http://www.alistapart.com/discuss/slashdot2/3/#c6013 – Left a post on alistapart about the problem with newer browsers such as Internet Explorer on PocketPC2003 and Smartphone2003. They show the CSS even if you use the @import trick. But I have not tried the CSS 2.1 mediatype thing yet. Would be fanatasic if it works.
Month: December 2003
Microsoft more opening
Been a little slow on moving on this one, but at long last the Office 2003 XML schemas are available for download. I have to wonder why its a exe though? What was wrong with zip?
Dreamix Q-A session 7:00pm EST / 00:00 GMT
Dreamix crew doing a session on IRC tonight, so I'll try and stay up and listen in. More info at xbox scene. Will try and keep a log of all what happens.
Oh also reading this – Beyond hacking the xbox, while i wait for the modderated chat at midnight.
I was blogging it live, and poped open the avi they gave us while watching tv and computer crashed so i lost my log! Sorry guys…will ask some one for there log later. Should have used mirc rather than chatzilla.
http://www.dreamix.tv/DreamixTeaser.avi
The Dreamix project began with the goal of bringing PVR features to the Microsoft Xbox. Due to the magnitude of the project, we have slightly veered off course from this goal, however we have not totally abandoned the idea. Dreamix in its current form is a standalone set-top box, which runs the Linux based Dreamix Embedded OS, an operating system specially engineered for multimedia applications. Our goal is to create the next generation set-top box, including 3D support, MPEG-4, and future HDTV support. In our second generation product, we plan to unofficial support the Microsoft Xbox. The reason support for the Xbox was excluded from the first generation design is because of difficulties in producing a viable product, which would be limited to modified Xboxes, as well as technical difficulties in implementing such features using the information currently available on the Xbox hardware.
What the xbox scene forums have to say about it – OW! now that hurts!
Some one did get all the questions however, I've downloaded just incase it gets taken down. Heres my copy
Intelligent documents
Seen this on xml.com. Pretty much covers what I already knew about authoring xml. However there are some interesting points.
A shame, too, that while Microsoft has brought XML into the Word and Excel products, Outlook does not permit XML document creation.
– Yes they couldnt even put in ical support.
Udell suggested that a way of doing this might be through using style as a back door. Many people are willing to spend a long time on getting the look of a document right, but not be willing to spend that time on metadata creation. Udell suggested that by providing metadata-significant styles, authoring tools creators could encourage more preservation of context in communication through the carrot of creating beautiful documents.
– Now thats interesting, I'd never thought of that. I've used implied structures.
Interesting talk about Adobe, as it seems there starting to get there smart documents and network publishing together now. Will have to look into it later on, but I like what i'm hearing…
The smart documents contain three elements: the document part, including XSL-FO and SVG for presentation; the forms part, using XSLT and JavaScript for validation and adaptation; and metadata, using Adobe's XMP (a restricted RDF).
– More under the blog.The XML documents can be filled out through Adobe Acrobat Reader
– Now thats a super smart move by Adobe, weve already seen SVG being trojan'ed onto peoples machines through Acrobat reader. Now its the Smart documents time.
The starting point
Xforms examples, yum yum…
3:23 – Everything starts with an idea
Live TV on Xbox Media Player
While looking for interesting storys for next tuesdays lecture, seen this xboxmediaplayer
TSReader is an MPEG-2 transport stream analyzer PC application for Windows9x/2000/XP. Normaly this would not be so interesting for many XBMP users but the thing here is that TSReader has a build-in XNS server, which when enabled can stream live digital TV (broadcasted over satellite, cable and terrestrial) to XBMP on demand. TSReader is compatible with many Digital Video PCI-cards that provide the actual transport stream from DVB, DVB-T, ATSC or Digicipher.
Going to try this out once I setup the xbox keyboard for linux… Yep got the USB to Xbox cable today too.
Oh and Tuesdays lecture is now online for those students who are reading my blog.
Built for the future feedback
As most of you know, I entered the built for the future – reuseit contest. I didnt do too badly as I spent 1hour on the css and used cubicgardens css as a base. But I've now recieved feedback from the judges on why I got the marks I got. At the same time I would like to say thanks to the Judges and specially Bob Sawyer. Maybe next time I'll spend more time on the design.
With that, here are the judges' comments: ==================== Too plain and bloggy (not in a good way though). Not enough contrast on the link text colour and I'm fairly sure Jakob would have expected the link text to be underlined. Sorry. ------------------------------ The simplicity of the color scheme is nice, but I found the layout lacking in organization. ------------------------------ suffers from similar problems original has -- poor separation of content. yeah, there's the left column, but within the 2 columns, it's tough to see where the different sections are. (IE5/mac os9.2) ------------------------------ One word: Yuck! Although based on my favorite color, the design of this site is immature and lacks a focus on the user, the primary message Nielsen provides those who read his work. It needs lots of work to become anything of value to a real world user. The site designer should also remember many people print Jakob's content and post it on bulletin boards, outside of office cubicles, etc. This entry does not print well. The site appears to render adequately in IE 5.1.7 for Mac OS. ------------------------------ I like your choice of steel gray--very easy on the eyes, but the links do not contrast enough. The top box is too tall and you need more leading before "news." Your focus is on "search" -- reminds me of Google. ------------------------------ An interesting take to go with light text on dark for the site, but you have a lack of support for resolutions lower than roughly 1000px or so which is a big usability no no. ------------------------------ ouch. this doesn't layout properly in mac ie5.1.7, it is just one column. dull colors, low contrast between link color and background. ------------------------------ ====================
Too early for comments at the moment. But yeah should have done a print style sheet and spent more time on design.
Microsoft goes for the open move
Recently Microsoft have been feeling the pressure from the open source community. They have started opening the office 2003 file formats. Then today I caught two different arcticles about related areas.
The push behind Microsoft's Office moves and Microsoft opens FAT file format. Linux and Windows co-existing? All from Microsoft?
But then again there not doing everything nicely…
The love hate relationship of my SPV
Ok two issues are bugging me about my SPV. And these are huge issues…
The huge one for me,
It will not dial up a GPRS connection over bluetooth. What this means in english is that if I want to dial up to the internet on my ipaq or tablet aka turn the phone into a modem, over bluetooth. Forget it, it doesnt work. Orange have yet to solve the issue and my 14 day phone return is running out quickly… I'm going to scream. And now i am screaming. Microsoft you drive me nuts.
Secondly, no voice dialing. Which is not good as the new UK mobile phone law came into affect on the 1st Dec. Which makes using a SPV2 in the car pretty much not possible even with a bluetooth headset. Orange must sort out this problem soon, or there will be an external app which will solve this mess-up.
Did find this however – how to unlock the SPV.