We work on the Internet and are constantly consuming information. There's a lot of it out there. We'd forget it if we didn't write it down someplace…
Visual Lizard's blog covers everything from web standards to the muppets, from php to comic books to music, just about anything we find interesting
It seems Iconfactory is currently updating it's web site, moving toward a standards compliant design. Not only that, but for the week the site is unavailable, visitors can view short animations showing isometric pixel characters reconstruct the identifying factory logo.
There's a new one each day for six days. As of this writing, they are on number three, with trucks "moving out" HTML 4 tags and table tags. You can browse past animations by clicking the colored numbers along the bottom.
They have some excellent free icon sets by talented artists at the Iconfactory. I'm looking forward to the new site.
Sadly, getting to Lake Tahoe with 2 small children in tow is not in the cards right now, so if you are looking for a nice place to head for a ski or golf vacation, this might be right up your alley.
2 Weeks in Lake Tahoe, on Ebay. Go. Bid. Win. Have a great time and take some scenery photos for me.
I use Windows Explorer for my FTP client. At first, this will attract cat calls for the "smarter than thous", telling me to use a "real" FTP client like Filezilla or CoreFTP or somesuch. I have downloaded, installed, and tried a variety of FTP clients and I had the same problem with all of them: they are a completely seperate program from my regular OS browsing.
I usually have a couple Windows Explorer windows open, accessing folder locally, on the network, etc. I am extremely happy being able to drag and drop between them, double clicking to open a file in it’s associated program or editor. I can easily browse a set of folders and files and make changes to a web development.
What I do not enjoy is then switching to a completely different program, and having to browse to those same local or network folders so I can upload them. And no, I do not want to set up an FTP client to be able to locally browse and open files in associated programs. That’s what the OS is for.
In my opinion, the FTP client should be just the remote directory. I do not need a local directory listing. Windows does that just fine. And I want to be able to drag from Windows Explorer to my remote directory, and back again. Using Windows Explorer as my FTP client gives me that. I still have a seperate FTP client for anything fancier or more advanced, but 90% of my FTP use is uploading and downloading graphics and text files.
So then Microsoft provides IE7 Beta 3 for download and testing. I download and install it and test it. The first problem I encounter is that FTP seemingly does not work. I can get an HTML directory listing, but I can no longer get a FTP client.
I look into it on the IE developer listings, I follow the instructions, still no good. I look into it through Google, and find that authenticated FTP access has trouble in IE7 currently. Some people are successful, but some people are not. I was a not.
No problem. I tried IE7 Beta 2, and after some testing, was able to uninstall it without lingering after effects. I tried the same here, removing IE7 Beta 3, and reverting to IE6. Everything was fine until I tried FTP.
I could only get an HTML directory listing. Going into the IE6 options and tring to reset the appropriate settings and checkboxes had no effect. It seems IE7’s FTP problem had completely infected Windows Explorer.
Curses!
To make a long story short, I eventually had to System Restore back to before I installed IE7 Beta 3. We work off a network specifically so if something like this (or worse) happens, nothing critial is lost. Still, quite annoying.
So, lesson learned: more research beforehand :)
How to Live With A Great Designer - by Seth Godin is a must read article for anyone who is thinking of hiring or working with a designer.
Seeing as we work with a lot of great designers, we thought that they might appreciate this list! Maybe make it mandatory client reading prior to the start of every project. ;)
This popped up on a variety of sites on Friday. I have to say, this is a pretty sweet looking poster. I love the way the spider logo changes with the red and black, particularly the top legs.
Here’s a description from Comingsoon.net...
Sony Pictures has sent a new backlit lenticular Spider-Man 3 poster to select theaters in North America and we’ve got your sneak peek online! As you can see, the poster features Spidey’s chest which goes from red to black/grey depending on what angle you’re looking at it. It’s very cool to see, so be sure to look for the poster in your local theater.
I haven’t had a poster on my wall since I was a teenager, but I might have to make an exception for this one :)
The last 2 posts I made on Net Neutrality may not have made too much sense to some so I'll let Jon Stewart take a shot at it.
The video is located here (at You Tube) with Jon's spectacular commentary putting everything in perspective.
It's amazing that such important issues are left to those that just don't..........well.... just watch the video!
