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Michael "Spell" Spellacy Front-end developer, designer and accessibility specialist in Allentown, PA

Should I Use An Accessibility Overlay?

The answer is no, of course. The impetus for this little page came from answering this question at work on a fairly regular and alarming basis, so I thought it might be nice to succinctly...

Report from the Star Wars Generation

This fanzine, and many like it, were how we hardcore Star Wars fans got our Blue Milk fix, pre-internet (I was not a BBS user yet). Believe it or not, Star Wars was quite dormant...

HTMSpell on HTMHell

Some bad HTML I discovered on Disney Plus' web app is featured here. This is a fun site, too. Lots to learn.

Pushing Buttons

Buttons vs. Links Understanding Roles Keyboard Benefits Hyperlink Suppression Solutions Example Support Buttons vs. Links Hopefully by now, most of us understand when we should be using button and a elements in our work. If...

Pac-Man (2307) Refurbish: Cleaning The Monitor

Well, I was and still am nervous about this, but decided I really wanted a clean monitor and chassis, which can both get really dirty over the decades. Some Simple Green and a light hosing...

Transcending Tools

In my work. I have never thought it very prudent to devote my time or energy to mastering a specific tool or framework. This is not because I do not find value in these things,...

Pac-Man: Part Deux

Saw another Pac-Man listed on Facebook Marketplace. The cabinet is in great condition and the price was right, so I could not pass it up. It does not appear to be working at the moment,...

Super-Pac Man Restoration: New Bezel

The original artwork on the Super Pac-Man bezel (the glass over the monitor) was ruined by last owner and faded due to years of exposure to direct sunlight, so I decided to scrape it off...

Super Pac-Man Restoration: Wipe Down

By some miracle, I have a couple of hours to kill this afternoon, so I'm giving the Super Pac some TLC. This cabinet is in pretty great condition, so I think that I will apply...

Snowfall

Some light snowfall here today. This is as much snow as I care for. No shoveling involved. The world is so horrible right now, that it is hard to enjoy this festive time of year,...

2020 Career Goals

I only have one and it is the same as last year. Continue to make accessibility a priority where I work. Nothing else matters to me.

Lableism

Lableism: The act of intentionally removing web form labels and replacing them with placeholder text. Usually done in an effort to make form fields more aesthetically pleasing, while leaving blind and low vision users out...

Fall Y'all

A little drawing by my daughter, Faith. I think she has talent.

Pac-Man Restoration: CPO

Got the new Control Panel Overlay (CPO) last week. It looks good, but is ever so slightly off from the original. Likely something no other human-being will notice, but which screams out to my anal...

Accessibility Testing Statistic

This is an amazing statistic: When testing a website for WCAG compliance, only 18% of criteria can be tested automatically, 31% auto+manual verification, and 47% manual only. via @KarlGroves #a11y #wcag #testing – @webaxe

Designer Pooch

My very messy, yet adorable dog, Sass. Yes, she was named after the CSS extension language, Sass. sass --sit sass --watch sass --heel Good dog. ❤️

Happy Halloween!

Let me take you back to yesteryear, Halloween 1978. My brother (right) and I sporting our Ben Cooper onesies, ready to unleash some tricks and get lots of treats. I really loved that C-3PO costume,...

Webmentions Rock!

This is just a test post in response to a webmentions article that I just read. Really cool to be able to communicate with other websites in this manner. So much more to learn!

Dark Mode Support Added

Did you know that websites support dark mode, too? It's true. All the cool kids are doing it, so I peppered in a little support tonight. Turn it on in your settings or wait for...

Pac-Man Fever

Well here is the next big restoration, folks! I picked it up a couple of weeks ago. It was originally a Pac-Man, which was converted to a Pac-Man Jr. and I'll be taking it back...

Webmention Support Added

I have finally got around to adding webmention support to this site, which is simple to do through a third-party service called webmention.io. Essentially, I can now engage with other websites in the same manner...

Galaxian Update: Restoration Complete!

Behold! I officially completed the restoration of the Galaxian cabinet! Isn't it glorious? Eventually, I'll get around to writing a more detailed post about the restoration of this cabinet, but for the time being, you...

Inaccessible Brand Guidelines

So, here is a neat thing that happened this week. My company is currently redesigning a website for a big client and I was asked to chime in on the accessibility of the new design....

Galaxian Update: Almost There!

I had meant to post this a few days ago, but the cabinet itself is done and all that is left to do is install the electronic components! Wish me luck because that is truly...

Galaxian Update: Painting Done!

The painting on the Galaxian cabinet is finally done! Next up are the decals, but even without them I think it still looks pretty darn sweet! I'll be posting all the details about this little...

Happy Pride Month

Sass wanted to celebrate #pride, so the kids made it happen. Peace and love to all!

The 10 Rules of Joy

My daughter, Joy, has some rules for all you people, so you had better get with it! Especially if you are boy! Girls only Every girl is allowed to draw in this notebook. We don't...

Galaxian Update: Coin Door Restored!

I finished the Galaxian coin door today. The color is not 100% to my liking, but it will do and still harkens back to the original. Most people just paint them black because it is...

Morning Walk: The Snapping Turtle

Am I not turtley enough for the turtle club? Turtle, turtle, turtle! Beth and I spotted this big snapping turtle today. So cool. I love turtles!

Cozy Dog Is Cozy

Wouldn't you agree? Ladies and gentlemen, my bundled up pooch, Sassy! Woof! Woof!

Wedding Anniversary

19 wonderful years of marriage to this woman! What an awesome trip it's been, too!

Morning Walk

Pennsylvania is beautiful country. This is practically in my back yard. Moments like these remind me of the Staten Island of my youth. (Where I'm originally from.) I am glad that our kids get to...

CSS Is Awesome

I often use this picture at the end of presentations that I produce. The original work is from a coffee rationing campaign during World War 2. The edit is mine, of course, and always gives...

Coming Soon: The Galaxian Restoration

This is the arcade cabinet that I am currently restoring. Isn't it lovely? I used to pump so many quarters into these things! I hope to finish it this summer, so expect a lot of...

Enter the IndieWeb

I have been spending a lot of time lately, exploring the IndieWeb. I dig the idea of owning my online presence and content. I will post more as I learn about it, but today I...

Accessibility is a Human Need

Most people I encounter seek to handle web accessibility in the same way—by throwing a lot of tools at it. Tools are great, but until you realize accessibility is a human need, all the tools...

My New Email Signature

Things I am considering adding to my work email signature: Did you clear your browser cache? Does the client need IE8 support? No, you can't have widgets. No carousels without an exceptionally good reason. No....

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