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March 28, 2005
Feedster
Taking the brave step of making the ramblings more visible to the big wide world by registering it with the search engine for RSS feeds, Feedster
No Need to Click Here - I'm just claiming my feed at Feedster
Posted by weaver at 03:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 27, 2005
del.icio.us time delay
del.icio.us is a a social bookmarks manager. One of my new year's resolution was to make better use of it. Most of the curiosities and web trivia that I post here come via del.icio.us.
For the first time, I've noticed that when a bookmark is added, there is about a five minute time delay before it appears on the general page. Now there may be nothing to this. It may have been happening all along. But, I'm just a teensy weensy bit suspicious. Why the delay? A slow server or something more sinister? Are the bookmarks being filtered/censored in some way?
I don't know and there's nothing on the site laying out their policy. My antenna's starting to twitch. Hmmm.....
Posted by weaver at 07:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New kid on the block
For the past few years, if you wanted an Internet Browsers on MS Windows you used Internet Explorer. there were others like Opera and Netscape Navigator but IE ruled the roost. True it was buggy with lost of security holes and, principally because of its popularity, it was open to all sorts of exploits.
Then along came Firefox with its tabbed browsing and web standards compliance and extensibility and popup blocking and......... suddenly IE started to look a bit tired. MS had not really improved IE for its users apart from an endless round of patches for the security exploits.
Initially, the geek community took to Firefox and then it seeped into mainstream consciousness, IE's crown began to slip. True, it still hold over 90% of the browser market but Firefox is gnawing away at IE's market share.
Well, the bar has just been raised further, with the latest browser for Windows. Enter Deepnet Explorer. Deepnet Explorer claims to be the world’s first browser with RSS news reader and P2P client integration, it is also the first browser to foil phishers! It also claims as a selling point superior security, functionality and usability over the current browsers on the market.
First impressions are good. Give it a try and see for yourself.
Posted by weaver at 06:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Fridge magnets
How to waste a Sunday morning. Most household with kids have magnetic letters on their fridges. This web site replicates your fridge door and adds the extra fun of sharing it with as many people (up to 50) as are on the site when you visit.
Can you complete your message before someone else moves your letters?
Try it, its surprisingly addictive. (needs Flash player)
Posted by weaver at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 25, 2005
CSS tables
There are some who mistakenly think that tables have no place on a web standards compliant page. I take my lead from Eric Meyer and Jeffrey Zeldman, two leading CSS gurus, who recommend that content, which is best displayed in a tabular manner, should be placed in a table. CSS is then used to style the table.
Progressing the MACLA site redesign, I've reached my first page which has tabulated content. So tonight was spent styling the table. The end result is relatively simple, except for one small glitch where the table content doesn't stretch the full width of the table. More research needed. Other than that I'm happy with the result and can move forward.
Posted by weaver at 10:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 22, 2005
Map24
Map24. Finally, a European counterpart to Google Maps. Google Maps, which only cover the US at the mo, gives blindingly fast rendering in the browser. A fine example of pushing back the boundary.
Map24 takes a slightly different approach, using a Java applet. Again, blindingly fast, scaling right down to street level for the whole of Europe, as well as the good old US.. Both web applications only display vector mapping. I would like to see this extended to some of the more interesting raster mapping datasets that are available.
Map24's route finding also scores it extra points. Very simple and easy to use and gives accurate results foor a 450mile UK trip.
Also, Map24 features are not that accurate. It shows a petrol station in the middle of an airbase at Waddington. Very handy for refuelling planes, I suppose. In actual fact the petrol station is some 600 - 700 yards (OK then, metres, if you must!) to the west of its plotted point although Meg rail station is positioned accurately.
One final thing Map24's Java applet crashes Firefox on my machine yet works perfectly with Internet Explorer. (oops must have been a glitch! - its working fine in Firefox right now - hmmm.)
Another good bookmark to add to the growing list. Thanks to Jonathon for unearthing this nugget.
Posted by weaver at 07:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 20, 2005
Blowing in the wind.
Wind farms are a contentious issue. Sustainable Power? A blot on the landscape? There are many valid arguments for and against.
The project for building a wind farm with 34 turbines on Nocton Fen has been shelved by the company.
Taken from the Macla forum (thanks Chris):
For Release: 14 March 2005
RES DECIDES NOT TO PROGRESS WITH WIND FARM DEVELOPMENT AT NOCTON FEN
Renewable Energy Systems Ltd (RES) has announced today that it will not be pursuing plans for a wind farm at Nocton Fen, Lincolnshire, after careful consideration of a range of issues including the results of bird assessments and MOD issues.
For the last year, RES has been carrying out a number of detailed studies to ascertain the suitability of the site southeast of Lincoln for up to 34 wind turbines. These feasibility studies - including access studies, ecological surveys commissioned from independent experts and others - have now revealed the unsuitability of this particular site for development.
Project Manager, Nick Bristow, said;
“As a company committed to sustainability, we are careful to follow industry good practice guidelines to develop well-designed projects that can only bring benefits to the local communities, wildlife and to the environment as a whole, through reducing CO2 emissions. On balance, and for a number of reasons, we have decided that this particular site is unsuitable."
