Gimlé

Those who seriously doubt that the decision to use typographic distinctions for links was a bad idea should read this (a part of Tom Gilder’s Converting HTML to CSS series).

Tom quite rightly points out that, because links are traditionally underlined, this otherwise fine method of adding typographic emphasis is de facto removed from the web designer’s toolbox.

Underlining text is a no-no because readers will think that it is a link.

And the people responsible for that blunder are the same as the ones trying to push the “Semantic Web” on us.

How about trying to do hypertext properly before you start bumbling around with metadata?

Speaking of bumblers, as a part of my ongoing endeavour to make the number of browsers this site is compatible with match the number of regular readers (two to three), I’ve added CSS-only drop down menus to the navigation box to the right. After looking through a number of implementations I decided to adapt (nick, steal, pillage) Designmeme’s approach.

Now, as you roll over either “Weblog” or “Archive” on the left, you should see a menu pop up containing either this site’s categories or monthly archives, depending on what you rolled over and your browser flavour.

IE on Windows users probably don’t see anything. In fact, they probably can’t even see this site (I’ll have to get myself a Windows test computer at some point).

IE on the Mac should have a slightly better time, although without the popups.

The category list and the archive list are both autogenerated by blosxom plugins.

Strangely enough, right now hacking CSS and reding Code Complete is more fun than preparing for my tutorial tomorrow.

Other stuff I need to read is the Xlink spec now that I’ve finished leafing through the OEBPS 1.2 spec.

Speaking of which…

Who over at openebook.org had the daft idea to fork one of the few standards that the W3 has actually done properly?

Consider this: The APIs to munge XML are miles ahead of the APIs for CSS when it comes to maturity, design quality and implementation.

XML transformation even has a readymade standard for you.

The OEBPS publication structure working group states that it is “…aware that this definition of a media type goes against the recommendation of the CSS Working Group, but has chosen to do so due to practical considerations.”

Extend CSS with OEBPS specific stuff and make the more difficult ones optional, by all means. Just leave the media type alone.

Sheesh.

As I flail about and try and figure out a direction for this weblog (suffering from a bit of a malaise in that regard) something has surfaced that I simply have to try.

Y’see, I got myself one of these on an offer from Vodafone.

It does XHTML, audio recording, video recording, picture taking and e-mail.

As well as being a mobile phone of course.

So I figure that I’ll have to give mobile weblogging a try, starting with this week’s Bristol Comics Festival.

Well, starting with this evening’s launch party, to be more specific.

Initially I’ll just be using the comment form to update posts as things happen, but in a few days I hope to be able to set up an e-mail to blosxom gateway thing. Doesn’t look too difficult to put together.

It’ll give me something to play with while I figure out what else to do with this weblog thing.

I’ve also put together a preliminary ‘mobile’ version of the weblog. It’s just xhtml so it should work in most browsers. Blosxom’s playing weird on me so it’s being served up as text/html for now. Should end up being served as application/xhtml+xml eventually.

Baldur.
Clifton, Bristol.

I took a break from weblogging these last few days to think.

Last Sunday, as I returned home, still worrying about money and finances as usual, I found out about two posts that had linked to Gimlé in the last few hours. Both caused me to stop and think about what I have been doing with this weblog.

Been pondering on it—hence the silence.

First of all I read Jonathon’s reply to my nasty, vitriolic anti-everything rant and realised how much of an arsehole I’ve been here on this weblog.

It’s not a nice thing to wake up and realise that you’ve become one of those angry, argumentative and contrary internet pundits that pollute the web.

Also it finally sunk in how badly structured and horribly written most of my recent writing has been.

The second post to make me think was Dorothea Salo’s reply to my budding thoughts on this subject (namely: why am I writing this?).

She scribbles on her weblog because scribbling is one of those things she does.

Made me realise that I’ve been using this weblog as a soapbox (or pulpit) because being a loudmouth is one of the things I do.

Which is not at all what I had in mind when I started this weblog (public correspondence would be closer to the mark).

So I set about changing a few things.

I apologise to Jonathon, Stavros, Dorothea, Jeff Ward and others for being a git.

