lewisupperton.com
Welcome to my portfolio, as is the norm, this is a perpetual work in progress, but it should, generally, display the latest projects I am working on at any given time.
Please, take a look around and enjoy.
dAmn #Journal Chat Importer
Project Type: Chatroom Log Processor
Languages: PHP 5
Status: On-going
What is it?
The dAmn #Journal Chat Importer is an importer for a custom deviantART journal CSS called '#Journal', it's meant to format a dAmn (deviantART Messaging Network) chat log into the format that the #Journal Journal CSS can use to emulate dAmn.
Where Can I Get It?
The importer and the source code for the importer is available at This Webpage.
Tangent
Project Type: MySQL News/Blog System
Languages: PHP 4, MySQL
Status: Hiatus
What is Tangent?
Tangent is an evolution of Slog, it is intended to be more robust and more expandable than its evolutionary predecessor.
The key difference between Tangent and Slog is in the way that they store their data. Slog uses a flat file database (or text files) while Tangent uses MySQL. This gives Tangent an improvement in stability, while also making it easier for me to develop for.
Where Can I Get It?
All the versions of Tangent can be found here.
iamcooley.com
Website Type: Artist Portfolio
Time Taken: More than 40 hours
Languages: XHTML 1.0 Transitional, CSS 2.1, PHP 5, MySQL, Javascript
I first got involved in the development of this website around November 2005, when the site owner, Ginger Cooley asked for help in, if memory recalls, the Projects Forum at deviantART.com.
What Was The Website Like Before You Joined?
The website (again, if memory recalls), was flash based, and Ginger wanted the website to be more accessible and easier to use, having originally cited her dedicated Photography website as the direction she wanted to go in.
What Were You Asked To Do?
Initially I was asked to give my opinions on the designs that Ginger mocked up for me to use, and to give advice about what was and was not possible (within my then current skill set), and other advice to do with accessibility and such like.
After we had a layout that Ginger was happy with, was tasked with converting the original PSD of the website into HTML and CSS.
What Sort Of Follow Up Did You Do?
Periodically (I'd say between every three to six months), I will look over the website and see if there is anything I can improve if I have gained any significant new skills along the way.
An example of that is changing the original 'news system' (which consisted of a file that Ginger had to update), to use Slog, then later, Tangent, making it far easier for her to add site news. As a consequence of this, any update that I make to slog, and now, Tangent, I also normally apply to her website too.
Another example is the implementation of the various gallery systems that the website has used.
At the start, the website used static files, and had to be updated manually, this lead to only a small number of images being added, making her gallery outdated very quickly (she is quite a prolific artist). At first, I implemented a comic system and jigged it around to allow for a simple gallery, and over time, I developed Slag and later 'Gallery' (working name), and subsequently implemented it into her website.
In the future, I plan to implement a full Content Management System so then Ginger will not need to log into different systems to do different things.
bytuan.com
Project Type: Artist Portfolio
Time Taken: Approximately 20 Hours total
Languages: XHTML 1.0 Transitional, CSS 2.1, PHP 4
I first got involved in the website when Tuan mentioned his new flash website design in his journal on deviantART (similar to a blog entry).
Generally he was asking for opinions on his website and ways it could be improved.
I mentioned that Flash is not very accessible (it's only accessible to those with PC's that have the flash plugin installed, most mobile devices can't use Flash as well). Initially I re-wrote the HTML of the flash page to be more standards complaint (though, due to the use of Flash, while not impossible, it is very difficult to make the Flash HTML standards compliant).
When I had done that he then asked me if I could write a HTML version of a website.
What Was The Website Like Before You Joined?
It wasn't that much different to what you see at the moment. The only exception is that there is now a HTML version of the website.
What Were You Asked To Do?
I was generally asked to create the website to look as close as the Flash version as possible.
This entailed me creating an automated gallery system and a random quote system for the artist page, as well as, obviously, creating the HTML and CSS of the website.
What Sort Of Follow Up Did You Do?
Currently the only follow up I have been required to do is to fix an error in the contact page.
Slog
Project Type: Flatfile News/Blog System
Languages: PHP 4
Status: Hiatus
What is Slog?
Slog was my first serious effort in the realm of website development, and is the system that I ultimately learnt most of my PHP skills from.
Slog is, at its most basic, a news or 'blog' system, and was so called because it is/was very simple (not necessarily to use, however). Over time it has evolved into a more complex beast with several fairly advanced features (at least, given my current skill level, they are advanced).
Where Can I Get It?
All the versions of slog can be found here.
Slag
Project Type: Flatfile Gallery System
Languages: PHP 4
Status: Hiatus
What is Slag?
Slag is, primarily, a gallery system that I had developed almost exclusively for iamcooley.com, to make it easier for the site owner to update her galleries. It was also created to enable further growth in the features of her website and to make it easier for me to maintain the website.
Like slog, the system runs using flat files (text files) as the 'databases' for the system, allowing me to easily fix problems that always tend to occur.
Currently, the latest version of this system is not available (actually, no version is available), since it is still very much geared towards the iamcooley.com implementation, and as such, I haven't really made the system 'generic', and useable, for 'the general public'. Version 0.7.0.0 should be more suited for most users, and should be available whenever time allows (subsequently superceded by 'Gallery').
TinySwitcher
Project Type: PHP CSS Style Switcher
Languages: PHP 4
Status: Hiatus
What is TinySwitcher?
TinySwitcher is a simple bit of code that I made to easily allow me to change style sheets, and remember those changes.
It is currently not in use due to my using Dynamic CSS, using PHP directly in the 'CSS' file.
Where Can I Get It?
All the versions of TinySwitcher can be found here.
Alternatively, you can visit, the TinySwitcher web page, for more information.
Bitrate
Project Type: A Bit Rate Calculator
Languages: PHP 4
Status: Hiatus
What is Bitrate?
Bitrate is a simple calculator that I made to save myself the hassle of doing bit rate calculations to work out if a certain amount of music will fit on my MP3 player.
Where Can I Get It?
All the versions of Bitrate can be found here.
Alternatively, you can visit, the Bitrate web page, for more information.
| XHTML | ***** | CSS | ***** |
| PHP 4/5 (Procedural) | **** | PHP 4/5 (Object Oriented) | * |
| MySQL | *** | Javascript | * |
| Photoshop | **** | Windows | **** |
| Unix/Linux | ** |
I am a creative and enthusiastic website developer with a systematic approach to problem solving and keen eye for detail. Knowledgeable in (X)HTML, CSS, Procedural PHP and MySQL and motivated to learn new languages, I thrive in a pressure environment and am comfortable working to deadlines and collaborating as part of a team and with clients. Currently I maintain a personal website and co-run and maintain www.iamcooley.com. I have over ten years of experience working with computers, my initial interest being computer games before specialising in website development when the internet became available to me.