2006

November 2006

Emission

Life has been a tumultuous journey recently, marked by a serious illness and the loss of my dog. Despite these challenges, I’ve started studying and enjoyed a vacation in Mykonos. I’m gradually returning to normalcy, including moving to Münster and acquiring a new MacBook Pro, while reflecting on the many books I've read this year.

June 2006

HoudahSport - Spotlight on Dope

Spotlight's limitations frustrate power users searching for specific files quickly. HoudahSpot enhances the Spotlight interface, offering a user-friendly design with features like a meta-inspector and preview panel. It allows users to create complex queries with logical conditions, improving the efficiency of searches. A free demo with a limit of 30 queries is available for trying out this tool.

May 2006

Into the finals / Beachparty 06

After six months of intense work, I finally took a much-needed week of vacation to relax and recharge. While preparing for my last busy week in Stuttgart, I enjoyed a local beach party that featured a lively atmosphere and many attendees. The celebration was a welcome break after my hectic schedule, despite the inevitable hangovers that followed.

Das Neue Mercedes Benz Museum

In der aktuellen Presse tauchen Berichte über die beeindruckende Videoinstallation im Ausstellungsraum 'Gegenwart' auf. Der Medienring präsentiert 48 synchronisierte Videos, die Mercedes-Autos weltweit zeigen, unterlegt mit authentic Geräuschen. Diese Kunstinstallation verspricht, den Betrachter in die verschiedenen Länder zu entführen, während sie die Faszination der Automarke unterstreicht.

April 2006

LECCION DOS

Hace seis meses, escribí sobre mi deseo de aprender español, pero hasta ahora he avanzado poco. A pesar de la falta de tiempo, tengo buenas noticias: en agosto estudiaré en Enschede, Países Bajos, donde espero tener más oportunidades para aprender. Reconozco errores en mi texto, pero quiero seguir intentándolo.

just a small note [001]

Mutilation has sparked an unexpected renaissance, reminiscent of a phoenix rising from the ashes. This transformation, anticipated for over two years, signifies a pivotal change. Although it may not be obvious, there’s a deeper significance behind this evolution that hints at new beginnings and opportunities.

Implementation Complete

In den letzten Monaten verbrachte ich viel Zeit bei Hewlett-Packard in Stuttgart und entwickelte Software für das neue Mercedes-Benz-Museum. Kürzlich erreichte ich den Status 'Implementation Complete'. Ab August beginne ich ein Studium in Educational Design, während ich meine derzeitige Anstellung beibehalte. Ich plane zudem, auf ein MacBook Pro umzusteigen, um meine mobilen Anforderungen besser zu erfüllen.

March 2006

VLC Codecs as a Quicktime Component

Managing media playback on Mac OS X can be tedious with multiple players needed for various formats. FFusion offers a solution by acting as a Quicktime Component that uses the libavcodec library, enhancing Quicktime's compatibility with more video files. This reduces reliance on VLC while also enabling Frontrow compatibility. Download links for FFusion are provided for users.

today, 5 years ago, my father died.

A year is made up of 365 days, yet some memories linger vividly. The day my father died remains etched in my mind, filled with overwhelming emotions. In the aftermath, I struggled to process my grief while taking on responsibilities he once held. Five years later, I reflect on his absence, recognizing the lasting impact he has through memories and his legacy.

Partyreste

Nostalgie kann die Wahrnehmung von Gesellschaft und Wohlbefinden beeinflussen. Der Zustand der Verschwendung von Ressourcen, wie bei einer geselligen Zusammenkunft, könnte auf ein Übermaß an Komfort und Gleichgültigkeit hinweisen. Das Verhalten zeigt, dass ohne realistischer Ziele Motivation und Produktivität leiden. Dieser Zusammenhang zwischen Konsumverhalten und gesellschaftlicher Motivation bietet interessante Perspektiven zur Bewertung von Gemeinschaften.

supersede yourself to recompense a loss

I struggle with emotional barriers in relationships, often masking my fragility with arrogance. Recently, I opened up to someone, experiencing joy but also deep pain when it ended. Now, I must recalibrate myself as I face a stressful period ahead, grappling with the fear of future connections and the lingering effects of past love.

February 2006

Who am I, Who are you

The impending storm transformed a once vibrant landscape. As warmth and joy faded, so did the fleeting nature of luck. The arrival of dark clouds signaled change, reshaping the familiar into something new. Despite the weight of rain and loss, hope remains that beauty and fortune will return, reminding that the future often surprises us.