Writer and artist Mike Mignola, famous for Hellboy, put out a one shot comic called The Amazing Screw On Head. It has a similar style to Hellboy, but with a decidely funny and surreal bent. My opinion at the time Mignola was just proving he could take any near-nonsensical approach and make it cool :)
Here’s a description from Dark Horse Comics, publisher of the one shot comic:
Yes, even the creator of the world’s greatest supernatural investigator needs a break once in a while, and when Mike Mignola tires (however briefly) of a steady diet of Hellboy, he turns to diversions such as The Amazing Screw-On Head! When Emperor Zombie threatens the safety of all life on Earth, the president enlists the aid of a mechanical head. With Screw-On Head and Mr. Groin on the job, you just know there will be flying machines to be piloted, tombs to be robbed, and weird alien menaces to be thwarted -- all that and talking dogs, too! It’s pure mayhem -- and pure Mignola!
Well, the SciFi Channel thought it was just as cool, and decided to spend some money and make an Amazing Screw On Head cartoon. Better yet, you can go to the SciFi.com site and watch the entire pilot episode for free! Sweet!
Microsoft announced today that it is finally cutting off all support for Windows 98 and its associated alternate Operating Systems (Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows ME). These operating systems originally replaced Windows 95, but were well known for massive security issues and operating instability. According to this BBC article there are approximately 70 million users still running a form of Windows 98. Microsoft has set out an advisory that since they will no longer support this outdated Operating System that it advises its Windows 98 customers to upgrade to a supported OS.
Destination Winnipeg has relaunched its Dining in Winnipeg section. The previous version which was built three years ago, had become a bit cumbersome with only very limited functionality. Destination Winnipeg approached us to revamp this piece and expand its functionality to include a listing of upcoming events along with a page for restaurant reviews. Also an added category for food related news which would then be featured in the section. Considering the number of restaurants we have here in the city, this was a bit of an undertaking both programmically speaking for us as well as content related for the folks over at Destination Winnipeg. After a lot of hard work though we now have the newly revamped Dining in Winnipeg section. A useful tool to take advantage of Winnipeg’s vast culinary line-up. Bon-appetit!
Bryan Singer jumped ship on the third X-Men film to go to Warner Bros and direct their much beleaguered Superman movie. And if you've read my X-Men: The Last Stand review, you'll see I thought the Marvel franchise suffered for it. Well, their loss was DC Comic's gain.
DC's franchises seem to have a problem when it gets to the fourth flick. The Batman films of the nineties tanked with Batman and Robin, with it's neon colours and throwback to the sixties TV show. Superman suffered the same way, with the series bombing due to the fourth flick's preachy message and stupid, stupid supervillian. Until Marvel's success with it's properties, superhero based films looked dead in the water.
When Marvel was making money, it was by making quality movies that focused on the core of the characters. Then, it was DC that looked dead in the water. But they pulled themselves up with Batman Begins. They found a director/writer combo that got the character, that returned to the source material; Batman has been around for over sixty years, the source material must be doing something right!
When a character is already established, in comics or, in some cases, on the big screen, there's not need to completely recreate it. Or revamp it. Or recreate it. Or glitz it in neon.
People reading this will notice that, for a Superman Returns review, there seems to be little Superman Returns reviewing. I'm just giving you some backstory so you can see how I came about my opinion. And I think it's the same mindset that's forming the positive opinions of many a critic.
I remember watching Superman and Superman II. Not in theatres, I'm not even thirty, after all. I mean recently, on DVD. And those films, almost as old as I am, still hold up today. Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, and Terence Stamp all awed the comic book geek in me. It was Superman! And Lex Luthor! and how cool looking was the Fortress of Solitude?
When I heard Singer was not only going to not reinvent the series, picking up on the original movie series instead, I was happy. When I heard he was ignoring the embarrassing third and fourth, continuing off the first two, I was excited! And when I went to watch the film, I nearly had a nerd overload!
The film opens with Marlon Brando's voice as Superman's father. It has the John Williams score you remember. And, for the best part of fond memories, even uses the zoom in blue 3D text credits during the opening! Those elements will define the film... continuing a set tradition, a set way of thinking. We're not introducing gay robots, giant mechanical spiders, or making Lex Luthor a kryptonian (and yes, previous drafts before Singer had all those things, ugh), we're bringing a classic back to screen.
Even with it's massive budget and eye popping special effects (yay, Frantic Films!), this is not X-Men or Spiderman. This is not a modern day, summer extravaganza. This is a sequel to a classic Richard Donner series, done in the same style and mindset. I recommend you watch Superman and Superman II, if you have not already. You'll either magnify the buzz when you go see Singer's film, or save yourself the price of a movie ticket :)
Sony Pictures and Apple Quicktime have release the first trailer for the upcoming Spider-Man 3 movie, directed by Sam Raimi. Watch and you’ll see harry Osborn, Mary jane Watson, Peter Parker, Spider-Man, the Sandman, Gwen Stacey, possibly someone on a Goblin Glider... and 100% for sure, the Venom suit!
Venom! Woo! Wooooo!