Creative Aspects, Inc.

Looking back: Using Kindle for the PC to read HTML5: Up and Running by Mark Pilgrim. Copyright 2010 O’Reilly Media, Inc., 978-0-596-80602-6

The only feature of the Kindle for the PC that I do not like is the cut and paste does not work, which is inconvenient, but understandable for copyright protection.  I found the code snippets from Mark Pilgrim’s book online anyway, so I am able to cut and paste from the website to build pages (application).  HTML5 (linked to W3.org) is for web applications and while I am still in Chapter 3 of the book, I am happy with the results and it is true I am ‘Up and Running’.  Next on my agenda is to check out jquery, an open source javascript library plug in and see how it works.  Could I finally be able to build the software I have been dreaming about?!  Stay tuned.  Note: most features of HTML5(linked to wikipedia definition) are not yet available in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE), but in Google Chrome  and Safari, etc.  (IE9 is predicted to include some of them.)  Therefore, the first step is to test for what is not available and provide substitute code for the missing. I have discovered that I need IE to find my HTML coding errors.  Chrome and Safari error debugging was unfamiliar[^1] [^2]. Every project I work on takes a combination of books, libraries and software just to accomplish one task.  At least the software is free, although I opted to buy the book (Kindle edition) for under $15.  Note I use  Amaya   and   Context  for editing.  I plan to update my versions of both today, especially since Context has a new thumb drive version. The graphic is my first HTML5 web page, which is just javascript and HTML5 so far, nothing fancy yet! [^3]

[^1]: Edited and foot noted  for clarity 10/2018. The “caret” character is no longer on my keyboard. 😕

[^2]: I did use the option to use modernizr  (MIT licensed free javascript) to shortcut coding.  …

[^3]: The linked footnote appears at the end of the document.

Looking back: Google Chrome Browser like magic?

I wanted to experiment with the new Chrome(web) browser by Google and it would not run on the Mac (needs more OS than I can get).  I read about the way it was designed (HTML5) and how fast it is and it is impressive.  After a little problem with sound (only on the embedded Youtube demos for showing you around the system did not work), I went to Youtube, NBC Nightly News and Netflix.  Okay, it’s true, I got stuck in fascination that watching a walking gorrilla is the latest rage on the internet, again checking out the itty bitty baby bats on Nightly News, Obama Q&A after the State of the Union and finally, all about Harry Potter’s world in Universal Orlando Resort .  [^1]

[^1]: If I could go now, I would check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/animal-kingdom/pandora-world-of-avatar/.] 

Well, at least I didn’t waste an afternoon because I love it!  Smooth – oh and I found another potential web host along the way watching a PostPost video about how they like Chrome and sponsored by Rackspace Hosting reviews, which I am just reviewing.  Ok time to play 20 (* 3 per day) for  NFL’s PLAY60, (not yet secure for link) – so search it. 

Looking back: Vista Service Pack 2 reloaded for Windows Live Writer

After restoring my HP DV6000 Vista machine, uninstalling old programs and defragmenting the HD (for 5 hours), I discovered that Vista Service Pack 2 was no longer installed and needed to be reinstalled (originally installed last August).  After that it took only two days (8 hours) to get the other 9 updates installed and I finally have Windows Live Writer to check out.  Yes, it is a much more robust blog writer.  Is it worth all the trouble?  Well, actually, except for constant updates, I don’t really modify my PCs much, so this was probably a healthy exercise.  I hadn’t been able to get the defrag to run for about a year and a half.  I used to defrag machines every two weeks due to lack of space.  …..(So glad I rarely use windows anymore. Is there a QuickBooks Android version yet? Updated 10/2018)

😉😬😕

Looking back: A Good Place to Sell Photos Online?

What to do with all those pretty photos?  e. g. Fotolia (now Adobe Stock 10/2018). Hey, I like this watermark feature of Windows Live Writer.  Fotolia’s requirements, quality and ease-of-use might be a good fit for me. There are many companies to choose from for both acquiring and selling ‘stock’ photos and all kinds of ways to license them.  I remember paying for a background of the lightning in Sydney on my old Dell ….  There are many quality photos available on the internet, many at no or little cost.  Maybe too many?  When I work on a project, I get lost searching for just the right background.  These morning glories, one of mine(ours), shown above,  is one of my favorites.  What do you think?  Do those little bug holes make a difference?  I think they add to the authenticity.

Looking back: “The Paranoid’s Guide to Facebook” by Logan Kugler in PCWorld Feb 2011, pg 33 (Update: We could have/ should have known? 10/2018)

I still like to have some sense of privacy/security, even if it is an illusion.  This article has several suggestions for tightening security on Facebook, like hiding your game playing from your coworkers, ha!  At the end are the instructions for deleting the your Facebook account altogether.  Okay, I probably will not be needing that, but I like to know how, just in case. Here’s the link to the article: The Paranoid’s Guide to Facebook by Logan Kugler

Looking back: Spotify by Ek

According to an article in Wired Mag, JAN 2011, pg. 074-082, “The Celestial Jukebox”, by Neal Pollack which I read a few days ago, Spotify is the best thing since sliced bread (software) that we cannot use. Why? Because we live in the United States. Don’t you just love it when the good ole USA turns out to be not necessarily the best, but definitely the most $? Spotify is a Swedish music software company which actually provides free music to 95% of their customer base. Whereas we in the USA, according to the article, supply free music to approximately 5% of ours. They keep trying to bring into the USA, but the music label companies won’t play ball. They need to maintain their profit margins. We have so many middle men. I was thinking we should just start listening to European music. “The company estimates it has 10 million users in seven countries with more than 500,000 paying subscribers…” Surely I could find some music I like. Besides, I can’t understand most of the lyrics of some songs I listen to now and they are in English! I actually prefer words I cannot understand when I’m working. That way I can listen without losing my focus. Instrumentals, like new age and classical, just get redundant after a while. I love African music and lively operas. It would be a fun adventure. Someone tell Daniel Ek, CEO to bring on the world view to us and when the music artists here recognize they are losing their audience, they’ll force their producers to get with the program. (Update: According to wikipedia, the service launched in the USA in July of 2011. (10/2018)