My friends would tell you that I tend to be a prat at times but a swift slap on the side of the head would usually do the trick of bringing me back to planet Civility (alternatively a short “Baldur, you’re bullshitting again” comment does the job as well).

So in the interest of making it easier for people online to remind me when I’m being an arsehole, I’ve added a comment facility, courtesy of Rael’s writeback plugin to his excellent blosxom weblogging system.

I’ve also changed the base URL for the weblog to http://www.unishade.com/gimle/ (although the old url should continue to work as well).

And I’ve installed John Gruber’s SmartyPants plugin for that added typographic touch I like so much.

So, fewer speeches and more thought and discussion.

I feel that I’ve come out of this week with a better handle on this weblogging thing but I’ll be damned if I can explain it coherently.

Do let me know if you find that something isn’t working on the site.

Baldur Bjarnason.
Clifton, Bristol.

I have what seems to be an unusual attitude to fonts on the web.

My view is that those who care about how text looks will have more fonts around than others.

So you design with those few in mind, and the rest won’t really care if they only see Verdana and Georgia.

Mac OS X has changed that a bit, mind you, since it comes with a large number of good fonts by default.

So the body here is supposed to be in Sabon (or in Bitstream’s Sabon lookalike Classical Garamond), and the headers are supposed to be in Univers (or Bitstream’s lookalike Zurich).

Everybody else will probably only see Georgia and Verdana.

Which is alright. I don’t mind.

The only thing that you are almost guaranteed to see is the main header, which is a H1 tag, with the content hidden using “display: none” and the image displayed using “background:”. It is set in Englische Schoolbook.

And I’m over my infatuatation with Optima, honest. Although I still want to find an excuse to use Iowan Old Style.

New design. I think I’m going to stick with this one, after having gone through a series of half-arsed, temporary designs. It’d be nice to hear what people think.

A few things to keep in mind.

Namely, that those images aren’t there. The HTML file holds only text and the CSS file only inserts images in those browsers that support it (IE on the Mac, for example, doesn’t support generated content).

So I’m sure that this design will look completely fucked up in some browsers, which I’ll probably fix when people tell me about it or as soon as I get around to testing it.

Strangely enough, a large proportion of the traffic to this site (well, excluding RSS readers, which are in a vast majority, which I don’t mind) consists of people using Mozilla, Mozilla-derivatives or Safari.

Mozilla has been tested. Will test Safari soon.

That leaves the last two major browers in my logs, Windows IE 5.5 and 6.0.

Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a freak in this regard. I am probably one of the last few human beings on the planet that doesn’t have regular access to Windows machines. I don’t want to resort to an internet cafe so any Windows testing will have to wait until after Easter break when I can use the Art Media and Design Faculty’s mythical Windows lab (otherwise a Mac department).

Unfortunately that room also serves as a haven for the faculty’s undesirables, freaks, weirdos and runts (businessmen, accountants, video directors who do Lord of the Rings pastiches). This is an art faculty, mind you.

It also seems to serve as a smoking room.

The only times in my life that I’ve had to use Windows is when I’m testing a website, flash- or director-project. Or in the computer lab in Menntaskóli which was only used to play Doom deathmatches.

I seem to be a part of an endangered species.

Been busy, too busy. Had my last day with the foundation students last week. Attended and argued with Tom Abba at his presentation on the Dust Or Magic conference. Worked with MA students. Watched MA Dissertation students present a bit of their dissertation work. Was impressed with Ian Weir’s project (who was also at the Dust Or Magic conference). Met up and drank with some of the other Media Phd students. Met up with Mike who has returned after going to Canada for three weeks, getting married in the process.

Busy days.

But I’ve got a week, this week, where i can focus on reading and writing. Next week I’ll be meeting up with my mother and sister in Lancaster, the place we used to live as kids (my mother got a cheap ticket from Iceland), so don’t expect much writing from me then.

And the weather’s good. Makes you feel bad about staying inside. But I’ve got a stack of essays on hypertext downloaded from ACM that I want to read.

Oh, well. Maybe I’ll go out for a walk.

Baldur Bjarnason.
Clifton, Bristol