 
<-- Return to Diary Archives
Thursday December 6.2002 / 7:15 pm E.S.T. David Seigal might have ruined the web back in 1997, but not as bad as advertisers have since I've been doing this crap. So who here remembers the fun of creating mastheads back in 1994 because although Netscape 2 was out, the base install was 1.1 and we weren't supposed to design for tables? Well then tables became standard and you could place navigation on the left (or where ever) and the masthead became an advertising banner. So much so, that anything even remotely resembling a rectangle image at the top of a page was automatically ignored by the user. So that became a dead area for useful or important content. Then around 1999 it seemed as though enough people had browsers with javascript that we could pop-up windows to show images and cool animations or what ever we wanted. Everyone who was "edgy" had a pop-up portfolio. Then those pesky advertisers decided this would be a good way to intrude and now almost everyone has window-pop-up blocking software.. once again, if it's important, don't put it in a pop-up or the user might never see it. So I guess the last couple versions of browsers have Flash included with the install and more people have the plug-in than not. So everyone's having fun designing with flash (and finally using it nicely as content and not the whole damn site). It's finding it's proper place in online development.. well guess what. CNN reported back in October that some Porn Site marketers (surprise) modify the active-x controls to force unnecessary downloads. The recommendation: disable FLASH Plug-in. So I think I'm going to dig around and dust off my old 1.1 browser, that's seems to be where we're headed. Just felt like ranting.. I really like pop-up's for certain things dammit. :: Thursday December 5.2002 / 3:15 pm E.S.T. Hello everyone. Ok, this is me trying to do a better job at updating this site thing. Tomorrow is yet another holiday in Trinidad. "EID UL FITUR"... some French Muslim, end of Ramadan sort of holiday. Trinidad has somewhere in the neighborhood of about 23 holidays a year. Totally amazing that anything gets done down here... then again, quite a few people here would probably argue that things don't get done! I will probably be here at the office trying to get some work done. Other wise off to the beach or something. Trinidad has finally rolled out ADSL (same thing essentially as DSL). Well, you know how most of you pay between $34-50 USD a month for some unbelievable speed DSL? Not here. Although available, residential at 128k runs $650TT (approx $108 USD). Small business at 256k starts at $1300 TSTT ($216USD). Here, check for yourself. And no FREE installs either. My roommate and I finally got cable a couple weeks ago. We had it when we first moved in, as we thought it was provided with the apartment. The local Cable company started scrambling and we went to the landlord to ask for our converter. Turns out a previous tenant had been pirating the cable from them. Anyhow, between travel and lack of time, we went a couple months without. Now unlike the states where you call and have some one show up, here you call, leave a message and no one ever returns your call. NEVER EVER. So I finally had to do like everyone else and drive into downtown (another experience unto itself) and wait in line for an hour or so to sign up for cable. In fairness, that wasn't long compared to many waits down here. It took me five days to get a drivers license. Anyhow, we now have cable and after flipping through all the channels, I can tell you most of it is mind rot... although what's with reality based game shows? People rushing around Europe and Asia in Mercedes cars trying to be the first somewhere? People living in a house until they get kicked out? And MTV getting conscientious? Real World in Vegas, sounded good, so I tuned in... come on where are the Vegas Show girls... uh huh... no, here's a group of early twenty something's at some house doing trust exercises and telling each other who gets to live and die if they are on some sinking boat....what happened to the season where everyone on the show and in viewer land thought Puck was a putz. Now everyone has to have depth... yawn.... I'm looking for a break and escape from reality. So boys and girls, that's another brief and boring glimpse into life on this tropical paradise . Ciao.:: Monday December 2.2002 / 4:45 am E.S.T. Well it's 4:45 am here in Trinidad. Been working too hard lately. I seem to have things down backwards. I move to the Caribbean, that was right. But I quit drinking, I'm working 60-80 hours a week (90+ this week) and I shave the goatee and cut the ponytail. I'm seriously considering another piercing or tattoo just to compensate and prove my wayward, slacker aspirations. I should rename this to web BOG since I'm so responsive in updates. Honestly, the last month hasn't been overly exciting. Mum was in town visiting family and I took her and an aunt over to Tobago for a few days. That was the highlight of tropical living for the month. It was relaxing, though I had the laptop with me trying to meet deadlines. Since I reached back from Texas, I've worked every day, seven days a week. No I'm not coining yet either. But I still have a killer view! I did get out on Thursday night and caught some live local rock music. Been thinking about heading back to the states, where if I'm going to work so hard I might get better compensation. I'd tell all of you what an asshole I work for and he's a friggen slave driver, but I freelance and work for myself and I think the boss is a hell of a swell guy =) BTW: You can all thank Laura for getting me to finally take "two minutes" and update my site. Thanks Laura. So uh, who else to shout out to?: Brad and John who do update there sites regularly, Jeremy who I think is still alive, Chuck for allowing me to be listed on his links page (heh), Brad Murano for hooking me up with this project that has me updating my site at 4:45am, Brent cuz he's moving to NYC soon... ok. Actually I'll be here for ever. Everyone else, thinking of you to... each and everyone of you all 1,204 of my closest friends, you know who you are. Everyone else, I'm thinking of you too. In fact if you are on the net at all, I want you to know that you are on my mind... Peace my Brethren!!! ::
:: June 20, 2003 |
|
 |
|
© Copyright 2002, Jumbie.org |
  |
  |
