Risen Against Gravity

GenSephyr

I've moved my blog and portfolio to http://fusedthought.com/en/blog. However, this site will still be kept as an archive...

Individual entires can still be accessed using their trackback links.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Blogskin / style switcher Version 2

In the last post (http://gyeojz.blogspot.com/2007/05/blogskin-style-switcher.html), I've announced the availability of the blogksin switcher.

After some work, I've updated it to remember the user's preferences via the use of cookies. It was some work, but finally it is ready.

For those who want to have a style switcher but are unable to use brothercake's IOTBS in Blogger or some other sites due to the same-origin policy, my style switcher may be the answer. However, it may not be suited for all, but at least it works.



Some good points over the usual "alternate stylesheet method";
1. It loads the styles on demand.
2. Its cross-browser compatible. (at least its tested to work in Firefox, IE6, IE 7 and Opera).
3. Its customizable to load other style required elements like javascript on demand too.
4. The file size is relatively small.

Known Issues
1. In Opera, default is alright. but some layout problems when a alternative style is used. Seems that it doesn't really support link disabled.



The switcher works by getting the ?css= Parameter in the URL.
index.html?css=0 resets to the default style. While other numbers corresponds to the other style types.

I'll be packaging the scripts into a zip file and releasing it under a license once I solve the Opera bug/problem.

So watch this space =)

UPDATE: Opera Problem fixed.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Blogskin / style switcher

Remember a few post ago at the release of my current blogskin, "Desire Secundus: Choosing the path to take", I was musing about the lack of support for the IOTBS switcher because of cross-domain restriction?

well, I've thought about it and came up with a solution.
Using a script from netlobo which gets url parameters, I've came up with something which emulates PHP (but less efficient) and is expandable for future blogskins/style.
It even downloads the blog styles on-demand...

However, there is one limitation. The user preferences aren't remembered and the only way is for the user to visit the site using the appropriate URL parameters to view the skin.

Probably the user preference will come at a later date.
For now, enjoy the switcher (located in the sidebar or somewhere in the page depending on the blogskin/style).

The GET URL parameter script is copyright to the respective programmer.
For now, the switcher is copyrighted to me. I may decide to release it under another license at a later date. For now, it is still undergoing some tests.

So enjoy!

(p.s. For those who haven't read the news on the closure of Yahoo photos, you can read an article about it at my tech blog.)

Monday, May 21, 2007

Migraine or is it?

Migraine. Or is it not. I don't know.
All I know My head is spinning in a circle as big as earth....

Probably due to a disturbed sleep pattern yesterday, when I woke up almost every 20minutes to half an hour.
Situation was exacerbated by staring at the Overhead Projector (OHP) and the PowerPoint projections during tutorial and lectures respectively. Much better now though. My eyes are like 20 times more tired when I stare at an OHP or projected screen as compared to using the computer.

I really dislike them. Nothing I can do though.

Hope tomorrows tournament goes well.

Anyway, lets end with a quote shall we??

Fighting isn't good. But if you must fight, WIN!

Cherios.

Blogskins: Desire Secundus

As you may have noticed, a new layout/blogskin is out. my old layout is still in use at my tech blog: http://tech-no-borders.blogspot.com.

This layout/blogskin is titled: Desires Secundus: Choosing the path to take.

Any comments on the blogskin/layout please do so.
Hope I've broken the "corporate look".

Wanted to incorporate a layout changer though... but (surprise surprise), it works in Firefox but not Internet Explorer (IE).
Even IE7 can't use it because of some cross-domain restriction that the browser places on JavaScript. So no choice. Had to take it out.

EDIT (22 May 2007): An update to a new style/blogskin/layout changer (which works in IE) at http://gyeojz.blogspot.com/2007/05/blogskin-style-switcher.html

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Ruling in favour of no blogs | Coding New Layout

Main

We've been banned.. or rather, discouraged from blogging anything related to the current ongoing tournament by the teacher in charge. So for now, nothing of that sort.

I don't usually blog anything about the Sport anyway... haha..

New Layout/Skin

On top of that, I'm working on a new skin. The drive for the layout/skin is different than the current one.

The current one, titled Primero(1st), is my first XML layout and also a trial to see what the new Blogger could do. Moreover, I wanted to see how a layout will look like, using just one image for the entire site. And the result was Primero(1st).