Blinkenlights

Due to work-related stress and the risk of burnout, I am taking a break from writing on this blog. It feels better to unplug from computers in my free time. The blog is temporarily closed until further notice. Feel free to reach out on ICQ or AIM, but responses may vary. Thank you for reading.

January 2006

Google Code: Web Authoring Statistics

Google has analyzed over a billion documents to extract information about popular class names, elements, and metadata. The findings offer insights into standard naming conventions and Google's interpretation of HTML data. A notable revelation is the widespread but ineffective use of the `<meta name='revisit-after'>` tag, which appears more frequently than the `<em>` element, despite lacking support from major search engines.

Web 2.0 explained

Web 2.0 has been a focal point recently. For those seeking clarity beyond the technical aspects, Kevin Lynch’s review from the Web 2.0 conference offers valuable insights from industry leaders, including Tim O'Reilly, that delve into the essence of Web 2.0.

Create Multi-Plattform high-quality 3D-Games with Mac OS X

Unity is a versatile 3D game editor that enables rapid mock-ups and testing within hours, progressing to commercial-grade games through advanced collaboration technology. The user-friendly application is ideal for those familiar with 3D and game development, streamlining the creation process significantly. A downloadable trial is available for exploration.

Native Gimp (read: no X11 anymore) coming to Mac OS X

Gimp may soon be usable on Mac without X11, enhancing performance. Gtk+, originally developed for Gimp, is now Gnome's official toolkit and has been ported natively to Mac OS X. This opens access to numerous Gnome applications, which align closely with Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, promising a seamless user experience.

iWeb HTML Generation

Since the release of iWeb, I've been assessing the quality of its HTML output. Unlike the aesthetically pleasing designs typically associated with Apple, iWeb's generated pages contain excessive inline styles that compromise their cleanliness. Examining these pages reveals potential areas for improvement in code structure, a critical aspect for web development.

Safarilicious Progress

I am busy but anticipate releasing version 0.79 of Safarilicous soon. Panther compatibility remains untested, pending access to an appropriate machine. The upcoming version will not be a Universal Binary, but I expect to gain access to Mac OS X86 for testing purposes.

Detach widgets from the Dashboard

Some dashboard widgets can be more accessible by detaching them from the Dashboard. Activate developer mode to drag and drop widgets to the desktop. This method keeps essential tools, like the Stickies widget, readily available. Simple steps include activating the Dashboard, dragging the widget, and placing it on your desktop for easy access.

Best Practices for Accessible Flash Applications

Accessibility remains crucial as technology evolves. With the celebration of Louis Braille's birthday, awareness for disabled individuals is highlighted. Additionally, Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act mandates accessible web content for federal agencies. A newly released guide by Macromedia on Best Practices for Accessible Flash Design provides valuable insights into implementing accessibility in digital projects.

Microsoft Employees Ponder the Fate of Internet Explorer - OSNews.com

Concerns are growing among Microsoft employees regarding the development pace and priorities for Internet Explorer 7. A revealing exchange highlights the confusion about resource allocation, questioning why significant effort was initially devoted to Internet Explorer if the focus is now on profitability. The situation raises critical questions about the browser's future and direction within the company.

Tips for reinstalling DarwinPorts

DarwinPorts installation can be challenging, even for experienced users. I faced difficulties with my installation, particularly when working with Gnome and patching X11. For those encountering similar issues, a set of scripts is available to simplify the DarwinPorts installation process.

x264 QuickTime Codec

H264, Apple's AVC codec, produces high-quality video files with reduced sizes. x264, an open-source variant, recently outperformed other codecs in a competition. It has been compiled as a QuickTime extension for Mac OS X, offering more detailed encoding options, potentially surpassing the quality of H264.

Small Blog Enhancements

WordPress 2.0 has been released, offering enhanced usability. Despite considering a switch, I chose to implement a simple Captcha to combat the surge of Chinese spam in the comments section. While the Captcha may not be entirely secure, it might effectively reduce spam for now. Further enhancements may be needed if the spam persists.

Use Javascript from Actionscript

I often use a method to enable communication between Flash and the Browser, which is compatible across platforms and browsers. If you need to call JavaScript functions from Flash, such as modifying the DOM, check out Kevin Lynch's informative post on using JavaScript from ActionScript for practical insights.