New CVM Designs!
You may have noticed I've been MIA for some time with development of simonwille.ms unfortunately grinding to halt. For those that haven't heard the news, I recently switched employers. I wasn't exactly planning on leaving my previous job, but the offer I recieved from the highly ranked and prestigious Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences was simply too good to pass up. Of course with a new job comes new responsibilites and man do I have a unique set of challenges ahead of me. My time has been a little more stretched than usual, but now you can see what I've been up to.
Flash vs. The iPad
I'm honestly surprised that some people are shocked over Apple's omission of Flash on the upcoming iPad. After the iPhone rightly kicked Flash to curb, who didn't see this coming? Not only does Flash pretty consistently demolish non-Windows desktops (it's the leading reason for application crash reports on OSX), it eats memory for breakfast, clogs cpu performance, opens significant security holes, and for Apple, undercuts their App Store. Seems pretty obvious why Apple wants to help kill the beast. Not only is it hurting the user experience for their platforms, it's eating their lunch while it's at it.
Why Do Designers Prefer Macs?
I used Windows products my entire life, even flirting with various Linux distros, before I "converted" to Mac a little under a year ago. So why the switch? Well, before I even attempt to answer that, I need to clear the air. You see, I've noticed time and again that people get very defensive, even vitriolic, about their preferred computer platform and it has always baffled me (much like the console wars). Your computer does not love you. You don't need to fight for its honor. As a marketing major in my undergrad career, I understand full well the concept of brand loyalty, but that should not preclude logic and common decency. These are devices after all. They carry out tasks. There's no need for hate in a frank discussion on hardware and software. Let's be civil here...
My Love/Hate Relationship With Flash
As a developer who has invested countless hours learning the finer intricacies of ActionScript 3.0 and built somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand swfs over my career, I have somewhat of a vested interest in Adobe's Flash plugin. At the same time, as a die-hard proponent of web standards and as a supporter of open software and web platforms, I can't embrace Flash as the end solution to any given number of browser woes...
The Meaning Of 'Hand-Coded'
The term "hand-coded" in the context of web development simply refers to any code or markup written without the use of aided software such as a WYSIWYG editor or helper program like Dreamweaver or FrontPage. Typically, these types of programs are held in disregard by most developers as a source of bad practices and laziness. Individuals who hand-code write all of their code in a simple text editor such as Notepad or TextEdit. A person who engages in the practice of hand-coding usually shows more aptitude as he or she does not require a set of tools to generate, structure, or validate his or her work thus requiring a higher level of knowledge and experience...
Social Networking And Why I Don't Care
OK, OK, so I admit that headline is rather sensational. Obviously I care about social networking as you may have noticed from the Twitter and Facebook links liberally peppered throughout this site. Yet I still hold reservations. I only transitioned into the movement recently after resisting for nearly a decade. I remember getting an invitation to The Facebook Beta in 2004. I scoffed at it then, but never doubted it's draw. You see, my main feelings on the subject basically break down into three parts: I don't think it's the web's end-all-be-all, I'm a little paranoid, and - hate to admit it - but I like being invisible sometimes...
