Some Random Dude is a blog by P.J. Onori that covers design & technology in the broadest sense possible.

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Archive for the ‘Legacy’ Category

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New Grassroots Campaign Aims to Save Some Developers

Posted on 25 March, 2008 at 12:13pm with 5 comments

As a former front-end developer, I know the horrors of building HTML/CSS sites that work across all browsers. Frankly, the whole cross-browser conundrum was one reason why I got out of it a year or two ago. While I may not get paid to build static websites anymore, I obviously am still vulnerable to these problems with the sporadic interface/visual revamps I make to this blog and other minor web projects I take on. As the months go by, I see my ability to (reliably) develop HTML/CSS that will work in older browsers. That is why I really like the notion of what the Save the Developers campaign is trying to do.

The idea is extremely basic – get owners of websites to put a small amount of Javascript on their sites that encourages Internet Explorer 6 users to upgrade to a more standards-friendly browser. The organizers of the project were smart not to make this some evangelist movement for their favorite browser; rather opting users to choose any modern browser that fits their needs, including the mixed-bag which is Internet Explorer 7. I have decided to participate not only to save the blood pressure of front-end web developers across the world, but for my sake as well. I am a sucker for grassroots campaigns as many of you may know by now. For those of you who are front-end developers yet less fascinated with this sort of thing, may I suggest that the sooner we can get users off of obsolete browsers, the better our (professional) lives will be.

www.savethedevelopers.org

Papervision 3d Public Beta Announced

Posted on 11 July, 2007 at 3:40pm with 8 comments

papervision

After all the hype and excitement, another big benchmark has been achieved for the open source 3d Actionscript library, Papervision 3d. Papervision is now in public beta and it is well worth playing with this library if you have not yet done so.

I have done some work with the library months ago, however it was understandably hard to work with from time to time. I cannot think of a more ambitious Actionscript project around – this project’s potential knows no ceiling. There are still some very pragmatic issues that cause concern such as performance and initialization times. Still, used correctly, this library literally opens up a whole new dimension for Actionscripters.

Unfortunately, I cannot show the Papervision work that I have previously done due to privacy agreements. However, I plan to get my hands dirty with this code again in the near future – I will no doubt post my results.

Design Open Discussion: Advertising on Some Random Dude?

Posted on 1 June, 2007 at 8:43am with 6 comments

I thought this would be a perfect topic for discussion as it is extremely pertinent due to recent events. Over the past couple weeks, I have been approached multiple times about putting advertising on Some Random Dude. I have been very clear about my thoughts on the subject, but I thought it would be even more interesting to hear your thoughts.

I was telling a colleague of mine about the present offers I have been getting and how I would most likely be holding off on them. He suggested that the opportunity for ad revenue could open up an interesting possibility for this community in the form of a community fund. If the community agrees on advertising, then ads will go up. All the money brought in from advertising (after taxes of course) will go back to the community in the way the community desires. This whole method is quite intriguing to me as it is adding a very large democratic element to the regularly closed-door environment of advertising. In addition, the advertising will be directly benefiting all the right people – the folks who bring in the revenue to begin with.

So, I leave this all up to you. Please leave your comments and/or email me directly if you feel it is more appropriate. I think giving the community a say on this topic makes sense in so many different ways. At the very least, I am pretty sure it will open up a lively discussion.

Flash 9 Hits Over 83% Penetration

Posted on 23 May, 2007 at 12:15pm with no comments

Wow, that did not take much time at all… Adobe reports over 83% penetration for Flash Player 9 in mature markets and 84% even in the US. Of course, Flash 9 penetration is significantly more important than prior releases as the latest release is the only player that is compatible with apps built in Actionscript 3. I have briefly glossed over a couple of the important features Actionscript 3 brings to users which could open up completely new doors for interaction. I knew Flash 9 would be adopted quickly, I just had no idea it would be this fast.

Via Flash Obscura

My, How Far Flash Video Has Come

Posted on 9 May, 2007 at 1:19pm with 12 comments

flash videoFor the few people out there still questioning the validity of Flash video as the best, if not only, solution for the web, you have to watch this. Make sure to click the ‘Maximize’ button in the top-left corner in order to see what I mean. Flash applications built in Actionscript 3 allow for a fullscreen mode – allowing things such as video to be viewed in a much more traditional, theatrical manner. Surprisingly high-quality video can now be easily viewed over the web with no server-side streaming software – allowing anyone with ample bandwidth to provide video to its audience.

This ability for rich media experiences to be delivered on the cheap is one more reason that: 1) Flash (or perhaps another future rich media delivery system) is going to become an even more integral part of the web/browser experience, and, 2) The TV, in its current form, is becoming more obsolete by the day. We all saw this coming, I am just utterly blown away at the pace that it is occurring. If you thought the public liked web video before, just wait until the next batch of video players to hit the scene that take advantage of all the features Flash 9/Actionscript 3 have to offer. It will make the current phenomenon look pitiful in comparison.

Via Flex RIA

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