Ye Olde Rad Blog II

Six Apart Releases Movable Type Open Source! (v4.1) Woohoo!

Now that the forum-update (to YaBB 2.2) is complete (first things first), my attention turns to Ye Olde Rad Blog .. for which I've used Movable Type (since 2003), and been waiting patiently for the release of v4.1. (Cuz it...

Posted on January 25, 2008 3:59 PM

Learning About Web Hex HTML Color Schemes on the Winter Solstice

Winter solstice yesterday. Shortest day of the year (for those of us living in the northern hemisphere). The word solstice comes from a latin term » solstitium, meaning sun stoppage. Extra cool with a full moon tonight.The exact time (when...

Posted on December 23, 2007 12:55 PM

Thanksgiving 2007

I trust you and yours had yourselves a pleasant Thanksgiving, with lots of bird to eat, and other yummy treats. I spent the day with the Bug (just the two of us), so it was most enjoyable. After tearing up the local playground, the day's highlight came when we took his "froggie boots" to the Newport Back Bay. There we found a feeder-stream he could tromp thru (something new).

Posted on November 25, 2007 9:46 AM

The Neck, Web Master Skills & Holy Frijoles

My neck is finally (after 6 weeks!) starting to loosen. I can turn my head side-to-side without pain, tho full range-of-motion remains elusive. Tilting » right-ear toward right-shoulder .. is the movement I now find most difficult. Feels like a steel cable (tendon?) connects my left shoulder to the base of my skull (on left side), restricting this (right-ward ») motion. Forcing this movement causes swelling (the next day) where my neck (left-side) connects to my torso. The swelling (raised ~2 inches) looks scarier than it feels. Nevertheless, I'm hesitant to stretch very far in that direction (.. like they want me to).

Posted on November 19, 2007 4:34 PM

Continuing to Enhance Web Master Skill Set (XHTML, CSS, Dreamweaver)

Learning lots about (X)HTML, CSS. & Dreamweaver. For example, I finished reading the Head First book (cover-to-cover, all 650 pages). Currently half-way thru the Lynda.com Essential training video for Dreamweaver CS3 (Creative Suite 3). Also reading the Missing Manual on Dreaweaver (~1,000 pages), which goes into more detail than the video. All great stuff. Was surprised to read over at Coding Horror that the average programmer reads less than 1 (technical) book per year.

Posted on November 14, 2007 3:38 PM

Exhausted after Court

Court yesterday .. regarding recent move-away issue. Came away with a favorable outcome .. altho I didn't really gain anything. I merely didn't lose the Bug. But that alone was cause for celebration. Today I feel exhausted, on a deep, emotional level. (My bones feel tired.) The past month-or-so I've had unlimited energy (and trouble sleeping). Now that we have resolution, I can hardly keep my eyes open.

Posted on October 27, 2007 11:45 AM

Started Reading New Book » Dreamweaver CS3: The Missing Manual

Started reading a new book .. on Dreamweaver (compliments of Poncho) titled » Dreamweaver CS3: The Missing Manual (released June, 2007). Weighing in at 1,000 pages, this is the fattest book I've ever sat down with. So far, I'm very impressed. Even the first (introductory) chapters contain many insightful tips about real world usage (my favorite kind).

Posted on October 26, 2007 11:06 AM

One Week Since Nasty Mountain Biking Accident (Neck Tweaked)

Been a week since I went flying over the handlebars and landed on my head. Wish I were further down the road to recovery, but .. I knew it would take a while. (.. from the nasty, crunching sound my neck made upon impact .. similar to what you hear when you break in half a fistful of dry spaghetti.) The good news is .. I didn't miss any time with the Bug. Unless a doctor, or a judge, tells me I can't (or shouldn't) see him, I'm there .. bright and early.

Posted on October 14, 2007 6:10 PM

Best Books for Learning the Basics of Web Site Design (XHTML + CSS)

While researching what books might help, two stood out: Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML, by Eric & Liz Freeman, Dec 2005, 694 pgs HTML, XHTML, and CSS, 6th Ed, by Liz Castro (Barcelona), Aug 2006, 456 pgs The Head First book has an Amazon.com Sales Rank of 1154 (at time of this writing, rankings fluctuate constantly). The Castro book comes in slightly higher at 1110. Both are Amazon BestSellers.

Posted on July 1, 2007 8:57 AM

Upgrading Web Master Skills | New Technologies Presenting Challenges

Been upgrading my web master skills recently, to include proficiency with HTML, XHTML, CSS & Dreamweaver. I'd also like to become familiar with JavaScript, PHP & SQL-based databases, such as MySQL. Like most people, I learn best by doing .. by having a project to which I can apply my new skills. I'm finding these newfangled XHTML/CSS pages significantly more complicated to work with than the old (simple) HTML ones I used with the original Rad Ghost guide.

Posted on June 26, 2007 7:13 AM

Installed Norton Ghost 12 & Created Back-up Image, called a Recovery Point

Installed Norton Ghost 12 last night, and (successfully!) created my first Windows-based back-up image (which Symantec terms a Recovery Point).

Posted on June 12, 2007 8:16 AM

Dell Computer Selects Ubuntu for its PCs Pre-installed with Linux

World's 2nd largest PC manufacturer, Dell computer, will be offering its PCs (both desktops & laptops) with the Linux operating system. They've partnered with (London-based) Canonical (founded by South African Mark Shuttleworth) to offer the Ubuntu distro.

Posted on May 2, 2007 6:28 AM