the singularity of being and nothingness
Cool Stuff
Will Chrome Kill Firefox?
Oct 12th
I've read alot of articles on the interblog in which people claim that Google's new browser, Chrome, will hurt Firefox, rather than Internet Explorer. The biggest reason for this, the protagonists claim, is that given that Internet Explorer users are the least likely to change their browsers, the majority of acceptance of Chrome will come from others…hence the hit to Firefox.
But is this really accurate? I don't buy it. The way I see it, the argument made above is true, but in reverse. It is undeniable that people who use IE, besides being horribly misguided in their choice of browsers, are less than likely to switch to a new browser. But it is equally true, IMO, that those who use Firefox are already predisposed to using more than one browser. So rather than a huge pile of competition, Chrome represents just another option.
Of course, if Chrome turns out to be really flippin' cool (which I don't see yet…) and vastly superior to all other options, it is probably more accurate that ALL browsers are in trouble. The time is not far away when Google will be placing proprietary OS's on new computers and, just like the Behemoth Microsoft before it, More >
Google Analytics Comes to the Desktop
May 20th
If you don't use Google Analytics for your site analytics solution, then either you have something that you're paying for (which is okay if it's not actually YOU paying for it), or you're using something else that's not very good.
I like Analytics because it is super easy to install, very fast, and provides some seriously robust statistics for free–tough to beat that.
Well, today I ran across a really cool application that is being developed to bring Analytics to the desktop.
Currently, this application is only in beta, but it has a lot of promise. Even with the limited suite of services being offered in the current version, Google Analytics for AIR delivers strongly.
One of the really nice features of this application is that it is super-fast, which is more than can be said for the web interface. Additionally, everything is laid out very intuitively, so there is not really any adjustment needed to transition from the web interface.
The only criticism I would have at this stage is that the interface itself is really BLUE. This is a minor criticism, of course, but I would like to see more white rather than blue. Picky, huh?
Anyway, if you use Analytics, check this out–I More >
Google Reader Shiny-ness, Part II
May 13th
About a week ago, I mentioned my love of Google Reader, and how it contributes significantly to my web design process.
Well, it got just a bit better for me today. While using Google Reader to follow one of my favorite blogs, I ran across a brand-spanking new AIR-based application that brings the functionality of Google Reader to the desktop.
This new application is ReadAir. It is really nothing more than HTML and JavaScript, but it is shiny. And the functionality–on the whole–is pretty good. At this stage, it is still a bit buggy. Unread feed counts do not update when an article is viewed, and it is also a bit slow. However, the project is open-source, so hopefully others will come along and expand upon it to make it better.
So if you like Google Reader, take a look at ReadAir. Oh, and be sure to let me know what you think about it!!
Google Reader: An Essential Tool for the Web Designer
May 6th
I wish I could express how critical Google Reader is to my web design process. How does an RSS feed reader aid my web design, you ask?
I'll tell you!
There are approximately 13.25 billion CSS design galleries currently on the world-wide interblog. In my experience, each gallery updates their gallery with approximately 5-8 new designs every 3 days. So, in the course of 3 days there are 60+ billion websites featured on design galleries, give or take a handful.
Obviously, I kid, but the truth is not far off. There are a lot of CSS design galleries out there, and they are constantly adding new sites every day. Morever, there are hundreds of really talented designers out there that have incredibly creative ideas about good web design.
Now let's be honest: creative web design is never done is isolation. I personally find a lot of great inspiration from others, and attempt to distill the best of what I see into my own designs.
So where does Google Reader fit into this? Well, imagine trying to follow each of these sites (I currently follow over 108 galleries, and design-related blogs). Live bookmarks is unthinkable. Visiting each site would be an absolute nightmare. So I need More >
blogactionday.org
Aug 17th
Today, I ran across an interesting site: blogactionday.org . The concept is very simple–this website is organizing as many blogs as possible to join together on October 15, 2007 to talk about the environment. The orginators of this idea believe that a mass, one day conversation about the environment from the myriad perspectives in the blogging world will raise consciousness about the environmental issues and challenges that face our planet.
As of today, blogactionday.org suggests that a quarter of a million people are currently represented by the 500+ blogs that are registered.
existdissolve.com is now a registered participant, and I am already brainstorming ideas for the specific post that I will make on October 15th. I would encourage others to do the same by clicking here . (I will also be linking to it in the bottom section of this site). Even you feel that environmental activism is bunk, register and blog about that. The point of blogactionday.org is not to promote a specific hegemony of environmental thinking, but more generally to get people talking and thinking about the environment.
Where No Man Has Gone Before
Jul 20th
Okay, I have some theological bits coming soon, but I can't resist this.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – SEASON 1 !!!!
There are a lot of reasons, of course, so here we go:
1.) Terrifically cheesy. Okay, so we have to give some grace to the first season. After all, the producers were trying something very new (for the time) with state of the art technology. There is apparent tension between trying to keep the spirit of Kirk's enterprise (notice the "wheeeereee" noice of the computer from the OLLLLDDD Star Trek…and the mini-skirts…and the many LED display computers) and move forward into a more inspired (and, let's be honest, better looking) future. Also, the acting is quite suspect, as each of the main actors (with the exception of Patrick Stewart) is clearly struggling to find the pathos of their particular characters.
2.) Overtly political. Whether it is a commentary on the evils of rampant capitalism, the rarified cuteness of religious belief, or the villifying of basically the entire 20th century on Earth, the first season never pulls punches nor wastes an opportunity to weigh in on (what was then) pertinent and contemporary political/social issues.
3.) Respect for literature. Okay, I love More >
A Revelation of Online Proportions
Jul 9th
Those not involved in website design and development may not know where I am coming from (and therefore not care), but I found something incredibly interesting today. During my lunch break, I was making some updates to my blog, specifically adding links and images of the various browsers that are friendly to the design of my site (pretty much everything worked except the devil [IE 6], thank you very much). Of course, I went first of all to the ol' standard browsers–Firefox, Internet Explorer 7, Opera. No problems. Then, I decided to see how Safari and Camino–both Mac browsers–handled it. No problems either. Woot.
Feeling pretty good about myself, I went off in search of some good-looking logos that I could use to provide links to said browsers that no one will actually ever use. After finding all of the ones I wanted, I finished by searching for a great image of Safari's logo on Apple's site (not hard, since it is Mac and, therefore, necessarily wonderful). To my surprise, I learned that Safari 3 is now in beta…for Windows! Finally, a great Mac browser is coming to the devil's computer…it's about time.
Intrigued by my new discovery, I decided to see More >
No. 1 Pagan Representin'
Jun 17th
As regular readers of this blog are aware, I am no stranger to controversy. Many of the theological stances that I take are, shall we say, out of the mainstream of evangelical thought (although it must be noted that I have been heavily commented elsewhere by those committed to Catholic and Orthodox theology).
The consequence of these stances has been severe criticism from some of my detractors. While most are civil enough to disagree with me strongly, there are others who are quick to call into question my orthodoxy (which, interestingly enough, they do not ever actually show where my theology is astray of ecumenical orthodoxy…), my intentions, and even my salvation.
I have been called a heretic, an apostate, a gnostic, a "sophist," a Romanist, an existentialist, a post-modernist, etc. However, the other day I received probably the biggest "compliment"–a particularly fiery blogger labeled me "No. 1 Pagan."
Most would avoid this label, but I have decided to wear it with pride. To reinforce this, I was recently privileged to be award Deviant Monk's "Notable Pagan" award. DM describes the purpose of the award as follows:
The "Notable Pagan" award is given to those bloggers who are labeled "pagan", "heretic", or "blasphemer" by More >
