. All the benchmarks are compose of several test areas, basically including some basic JavaScript operation test like Array manipulations, some more practical based test like regular expression, ray-tracing etc.

V8 Benchmark Suite consist 6 tests which has the least tests among the three. But when I take a look into the source code, the testes are very long. It even overrides Math.random() to a seeded random generator.

SunSpider’s structure seems to be more simple and the tests inside are more easy to read (although less documented compares to V8′s). I think it should be not that hard to port to AS.

I still do not have time to look into Dromaeo’s source but it has quite a lot of tests. And some of the tests includes DOM and use of library like jQuery and Prototype, which is not quite appropriate to be ported.

My target should be porting SunSpider. But there is still some things to be considered like whether to use AS’s build-in library, coverage of Graphic manipulation etc. More researchs are needed .

Since I am going to make a benchmark for ActionScript performance across different browser/platform, I take a look into the JavaScript benchmark to see if I can simply port one to be used in ActionScript. The most famous ones should be Apple's SunSpider, Google's V8 Benchmark Suite, Mozilla's Dromaeo. All the benchmarks are compose of several test areas, basically including some basic JavaScript operation test like Array manipulations, some more practical based test like regular expression, ray-tracing etc. V8 Benchmark Suite consist 6 tests which has the least tests among the three. But when I take a look into the source code, the testes are very long. It even overrides Math.random() to a seeded random generator. SunSpider's structure seems to be more simple and the tests inside are more easy to read (although less documented compares to V8's). I think it should be not that hard to port to AS. I still do not have time to look into Dromaeo's source but it has quite a lot of tests. And some of the tests includes DOM and use of library like jQuery and Prototype, which is not quite appropriate to be ported. My target should be porting SunSpider. But there is still some things to be considered like whether to use AS's build-in library, coverage of Graphic manipulation etc. More researchs are needed ;-) .

TwitterFE

Developer’s Blog Post on TwitterFE

It is a redesign of Twitter web site, the aim is to incorporate modern front-end programming best practices.

So let me do some quick validation and testing.
(ps. I do know automated testings do not really show a web site’s usability and accessibility, but it is always fun to do these testings to others’ web site)
(ps. My blog fails lots of validation/checking… and Google’s/Yahoo’s even fail more… No need to tell me about this. )

Functional Accessibility Evaluator: Navigation & Orientation: Partially Implemented

t.a.w. 3: some accessibility problems on Priority 2 and 3

WAVE 4 : 1 accessibility problem

W3C CSS Validator (CSS2.1): fail

Cynthia Says Report WCAG123: fail

Cynthia Says Report Section508: pass

TwitterFE Developer's Blog Post on TwitterFE It is a redesign of Twitter web site, the aim is to incorporate modern front-end programming best practices. So let me do some quick validation and testing. :twisted: (ps. I do know automated testings do not really show a web site's usability and accessibility, but it is always fun to do these testings to others' web site) (ps. My blog fails lots of validation/checking... and Google's/Yahoo's even fail more... No need to tell me about this. ;-) ) [caption id="attachment_274" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Functional Accessibility Evaluator: Navigation & Orientation: Partially Implemented"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_273" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="t.a.w. 3: some accessibility problems on Priority 2 and 3"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_272" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="WAVE 4 : 1 accessibility problem"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_271" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="W3C CSS Validator (CSS2.1): fail"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_270" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Cynthia Says Report WCAG123: fail"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_269" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Cynthia Says Report Section508: pass"][/caption]

Web usability/accessibility testing is always a troublesome work for web designers/developers. But with good tools, testing can be made much faster, easier and cheaper. Here below are some tools I found useful:

HTML VALIDATOR (Firefox add-on)

HTML Validator in action

Homepage: http://users.skynet.be/mgueury/mozilla/

It can let you validate your website (and any pages you browse) at the time Firefox loads it. Since the validation engines are built into the add-on, there is close to no delay in validation. Also, when you double click its icon, all the errors and warnings (optional accessibility issues too!) are shown up with html source. It is real handy!

Note that there are two avalible validation engines in HTML Validator, Tiny and OpenSP. OpenSP is the one running behind W3C Validation Service.

ATRC Web Accessibility Checker

URL: http://checker.atrc.utoronto.ca/

Actually there are many online accessibility checkers. You may easily find one by searching “accessibility checker”. I have not test them all but I found this one is quite good since it let you select which accessibility guideline you want you site to check against.

Firefox accessibility extension

URL: http://firefox.cita.uiuc.edu/

It is developed for people with disabilities, but web developer should find this very useful. Despite of trying to navigate your web site as people with disabilities, the quick links on the toolbar can let you validate/check your site’s accessibility issues easily.

Firefox Web developer Toolbar

URL: http://chrispederick.com/work/web-developer/

Here is yet another firefox extension. Actually this toolbar is a must-have for web developers. The functions are too many, I try to name a few: button to resize your window to 800*600 (or any other presets), button for W3C validation service, disable cache, disable javascript etc.

Web usability/accessibility testing is always a troublesome work for web designers/developers. But with good tools, testing can be made much faster, easier and cheaper. Here below are some tools I found useful: HTML VALIDATOR (Firefox add-on) HTML Validator in action Homepage: http://users.skynet.be/mgueury/mozilla/ It can let you validate your website (and any pages you browse) at the time Firefox loads it. Since the validation engines are built into the add-on, there is close to no delay in validation. Also, when you double click its icon, all the errors and warnings (optional accessibility issues too!) are shown up with html source. It is real handy! Note that there are two avalible validation engines in HTML Validator, Tiny and OpenSP. OpenSP is the one running behind W3C Validation Service. ATRC Web Accessibility Checker URL: http://checker.atrc.utoronto.ca/ Actually there are many online accessibility checkers. You may easily find one by searching "accessibility checker". I have not test them all but I found this one is quite good since it let you select which accessibility guideline you want you site to check against. Firefox accessibility extension URL: http://firefox.cita.uiuc.edu/ It is developed for people with disabilities, but web developer should find this very useful. Despite of trying to navigate your web site as people with disabilities, the quick links on the toolbar can let you validate/check your site's accessibility issues easily. Firefox Web developer Toolbar URL: http://chrispederick.com/work/web-developer/ Here is yet another firefox extension. Actually this toolbar is a must-have for web developers. The functions are too many, I try to name a few: button to resize your window to 800*600 (or any other presets), button for W3C validation service, disable cache, disable javascript etc.