The proposed project would have had significant pollution-reduction benefits, generating enough clean electricity for over 41,000 homes, and would not have adversely affected the quality of life of local people. RES will be concentrating its efforts on other potential sites in the UK and abroad.
ENDS
CONTACT:
Anna Stanford, Media Officer, RES, 01923 299203 or 0776 1103465
Email anna.stanford@res-ltd.com. Website: www.res-ltd.com
Posted by weaver at 11:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Yahoo gets Flickr
Yahoo has bought Flickr. I'm not yet sure what this will mean for one of my favourite web applications, but I hope Flickr doesn't lose its friendly and fun user interface or any of its quirky humour.
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, ....
Posted by weaver at 11:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A good evening's work
Lots of good work tonight. Most of the village directory index pages have been migrated to the new style and the menus have been tidied up. I intend to start on the rest of the top level pages this week.
i feel another glass or two of hardy's Nottage Hill is warranted as a reward.
Posted by weaver at 11:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 17, 2005
Braingle
Briangle. A site with lots of brainteasers and puzzles. Its a wonder that anyone ever does any work with sites like this.
Posted by weaver at 07:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Colour Blindness
Colour Blindness affect about 10-20% of the male population and significantly less females.Here's some tests for colour blindness.
Posted by weaver at 06:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
CSS Play Area
This is a site that I wish I'd found a year ago. Its an on-line CSS play area.Enter your styles press run and see the effect. Like all brilliant ideas its so simple that you find yourself thinking ' Why Didn't I think of that?'
Posted by weaver at 06:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 16, 2005
Fly Tipping
There's some queer folk in Lincolnshire
Posted by weaver at 12:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 15, 2005
Last Orders
A beautiful film about enduring friendship played to the hilt by an all star British ensemble cast. Its from a novel I read a few years ago by Graham Swift and the film adaptation has captured the sense & spirit of the novel wonderfully. From the flashbacks spanning from the 2nd World War to the death of one the group and the 'epic' journey to scatter his ashes at Margate, every scene is evocatively portrayed. The film draws you in slowly at the start as the characters are developed but soon has you engrossed. Thanks to the Sunday Telegraph for supplying the DVD.
Well worth watching - 7.5/10
Posted by weaver at 07:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 13, 2005
House Prices
In order to sate all your prurient needs, this site is offered to satisfy your craving. I can guarantee that this is one site that everyone who reads these ramblings will visit at least once.
It's the on-line equivalent of peeking over your fence or spying on your neighbour. Just how much did they pay for that house? Now you know. Enjoy!
Posted by weaver at 06:48 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Gmail, Picasa and Flickr
Linking all three applications together makes perfect sense.
Now, why didn't i think of that?
Posted by weaver at 06:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 11, 2005
Grrrrrh.....
CSS! Its a hateful, spiteful, unforgiving grrrrh.... Why on one page does a picture and caption render perfectly, yet doing EXACTLY the same thing, using EXACTLY the same code on another page break the style...
The more I work with CSS the less convinced I am that its a mature technology. Too many browser quirks to work around; margins, padding - is nothing consistent.
Time for a glass of red. Never mind a glass, pass me the whole bottle........
Posted by weaver at 09:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 10, 2005
First Optical
I've just purchased my first wireless optical mouse and keyboard set. The optical mouse and felt a bit weird at first but its surprisingly sensitive and really easy to get on with. The Wireless keyboard is a bit sturdier than the last one I had, with good responsive feedback from the keys. Hopefully it'll help to improve my awful typing :)
Posted by weaver at 07:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 09, 2005
Home, Sweet Home
How to build an igloo, in case you've forgotten. :-)
Posted by weaver at 11:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 08, 2005
Semantically Speaking
Following a link from the last article takes you straight to this one, providing excellent advice on inserting meaning into your web pages. Good stuff, Molly.
Posted by weaver at 09:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
CSS Calendar
I'm always on the lookout for good ideas to incorporate. This blog calendar is an example of good design that's also well implemented in CSS. I like it.
Posted by weaver at 09:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 06, 2005
Getting Closer
More work on the site redesign tonight.The MACLA logo was replaced with a picture logo, the old meg flour mill. There was (is) nothing wrong with the MACLA logo but the laypout looked unintersesting without a visual anchor, hence the image.
A sneak peak of progress so far.
Posted by weaver at 08:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 05, 2005
RIP Smarties
I missed this article last month. The demise of the smarties tube is yet another victory for marketeers over common sense. A sad day.
"We don't change something this famous just because we feel like it," said Neil Ducray, director of marketing at Nestle Rowntree.
Yeah! Right.
Circular sweet - circular container - make sense.....No?
Hands up if you remember when Kit Kats came properly wrapped, Waggon Wheels were enormous,Opal Fruits tasted like their name and Treats were,well treats!
Posted by weaver at 12:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
High score?
What's your high score?
Posted by weaver at 12:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 02, 2005
Tales of Future Past
Tales of Future Past. Another trip down nostalgia lane. A feast for the eyes that brings back memories of the late fifties and early sixties , of the days before Thunderbirds, the days of Dan Dare and the Eagle. Like the Italian retrofuture site, hours can be frittered away gazing in awe at how we thought life would be like in the future.
Posted by weaver at 10:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack