The Super Amazing Blog

Thursday 28 Feb 2008 at 17:54The Super Amazing Homepage v3 beta

Featured Links in this post
	Version 3 beta
	Sites4Biz.co.uk

I have uploaded the initial beta for the all new, super slick, Super Amazing Homepage version 3. The new version features a CSS layout for better cross browser efficiency, XHTML compliance, members options & more.

The new version is also supported again by Sites4Biz.co.uk and uses the high-end Platinum version of their fantastic 4Site system. This means the new version will boast RSS/XML news feeds, easy to update content (meaning it's much easier for me to share everything interesting I find with you guys!), guestbook, mailing list, site map and a whole heap of stuff to make my Google Accounts a breeze to set up.

It's hard for me to drive traffic at a site like this, but I'm sure most of the people who take the time to view the search page will set it as their home page page! Everyone I have introduced in person has anyway! So the easy integration with Google makes everything a doddle. It even sets up an XML site map, which is updated every time I update the site, so Google knows about an hour after I add a page. A level of service you would normally pay in excess of £5000 for, is offered for around £1500. Unbelievable.

4Site packages can be customised or upgraded at any time, and because the system they use has been developed in house, they can tailor it and expand it to suit your exact needs.

Not much else to say but give the new version a try!

Monday 11 Feb 2008 at 14:29IE Can Suck My Balls

Featured Links in this post
	Open Source Initiative
	That Blog Post
	Mozilla Firefox
	Tweak PNG
	The G.I.M.P.
	Ubuntu Linux

OK... many of you know I am a web designer.

Over the last few years I have watched with great enthusiasm as the popularity of the '.PNG' image format has grown massively. About 2 years ago, I tried my first PNG on a web-page to see how it would behave. Of cause, as a Firefox user, I was happy. The PNG appeared fine. Then I tested in IE6.

The image had a big blue 'highlight' over it. I searched good old Google, and came across a fix that meant IE could display these images. Even then I was shocked that there were problems displaying ANY image format in a Microsoft browser. Microsoft are supposed to be the market leaders... the kings of the software world... one of the worlds richest companies... with one of the worlds richest individuals in charge.... and they're browser does not support this extremely powerful image format?!?!?

I'm sorry... but W.T.F?!?!?!?!?

The PNG fix was fine for the next 12-16 months until IE7 was finally released. At last I thought... PROPPER support for PNGs. YES!!! They display with no hack... things are looking up!!!

Until today that is!!!

We have had problems at work several times where by the background colours in our PNGs do not match the background colour written into the HTML code. They are the same 6 Digit HEX code... but no the PNG is darker for some reason.

Today this was all explained to me by this bog post. Apparently, there is an extra hidden layer within a PNG that most software and web browsers just ignore. This is the 'Gamma' layer. It has no real reaon to be there. It was put there by... wait for it... PHOTOSHOP!?!?

You then have 3 options if you want to make your site look right in IE6 & IE7.

1 - Render your PNGs with GIMP (Free - Open Source Photoshop!
2 - Use PNG Tweak to remove the Gamma info (Free - Open Source App)
3 - Build your site around IE (...yeah right!)

So, in short... the best way to produce PNG images for the web is either to FIX them with a FREE OPEN SOURCE tool... or to render them in a FREE OPEN SOURCE tool to start with.

Photoshop Extended costs £500 ($1000). Exactly what the fuck are we paying for here?!?!? And while I'm on the subject... why the fuck is that Gamma info put in there in the first place if all it does is make the image DARKER than it should be? Why does IE6 not ust ignore this value like Firefox, Opera and all the other OPEN SOURCE browsers do.

My conclusion then... OPEN SOURCE SAVES THE DAY... AGAIN!

It really makes me wonder why Ubuntu isn't more successful.

Tuesday 15 Jan 2008 at 11:10DJ Scotch Egg - 4 Bit Musical Madman

Featured Links in this post
	Scotch Egg Home
	Myspace Profile
	Youtube

Sometimes you find some truly special. Most of the time, you just find a crazy bastard. Well... I've found another crazy bastard!! Here's DJ Scotch Egg... Who got his name from throwing the lovely sausage-meat/boiled-egg combo snacks into the crowd.

He was a part of an all round retro-gamer "chip-tune" band called Desert Planet, where they used a variety of old computers & consoles such as Sinclair Spectrums, Amigas, Atari 2600s and many, many more to create an inspiring, unique sound normally only associated with early 90's kid's bedrooms & Blackpool games-arcades.

Not sure if I like it yet... takes a while to settle in the stomach if I'm honest! Go see for yourself. Make the most your computer!

Monday 07 Jan 2008 at 23:31Moreskins needs work

Just another quick one to alert you to the latest updates on Moreskins. Added some LG Viewty and iPhone backgrounds for you to tuck in to. Should have user uploads Very soon. Been incredibly busy at work so bear with me!!!

Wednesday 12 Dec 2007 at 23:13Moreskins - Define Your Device

I have a new little project on the go. I'm not going to say too much, I have a few ideas I've not seen so it's a race to learn what to do before someone beats me to it. Should be a good site.

Go get some backgrounds for your stuff. There's not much on there, and the content can't stay. It's only to test. All the backgrounds have been collected from free download sites so I don't think I'm infringing on any copyrights, but I do think it's a bit naughty to pinch content!

Hope you enjoy the site anyway. Feel free to send me backgrounds you want adding.