Through out the past couple of weeks, I have been working endlessly on implementing the Google Maps API in to a xhtml strict website. At the beginning of the project, I decided that I wanted the application to be fully customizable via an XML file. Everything from the icons, locations & info windows needed to be accessed and modified from one central location.

When setting up the Google Maps API, it is very important to pay attention to the version. I wasted a good day trying to follow XML.com’s “Hacking Google Map’s” tutorial, only to realize that their method of using marker.openInfoWindowXslt to access an xsl file was no longer supported.

The main advice that I can give for anyone that wants to add Google Maps to their site is to use the following two pages as a resource because they are the best :

* Google’s Google Maps Version 2 API Documentation
* www.econym.demon.co.uk/googlemaps/

I decided to try out the web hosting company, Media Temple, after reading all of the positive feedback from various websites.

Media Temple’s design was clean, simple and aestheically pleasing. The hosting packages offered competitive prices and packages that included a variety of features.

After signing up with Media Temple, uploading the files, configuring the server and installing Moveable Type I compared it to my current provider, Hosting Matters. I came to the conclusion that I prefer Hosting Matters and although the interface at Media Temple is fairly intuitive, it is not as easy to configure the server as it is in Hosting Matters. For example, Media Temple required a request to the service department to add an additional domain to the server where as Hosting Matters allowed the user to add the domain independently. When comparing the packages I discovered each company had similar features and prices.

In my opinion, if you are in need of a “user friendly” hosting company, Hosting Matters would be an excellent choice.

Mike Rundle of 9rules published a very useful post describing the four golden rules (a.k.a. C.R.A.P) in website design. These rules consist of contrast, repitition, alignment and proximity. If time and consideration is devoted to following these rules, the overall usability and appeal in a websites design will be much much better off. Head over to thinkvitamin for the complete article.