http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:XLCowBoy&section=today deviantART RSS for by:XLCowBoy en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:21:36 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/19957364/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/19957364/ Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:59:09 PDT
It's nearly 9am, and I've been working straight since 4pm yesterday. Hardcore.

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/16140230/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/16140230/ Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:44:46 PST
I log in my Deviant Art account to find 3 messages - all telling me I suck.

Apparently I suck because I refuse to support Opera's "brilliant" browser. I refuse to do so because Opera has, in fact, their own way of interpreting CSS and AJAX rules. I'm a stalwart with regards to the standardization of rules across the web, regardless of the platform used. This is why I am very critical of Microsoft's repeated attempts to "own" new technology by copying it, and then reinterpreting it (XAML, Jscript, etc.). Having one bastard is enough, but for Opera to begin walking down the same route? Unacceptable.

However, at the time of this writing, apparently Microsoft's upcoming IE8 will fully support CSS2.1 and all the other standard rules across the web, due to having passed the -very- difficult ACID2 test. Neither Opera 9 nor Firefox 2 has, in fact, passed the test. However Opera 9+ beta and Firefox 3 beta both do. Incredibly, this may mean that when 2008 rolls around, it would mark the very first time in web history wherein all browsers will render the base rules of HTML and CSS in exactly the same way!

My other 2 "I suck" messages were directed when I made a comment on one of the Deviants (he was neither of the two). The deviant in question closed his old account, with one of the last journal entries discussing how he wants to drop his very colorful/graphic heavy web design style, and then go the minimalist route. I applauded him for finally seeing the light (because frankly, a lot of his work was unusable in the real world of the web), and I shared a few links with him that showcases brilliantly designed minimalist sites.

Soon after however, said designer opens a new Deviant Art account, apparently to reinvent himself, and then shockingly posts his first Deviation - a site design that looks EXACTLY like his old work. I thus then pointed this out - and then I receive two replies telling me I suck... just for pointing this out.

Perhaps DeviantArt should post a warning when you register:
Caution: Very Angry Children Populate This Website - Sign Up At Your Own Risk.

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/14898491/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/14898491/ Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:25:16 PDT
I openly admit to using Dreamweaver's code view whenever I build websites, primarily for the sole reason that it is far quicker to write out CSS and XHTML on it than on notepad, simply because it displays a set of attributes and properties that I may or may not need. Sometimes I also do tend to forget basic CSS attributes and their properties (font-weight vs font-size, etc.), and this is where Dreamweaver was a gift from God. Once you entered an attribute, it would give you a list of available properties.

However, I am now officially dropping Dreamweaver for Aptana.

What is Aptana then?

I couldn't believe it when I first saw it. An OPEN SOURCE web IDE. "Free? How could this be free?" I thought. I then took a look at the videos and documentations. AJAX support? Ruby on Rails? Adobe AIR? iPhone development? PHP Validation? JavaScript? [link].

Did I mention it's free?

Nothing, and I mean nothing comes close this piece of work. Not only does it have Dreamweaver's "fill-in-the-blanks" system, it has it for languages that DW does not even support, such as (my personal fave) JavaScript!

And just for good measure, Aptana even has certain JavaScript frameworks built in, such as Scriptaculous, Mochikit, and a few others. Un-be-lievable.

Try it out yourself. It's fairly lightweight for a web dev software (under 100mb), and there are no strings attached. [link]

It's the future!

P.S. Actually, this software isn't new, but I've only just come across it recently since I've always been pretty much pure-blooded Adobe.

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/14650074/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/14650074/ Sat, 15 Sep 2007 20:11:04 PDT
I've also noticed that it's been months since I've browsed the DA section for web design. Sadly, and I must be blunt here, I have yet to see anything mind bending in a really long while (like 6 months or so). The level of quality from the past has simply died out, and I really do think it's because a lot of pro-level designers simply didn't want their designs being ripped.

Which sort of leads me to the whole 11:11 thing. We're making quintuple-sure that everyone in the entire world knows what our design and layout looks like.

{11:11} - It's gonna be massive!