The new layout/skin will be of a less serious style than this one, based on the above banner picture which I put it there as a preview.

Its gonna be titled: "Desires: Secundus..."

Till the end of the tournament.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

LOST: phone

What a week. I would say I attended my most expensive drama at VJC.

Ok. The drama is 8 bucks. However, the total cost to me incurred was, to be exact, over 600 bucks.

That value comes about from the lost of my W850i handphone in the cab. It was my error and mistake to actually drop my handphone in the cab. I didn't manage to get the Taxi car plate.

But from that I found out a few things.

1. The Taxi company, or to be precise, the Cab Driver, was quite unhelpful. Probably my luck to get one who was sighing loudly all the way from VJC to my house. The company sent a mass radio out to all the cabbies but got no reply. Wonder if he was the one who pocketed my phone.

2. I guess there are still many people who are dishonest and are greedy a**holes. The person who picked up my phone has the cheek to call, remain silent when I said hello and put down the phone and switch it off.
The person must have sold my handphone for a fat 300 bucks (I went to my Phone Provider to find out the trade-in price).

I have since disabled that line and got my Phone Provider to replace my SIM card and deactivate the other one before re-enabling my line again. Now I'm only worried about the data in the Phone and Memory card.

To make matter's worse, I got a phone call from an indecent Chat line which I slammed the phone down at.
(Figure of speech. I can't risk destroying my old handphone that I'm using now - from 6 years ago, or I'll have none left to use)..

I have already reported the lost of the phone as well as the phone's IMEI number to the Police. The person better not try anything funny.

Cur*** that person who found my phone and didn't return it.
Hope that person gets struck by lightning or something.
Or better still, lose all his/her money.

I know I'm harsh here... But I just too heartbroken and angry.

On a side note, my National Schools tournament begins tomorrow.
Hope I aren't too affected by this....
For the sake of myself and my school, I must "Get My Head In The Game!";

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Blogging Code of Conduct should be a Guideline NOT Mandate

I guess this is something we all know this will come sooner or later...

In the Straits Times Digital Life Section (May 8, 2007, Page 31), an article titled: "Do bloggers, and readers, need a code of conduct" is very apt and pertinent.

I for one has asked myself this when I first heard about the drafting of the blogger's code of conduct over at blogging.wikia.com

Indeed, there are now threats being made via anonymous comments and also the intolerable advertisements post via the blog's comments system or some chat or tagbaord system on the blogs.

However, the question is, why do we need one? The allure of blogs is its openness, "anonymity" as well as it free-flowing nature. Any comments are posted and aired. Would this code of conduct then turn against the very foundation which blogs are built on?

In this digital age, the internet is used as a personal haven as much as a business tool. With the increasing affluence of the people, and the ease of internet use nowadays it is no wonder some sort of code of conduct is need. That is however, usually covered by a country's law.

However, there has been an increasing need to put some sort of guidelines for blogs. Blogging has seen an exponential increase these few years. With many companies also moving into the blogging scene. With such a trend, and the simplicity of opening up a blog, it is no wonder that many incidents are also happening which are related to blogs.

The online nature of blogs has exposed itself to the internet pits. The list includes (but isn't limited to): flaming, Bias comments, Unwarranted accusations and so on. And with the increasing use of blogs as a media for information, the question on the privacy of one's sources also come into play.

I personally feel that the code of conduct is definitely a good thing to have. However, knowing the nature of blogs and being a blogger, I think that it shouldn't be something made compulsory. Anything made compulsory especially on the web always have an effect of turning people off. Whats more, the web usually presents a snowball effect on the simplest of things.

So in conclusion, I do welcome a "code of conduct guideline" but not a "code of conduct mandate".

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

New Layout

I guess this is obvious. After a day's work, (time slightly wasted), I've finally rolled out a new layout for this blog and will soon port it over to my technology blog http://tech-no-borders.blogspot.com.

This is my first Layout for the new Blogger. It is a full eXtensible Markup Language (XML) template.

There are still some features like tagboard which aren't up yet. I still need to do some fine tuning. so for now please post any comments you have at the respective comments link in the posts. Non-article related comments are also welcomed. Cheers.

And to all my friends, thanks for the concern. I should be going back to school tomorrow.

Cheers!

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