Firdamatic Template Generator
I’ve made quite a few templates on my own in the past. They can really be a pain - especially if you are trying to make a tableless template that is valid XHTML. An extra challenge is to make a 3 column tableless template.
Tonight, I just came across a tool (Firdamatic) that helps anyone create simple 2-column and 3-column templates on the fly by just filling out a form. Here is a description from the site itself:
Firdamatic is an online tableless layout generator that allows you to create and customize layouts easily only by completing forms, making creating skins for your Firdamatic-based layout a breeze. This is just a taste of what to come at the new Book of Styles site. Doesn’t it make you wish I’d hurry and finish re-developing the site? Well, I will, eventually. Meanwhile, just enjoy this simple toy. Oh by the way, if you need a custom tableless design for your weblog, I’m for hire! Contact me for a quote.
And here is a sample of a template I created:
One thing I do not like is that you can’t get a good understanding of how your colors look until you generate the template. Other then that - this looks like it could be very useful for anyone who doesn’t want to spend too much time going through the trouble of making advanced templates like these.
April 12th, 2005 at 1:55 pm
Nice find. I think this will be helpful to quite a few. I’ve read many a post lately, as it would seem, about blog/tables, etc.
April 12th, 2005 at 4:33 pm
Just curious, but why are you so adament against tables?
April 13th, 2005 at 1:16 am
Tables are at the root of all that is evil. Just kidding.
I’ve noticed that tables really slow things down a lot on browsers. A web page may not render at all until all objects within the tables are downloaded. This includes those pesky 3rd party scripts such as blogrolls, web counters, an the likes.
Also, with CSS, I can position my content near the top of the
source-code rather then my navigation. I believe this helps with
search engines.
April 14th, 2005 at 12:55 am
I need to check this thing out. I am so tired of having my blaaah Blogger template.