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March 2008

31 March 2008

JavaScript and CSS test page

As a precursor to a blog entry (coming soon) on Mootools vs jQuery I was just about to start playing around with both JavaScript libraries a couple of weeks ago. To do this I started writing myself a really quick HTML page to test them in (<html><body></body></html> sort of thing), when it occurred to me that I must have done exactly the same thing about twenty times before to experiment with various JavaScript and CSS functions.

So, I decided that this time I'd spend a bit longer and write a really multi-purpose test page that I could use over and over again. It took me about half an hour, but I think it was probably worth it. It is valid XHTML 1.1, contains (commented out) links to Mootools & jQuery JavaScript libraries as well as Eric Meyer's and YUI's CSS reset stylesheets so that you can easily include these if you wish.

It also contains many different type of elements (h1, h2, paragraph, unordered list, ordered list, table...) all with appropriate ids and classes so they can be easily linked into with CSS and JavaScript. This is pretty much everything I can think of that someone would want in an HTML page to play around with JavaScript and CSS, but if you want anything else it can of course be easily added.

If you do end up using it, please comment to tell me what you think :)

And here it is: Download index.html!

Cheers,
Robin.

Posted at 04:41 PM in Web/Tech | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

27 March 2008

The future of CAPTCHAs?

The purpose of a captcha is affectively to stop spammers filling out forms online and flooding your inbox with untold tripe! KittenAuth is a new, novel and much more fun thing to do than trying to dycpher an group of letters in a box.

It's relativetively easy for a computer to work out CAPTCHA these days.

So instead why not "Click all foals then click submit" before filling out your next form - Genius!

Posted at 03:01 PM in Web/Tech | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

iPlayer exploit causes furore

In case you haven't heard, the BBC have made most of its iPlayer programmes available to the iPhone. This has caused a great deal of commotion on the internet. This is mainly due to a few people spotting that because the iPhone doesn't support Flash the content must be streamed with out any Digital Rights Management. It's very straight forward to write some code that pretends to be an iPhone and have the BBC servers send you your favourite TV show unrestricted.
 
The immediate benefits of this are obvious: you can download shows to you iPod, iPhone or other mp4 playing device and watch your favourite TV shows on the go. The more complicated issue is the one of Digital Rights Management, these have been discussed at great length but for me, personally, I can't get passed the fact that it all seems to be a smoke screen of complication to prevent abuse. I mean, the BBC basically publicly announced the iPlayer would run on the iPhone in order to jump on the iPhone hype bandwagon. They then wrote an article to say they had 'fixed the hack', giving a fairly dim view of the people who had used this exploit. Of course this was non-sense as all they'd done was make it a little more complicated to do, a few hours later and the same exploit was possible (and still is).
 
There are various discussions to be had to do with publicity, ownership rights and abuse of copyright, fine. What I think most people don't realise in this discussion is Freeview, digital TV, whatever you want to call it is mpeg2 broadcast over the air unencrypted and non-DRM, this means that with a very basic amount of technical know-how you can record programmes straight off the air in better quality! How is this any different to the madness over online content?
 
Sources/ related articles:

Posted at 11:02 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

18 March 2008

Service Pack or Self Preservation?

I know you were all waiting for one us to talk about the worldwide Vista SP1 dilemma we appear to be having... When is it coming out? Have they solved the driver issues they have been having? What if I purchase Vista after the SP1 update.. Will it be included?

I think the question everyone should be asking is "Why does there need to be a Service Pack at all?". If you purchase a beautiful new Gibson SG (sorry to all the Fender fans out there) you don't expect to have to take it back to the shop, excitable and curious, for a polish and wax job to fix the dodgy one done the first time round. Okay, so the price difference is pretty huge, but it has to be argued you get lot more for your guitar than you do for your Windows Vista.

SP1 is not suppose to be a package of new fancy features that encourages the consumers who didn't buy it the first time round, to instead buy it the second time round. Technically, there shouldn't be a need to give this to the consumer at all; have Microsoft not heard of Death-By-Testing? Perhaps I am being a bit harsh, no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes...

But what sort of game are they playing here when it's already been reported that the bug fixing package contains new bugs? The delay on their second impression doesn't give me much confidence.

Posted at 02:03 PM in Software | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

13 March 2008

Bytes for bites

Menu Ever hated being stuck with the waiter or waitress who has had a bad day? Or perhaps the constant pressure to 'hurry up and choose' affects your evening experience?

The e-menu is being trialled across the world; the ability for a customer to search a visual display of the restaurants offerings and to order when they are ready. A novelty that has apparently boosted revenue for restaurants.

No need for straining your neck as you look for a waiter to order from or to complain to. The technology behind it is pretty simple. A wireless computer network that links each screen to a central computer. Make your order, and it is sent directly to the kitchen.

The 'touchscreen' ability found in the e-menu and most famously used in the iPhone and iTouch, is not as sophisticated as some of the other gadgets out there that use it. Take Microsoft's 'Surface Technology' which has been found, amongst other things, in a coffee table; allowing users to interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen.

Still, if you're looking for a hot date, the e-menu has a map of the restaurant where you can send messages to other customers. Or even buy them a drink! So keep an eye out!

Posted at 09:22 AM in Industry | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

12 March 2008

HTML - The Basics

Having recently brushed up on my HTML skills, thought I would share this site with the rest of the world:

HTML Center

It has loads of useful tutorials on HTML, PHP, CSS, Photoshop and Usability.

Learn how to bold elements, format pages and write clear, compliant code.

Posted at 04:18 PM in Internet | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

06 March 2008

IE 8 is here!

Ie8Microsoft have not taken Firefox's intervention in its browsing market lightly and the brand new Internet Explorer 8 proves just that. It comes jam-packed with brand new features, great looks and most surprising , it is available for download! This beta is however only for developers to demonstrate all of the new bells and whistles, and there are some pretty cool ones!

One of the biggest new features is "WebSlices". The technology allows users' browsers to receive updates from various websites without having to actually visit the sites. Users of IE 8 can subscribe to certain pages and their toolbars will receive dynamic live updates from these pages.

Some of the new features, that are mainly thanks to "WebSlices", include:

  • Facebook: Microsoft have used their partnership with the social media giant to their advantage allowing IE 8 users to receive status updates straight to their browser toolbar!
  • eBay: This will allow you to track auctions in your toolbar, so you won't miss that deadline!
  • Live Maps: This will allow users to simply highlight addresses on a page, simply select the address, right click and select Live Maps and a small pop-up map will appear!
  • Me.Dium: this will help IE 8 users to view and find new "WebSlices" from their sidebar!

Will Internet Explorer be able to counteract Firefox 's popularity? As soon as the new IE is released to the public we will find out!

Posted at 11:49 AM in Software | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

04 March 2008

iPhone in trouble...again?

Apple are reportedly being sued for infringing on Romek Figa's patented caller ID system. Figa claims that he approached Apple regarding the caller ID functionality that he patented in 1990.

Figa approached Apple in July last year to negotiate a fee for the use of his patented technology, but the Silicon Valley giants declined.

The suit reads: "Apple is actively engaged in acts of direct infringement of the '496 patent."

And further states that: "Apple's infringement has been and continues to be willful and deliberate. Apple will continue to engage in such acts unless enjoined by this court."

Posted at 09:44 AM in Mobile | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)