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/14551784/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/14551784/ Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:36:28 PDT
Although Jenn and I are still doing work for our UK-based employers, we did a website for a local client (www.rudex.ph), and we've been featured on 3 design awards sites so far (cssmania, screenalicious, most inspired), and I just received an email from a 4th, design shack, that we're going to be featured there too. Awesome stuff!

Now we're redesigning danrgonzales.com (Google + Flash = no page rank!!! ) and turning it into a XHTML/CSS/AJAX (just a bit) website so that we can get better page rank, and get indexed by Google. Enjoy that magazine-style page flip Flash script while it's there, because the next time you see it, it'll be on our website (Studio-Gecko.Com) as a download.

So there you go. Again, keep in mind that our official website will be launched on the 11th of November, 11pm GMT (UK for those who don't know what GMT means). We hope that you guys will be present.

Ciao for now!

EDIT: Just got featured on CSS Snap as well.

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/12780616/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/12780616/ Sun, 29 Apr 2007 16:27:02 PDT
Everywhere I look it's all the same. Wordpress templates and their variations are suddenly the standard of "web 2.0", and how everyone is talking about how this "web 2.0" is the new black.

Really now...

Sorry, but web 2.0 does not equate to copying wordpress templates and stuffing gloss-covered, uber-cutesy icons all over the website.

Could you imagine proper companies such as British Airways with a cutesy-wootsey logo?

Please have some originality people. CSS is better than the overly-used wordpress "cute logo > horizontal menu > banner photo > text > footer"-layout.

...and while you're at it, do try to have a bit more inspiration when you're doing your logos.

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/11734586/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/11734586/ Thu, 08 Feb 2007 12:24:54 PST
They BUTCHERED the book!

I won't talk about all the spoilers here, but needless to say, if there was a poor book-to-film translation, Eragon the movie must've surpassed them all.

Honestly, go buy the books, or borrow them from a friend who has one (which is what my mate just did). I promise you'll have a difficult time putting them down. In a word, the whole story is just jaw-droppingly awesome.

I can't wait for the third book. I've got my reservation ticket ready.

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/11597100/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/11597100/ Sun, 28 Jan 2007 08:33:16 PST
I've also taken the noble task of helping out my artistically-challenged younger brother (and his school group), of putting together a magazine for one of his classes. Although My sched is completely full (God blessed me with work... tons of it! ), I couldn't resist having a go at doing some print work, something which I've been itching to do for a long time now (last time I worked on anything print-related was... 3 years ago? Before I graduated from Uni).

Because of my bro's little project, I've searched high and low within the realm of Devianart to look for some inspiration, and golly-gee batman, I couldn't stop smiling at the amount of Philippine (Pinoy) talent around. In spite of the state of our nation's faltering educational system ("Flinstones" may be more appropriate), it seems nothing can ever stifle artistic prowess.

People like b-e-c-k-y (yes, she's not filipino, but she might as well be one), blackmage9, slumberdoll, elpinoy, ginjin3, endintears, and many others really do underline our prowess at the arts.

Well done guys. Mabuhay Pinoy!

P.S. At the risk of sounding like a total NewB... how do I change my links to display your avs? I dont have the time to look around, so a little copy paste code would help (as it seems that every time I click the "preview" button, my a href tags work, but my image tags don't. DA filter?

]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/11073224/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/11073224/ Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:24:49 PST

Why, and I mean why, must 95% of web designers on deviant art use the oh-so-2004 diagonal stripes??? Why??? Do you think they look good? They DONT. Have you tried coding them in? They're a repeating image that's been literally repeated innumerable times that they have now become incredibly passe.

Diagonal Striped Backgrounds are a beginner's way of compensating for a lack of creativity and originality with regards to his or her site's background.

There. I've said it.

Now bugger off and go do something original.



]]> ~XLCowBoy http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/10968871/ http://XLCowBoy.deviantart.com/journal/10968871/ Wed, 06 Dec 2006 06:26:50 PST
It was good while it lasted.

]]> ~XLCowBoy