MediaTemple, my indomitable hosting provider, has some new server architecture available, so I’ll be taking advantage of that and migrating the site to the new systems. I also figured this is as good of a time as any to finally upgrade my WordPress installation. Therefore, with both the server and WordPress being upgraded, some downtime may occur. I know life would be empty and meaningless without my witty banter, so I thought I’d assuage your fears.
I’ve also upgraded to Firefox 2.0 and just (this moment) learned that one of its features is spell check. Imagine that.
Stand Up for Your Rights! is a satirical look at the attitude of plenty of so-called professionals these days. The tag line sarcastically advises, “Don’t let so-called experts tell you what you should know about becoming a web designer.” In the article, Eric Meyer presents several instances of an individual looking to take on a profession without wanting to be slowed down by learning the nuances of the trade. The last conversation features an aspiring web designer stating that he doesn’t want to learn anything complex; he just wants to make web sites.
There are plenty of web designers who earn a decent living making a template in Photoshop, slicing it into some nested HTML tables, and plugging in the user’s content. At no point do they consider things like semantics or usability. They just want to make web sites. The tragedy is that a lot of these folks are really talented people, and they’re wasting their potential on half-assed work.
The internet is an incredible opportunity for sharing information, and even moreso now than ever. A web site is more than just some graphics and text; it’s a tool for communication between groups of people. Naturally, you’d want the tool you’re using to be functional and efficient, right? After all, what use is a good-looking tool that breaks the first time you try to use it? Concepts like usability help designers craft a tool built around the user’s experience. Meanwhile, technologies behind standards-oriented design (XHTML, CSS, etc.) help to ensure that the web sites we build can be accessed from a wide variety of platforms.
As an aspiring web developer, the article reminds me that there is much more to web design than markup and a stylesheet or two. No matter how long you’ve been designing, there’s always something new to learn. While this applies to any industry, it’s especially true in the ever-evolving field of web development (and technology in general, for that matter).
There are those for whom the Postal series may represent the downfall of human civilization. As for me, I have a sense of humor; I’ll find a way to make anything funny. So it is with Postal. Granted, the first game isn’t much more than gratuitous violence, but the second one is laced with more satire. Besides, you don’t have to kill everyone, or anyone for that matter, in Postal 2. The point is, I like the game because of its absurdity; it’s a nice distraction from the rest of gaming’s offerings.
So, imagine my surprise when Postal: The Movie is announced, especially when Running With Scissors settled on Uwe Boll to head up the project. Honestly, when you think of a movie based on the Postal universe, do you really expect a cinematic masterpiece? Not at all. This is the one movie Boll can’t wreck, because it was a farce from the start. I can’t wait.
Now I find out that Zack Ward has been signed on to play the Postal Dude. Can it get any better? Sure, he’s got the look, and could probably pull off the demeanor. It’s just that while plenty of people might think of him as Scut Farcus (from A Christmas Story), I can’t see him as anyone other than Dave Titus.
At any rate, I’m looking forward to the movie. It’s one of those that’s going to be so absurd it’ll be worth sitting through at least once, preferably with company. And here’s an episode of Titus, so you can see what I’m talking about:
