New look! Same old crappy content

February 4th, 2007 | 8:47pm by Jim Bliss

I figured I’d herald my return from the darkness with a bright new template. All white and simplified. It’s modelled on certain parts of the US deep south. I’ve tested the template in the latest versions of the main PC Browsers. Now, I don’t care what browser you use. I’m fairly agnostic about the whole thing these days. I personally use Firefox, but both Internet Explorer and Opera are perfectly decent pieces of software that do the job. That is… assuming you’re using the latest version.

You see, while I’m fairly agnostic about which browser a person chooses, I have little time for those who insist upon using a four-year-old version. Web technology is simply changing too fast, and I can no longer be arsed expending the time and effort ensuring that my website looks good in Internet Explorer 5.5. If someone wishes to pay me lots of money for that kind of ridiculous code hacking, then all well and good, but I can think of better things to be doing with my spare time (watching paint dry for instance).

Anyway, you can find the latest version of each browser here…

If you like Firefox, then for god’s sake upgrade to version 2… it’s a painless process and makes you that little bit more friendly to website creators. If you’re a fan of Internet Explorer, then the decision to upgrade to version 7 is a no-brainer. It’s about a gazillion times more secure (according to the latest independently verified tests), has a bunch of new stuff (new, unless you’ve used Firefox or Opera) and is without a doubt the best browser Microsoft have yet to foist upon us. As for Opera… the new version dispenses with the annoying in-browser adverts / sponsorship and has lots of other neat bits and pieces that you’ll be amazed you ever lived without.

If you’re on the Mac, however, then I can’t help you. Nor do I have much sympathy for you. “Oooooh, but Jim, the website doesn’t look right on my absurdly bulbous orange screen”. “Really? Well that’s ‘cos you have a bloody stupid computer. And a crap haircut too.” Seriously though folks; if there’s any glaring problems with the template or just comments / suggestions about it, then don’t be shy.

Windows Vista?

Whaddya think? I really want to install it (and it’s just a download from Microsoft) but I’m not sure if I should.

Pros: It’s new. It’s shiny. Did I mention that it’s new?

Cons: It might well be crap. It costs money. It doesn’t really do anything I can’t make XP do if I could be arsed.

But it is new. And it’s shiny. And that’s an awful temptation when it comes to computer operating systems. It’s less of a temptation with, say, vintage wines… so it’s not a universal recommendation by any means, but new generally means better when it comes to software (and yes, we can all name the myriad exceptions to that rule, but does anyone really want to go back to Windows 3.1 or Mac OS 2?). Hmmm… well, I’m resisting the temptation so far. I’ve rationalised it thusly; why not wait until the first time Vista can do something XP can’t (which will probably be when Alan Wake is released in a couple of months time).

But of course… then it won’t be so new anymore, and it’ll probably look a bit less shiny too… who knows… perhaps I’ll download it tomorrow…

Posted in Blog stuff, Miscellanity, Tech
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14 responses to "New look! Same old crappy content"

  1. February 4th, 2007 | 10:31pm by Gyrus

    Mmmm… Simple, clean and white. Just like men should be.

  2. February 4th, 2007 | 11:24pm by Jim

    Wow Gyrus, you’ve turned into my Grandad.

  3. February 5th, 2007 | 5:34am by Pisces Iscariot

    Welcome back from the darkness Jim. You were missed.

  4. February 5th, 2007 | 6:28am by Joel

    Damn. Doesn’t work properly in Opera 7.54 (the Classic). Oh well, maybe they’ve fixed the stuff I didn’t like in Opera 9.01 now. No dammit, I’ll stick. Life’s too short for constant upgrades, I’m starting to see the backwoods mentality of those who never moved on from Netscape 4 now. I’ll relegate you to Firefox viewing.

  5. February 5th, 2007 | 6:49am by Joel

    Jim, I had a look at your stylesheet. If you reduced your main container width slightly from 765px it would work great in Opera 7.65 on 1024X768. 980px total just a trifle wide for both columns to float properly at that res, that’s all. If it works fine in Opera 9.10 at that res then I would guess it’s something to do the 16px taken up by the scroll bar and a difference in the way the 2 versions of Opera handle that.

  6. February 5th, 2007 | 8:35am by Phil

    Have you read A cost analysis of Windows Vista content protection? If not, do.

  7. February 5th, 2007 | 2:36pm by Jim

    That, Phil, is really quite worrying. I was aware that Microsoft were following Apple down the heavy-DRM path but I didn’t think they’d cock it up so badly as to seriously compromise their own software. That said, I’ve recently upgraded my monitor to a lovely 21″ flatscreen thingie (thanks to the onset of HD content, non-HD hardware is starting to get flogged at very low prices). So, as I just got a very nice but non-HD monitor only a couple of months ago I wouldn’t be using Vista for HD (premium) content anyway.

    It’s certainly enough to make me pause for thought, but I don’t actually think it’s all that relevant to my particular circumstances.

    Hey Joel, I’m just about to head out for a walk but I’ll have a look at the stylesheet later this afternoon and perhaps tweak it a little. But only because it’s you.

    And thanks for the welcome back Pisces Iscariot. Winter always seems to give me a wee bit of a kicking, but this time round it was more savage than most. Still… it won’t be long now until Springtime.

  8. February 5th, 2007 | 5:33pm by Jim

    Well, I’ve narrowed the content area by a full 10 pixels, Joel. I hope that’s sorted it out…?

  9. February 5th, 2007 | 7:58pm by Joel

    Perfect.

  10. February 5th, 2007 | 9:59pm by Doormat

    Like the new look: nicely uncluttered, and loads quickly on my slow connection! Looking forward to some more regular content here… (and, yes, I don’t get the Hitler thing either).

  11. February 9th, 2007 | 1:23pm by Rochenko

    Good to see you back Jim.

    But when it comes to colours, or rather, the absence of colour, I’m with chapter 42 of Moby Dick:

    Is it that by its indefiniteness it shadows forth the heartless voids and immensities of the universe, and thus stabs us from behind with the thought of annihilation, when beholding the white depths of the Milky Way?

    As your new design presents me with a portent of my own mortality, I’m afraid I can’t offer unqualified congratulations.

  12. February 9th, 2007 | 4:46pm by Jim

    Y’know Rochenko, the thoughts expressed by that Melville quote can be heard echoing in the words of one of the early 21st century’s great thinkers…

    It’s the nothing-ness… The whiteness… The endless-ness… Stretching on beyond the human imagination… Desolation of the soul

    That, of course, is Howard Moon’s intro to the famous Tundra Rap.

  13. February 9th, 2007 | 7:44pm by Rochenko

    Shit, that was terrifying. Especially the jumpsuit.

  14. February 19th, 2007 | 5:27pm by merrick

    Ohh, but the newest IE seems to want the user to validate their version of Windows. No good for us cracked copy folks. Thank fuck for Firefox.

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