Even for a professional writer, long editing sessions are a challenge. Was I actually editing those last ten pages, or did I nod off around page three?<\/p>\n
To help make sure I’ve been editing aggressively enough, I use a simple checkpoint rule:<\/p>\n
\nAfter editing a first draft, the text should be 25% shorter.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Cutting 25% probably sounds like a lot. How does this work in practice? Let’s take a look at two short real-world examples.<\/p>\n
Example 1: jQuery Document Ready<\/h2>\n
From the “How jQuery Works” tutorial, “Launching Code on Document Ready<\/a>“:<\/p>\n
\nThe first thing that most Javascript programmers end up doing is adding some code to their program, similar to this:<\/p>\n
window.onload = function(){ alert(“welcome”); }<\/p>\n
Inside of which is the code that you want to run right when the page is loaded. Problematically, however, the Javascript code isn’t run until all images are finished downloading (this includes banner ads). The reason for using
window.onload<\/code> in the first place is that the HTML ‘document’ isn’t finished loading yet, when you first try to run your code.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nBreaking this down step-by-step:<\/p>\n
\n
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“The first thing that most Javascript programmers end up doing is adding some code to their program, similar to this” — Already I’m not a fan of this intro, as it doesn’t explain to the poor newbie jQuery developer why<\/em> “most” JavaScript programmers do this.<\/p>\n
\n
- “The first thing that” — This is throat-clearing. Instead lead off with, “Most JavaScript programmers…” or more accurately, “Many JavaScript programmers…”<\/li>\n
- “end up doing is” — More throat-clearing. Instead, say what the programmers are doing directly.<\/li>\n
- “adding some code to their program” — Too vague. Replace with something more specific, like “wrap their code in an
onload<\/code> function…”<\/li>\n- “similar to this:” — Also unnecessary. Launching into an example already implies “similar to this.” If you do<\/em> want to have a transition to the example, you can always go with the classic, “For example:”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
“Inside of which is the code that you want to run right when the page is loaded.” — The first paragraph now already says most of this, thanks to the “wrap their code in an
onload<\/code> function.” The slightly new information is the “right when the page is loaded.” Delete this sentence, but remember that last bit…<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
“Problematically, however,” — Replace with, “Unfortunately,”<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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“… the JavaScript code isn’t run until all images are finished downloading (this includes banner ads).” — Minor stylistic changes: “isn’t run” to “doesn’t run” and “(this includes banner ads)” to “, including banner ads.” Parenthetical statements are a bit harder to parse, so I try to use them only when necessary.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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“The reason for using
window.onload<\/code> in the first place is that the HTML ‘document’ isn’t finished loading yet, when you first try to run your code.” — Finally, here is the reasoning we were looking for back in the first paragraph. Why do “most JavaScript programmers” use onload? Because they are waiting for the browser to finish loading the document. So let’s say that, and while we’re at it, move the concept up to the top of the section. “To ensure that their code runs after the browser finishes loading the document…”<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nThe revised passage is now:<\/p>\n
\nTo ensure that their code runs after the browser finishes loading the document, many JavaScript programmers wrap their code in an onload function:<\/p>\n
window.onload = function(){ alert(“welcome”); }<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the code doesn’t run until all images are finished downloading, including banner ads.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Example 2: Facebook API<\/h2>\n
From the Facebook Graph API documentation for Achievement(Instance)<\/a>:<\/p>\n
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