CSS and user preferences

Power of CSS based styling is unquestionable. In addition to being able to style the whole site from a single external (of HTML) file, it also allows for easy site style changes on the fly by the user. This usually involves a simple javascript bit and, of course, a set of styles to choose from. As an example of simple implementation of such, see:

Daniel Morrison

and click on one of the icons in top right corner. it gives you a few color schemes and a fixed vs. stretched width. This can go much farther though.

Now, in case of a photographer's site, user choices may not always be possible or specifically, wanted, since it usually involves careful design, so image presentation is to author's liking. However, in some cases, and a load of even more careful design, it's possible to set a few choices, so say images end up being displayed against a black, or grey, or white background by user's choice. By same, we could allow user to change the style of site navigation. While I can't imagine putting too much of extra work into a site that had a hard time getting there to begin with, I still see this part of CSS styling as a means to attract more visitor's to your site. In general, user's appreciate being given some control over what (or how) they view things.

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What's up with those font choices? (or "sIFR")

This is probably strange for a novice like myself write anything about this subject, but for all the factual details I will provide source links. However, given how long typography has been around (and well before internet conception), it is quite appalling no pure solution has yet been devised.

The problem is with outrageously limited number of standard fonts available on a local computer. In case of viewing a text in a browser, there must be either a site specified font available on the particular machine, or a default replacement will be applied instead. This of course can lead to going from pretty to ugly (or unwanted) look at an instant. Most web designers know that (luckily), so they play along and use different techniques to ensure intended look on any browser. Most basic and most common is replacing a heading (or any part of type) with an image, so it can be created exactly to designer's vision. There is a number of problems with this approach though. After the single advantage of getting exactly the intended output, disadvantages flow in:

1. extra work required to make-up replacement images
2. ever rising difficulty managing a site, as any changes in type require a new image
3. additional images added to the site = slower site response
4. more images = more links = increasing chances of broken links (ugly)

Is there a better solution? Yeap - and it's called sIFR or Scalable Inman Flash Replacement. Authors of this technique, Mike Davidson and Mark Wubben, have succeeded creating a javascript/CSS/Flash combo pack, that essentially looks through the heading elements on a page and creates Flash replacements based on designer chosen fonts and matching measurements of a particular element in question, then places them inside the page as intended. All of it on the fly as the page loads in a browser. If Flash is not present on a computer, original type remains intact.

As I mentioned above, I'm not the guy to delve into the workings of this machine. Results are stunning and thus far, the ONLY manageable solution to type issue.

For factual information on this exciting option please visit Mike Davidson's page.

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Mad Pontoon, what's that?

Mad Pontoon? What the heck?

Well, let me start with this: you come up with an idea and you happened to be self-sufficient guy who likes doing it on his own (entirely if possible). Then you touch upon that subject in your head and ... you stall. You can feel all the little things swirling inside your head, but none seems to take on a face of its own. So you set it aside for a while and you promise yourself you will get back to it, eventually.

Then that day has come and gone, but every time it looped through you gained something from it. Yet, you still feel like ages behind the crowd.

And then, all of the sudden ... EUREKA! A load of new light lands on top of you. You know now that there is a path to success ... it's the learning process that needs to evolve and mature.

So, again, what's that Mad Pontoon about, you ask?

I've been involved in photography for most of my life. Up until recently, it was just for the closest of family and friends, and it almost never saw another stage. But now we have that internet thing. While I've been displaying some of my images on the web for several years now, none of that "display" has satisfied me. There is a bunch of different paths one can undertake to accomplish this successfully. But, as you know now, I am that self sufficient guy. So I took on the task of designing my own web page(s), entirely from scratch, entirely hand coded, entirely mine top to bottom.

Well, this approach requires delving into the intricacies of web design, HTML, CSS, Flash, and load of other bits.

Information is available: in the printed material, on the net, in life classrooms etc.

So here is my Mad Pontoon that's meant to piece it all together in one place, mostly for me. I'm tired of constantly bookmarking what I find interesting. So I will use this space to "take notes" of it.

As I indicated above, I'm into web site design with a photographer in mind. A basic site geared strictly towards displaying one's images, does not have to be elaborate, but ... it DOES need to be well designed so as to complement the work displayed. No matter how few words or blocks or sections we end up using on it, there is still a lot to mess up.

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