vobiblog

Web sites that don’t adhere to web standards are really starting to give me the shits. Once upon a time this didn’t really matter as you either used Netscape or IE, and as long as the site work in both browsers, it was OK. Now there are a number of new browsers, most recently Safari created by Apple, that are starting to gain acceptance.

As an Opera user for around 2 years now, I have put up with sites not rendering as they should. Most of the time it isn’t a problem but more and more sites are starting to check what browser I use and and when they see that I am using Opera, they tell me that I have to upgrade to the latest version of IE or Netscape. One site even suggested that I should install Microsoft Windows (I run Debian Linux) so that I could view their crappy little web site. Reality Check. I am the customer, make your web sites work or I will buy elsewhere.

Another web site issue is the fact that a lot of sites don’t work as they should. Today I was looking to rent a 2 tonn truck to help my girlfriend move house on the weekend. I looked at websites for the following companies:

• Budget
• Europecar
• Thrifty

Not one of them could even give me a quote without some error appearing or telling me that I really wanted a Mitsubishi Lancer instead of a truck. Full marks to Network Rentals who would have got my booking if they had a truck available on the weekend. Their site is clean, easy to navigate and can provide you with rates without having to fill in page long form detailing what you ate for breakfast on the 4th of May last year.

Lets move on to ‘web sites” created in flash. I was having a debate with my girlfriend the other day about whether web sites created in flash were actually web sites or just a flash movie siting on the web. Flash can be fun. I have seen a number of really funny flash movies and games. I have even seen a demo where it was intergrated into cold fusion and a sql database as a forms type application (Though there is too much missing from it to make it of any use). But what I really hate is the following:

• Sites with a 1mb flash intro without a ‘skip intro’ button. I think most people have realised how stupid these are.
• Sites with a 1mb flash intro with the ‘skip intro’ button in the flash file, so you have to wait for half the movie to load before you can skip it. Yes, I have seen your flaming, spinning logo 50 times now, I don’t really want to see it again.
• Sites with the navigation system in flash. Surely it can’t be to hard to create a text based site map for those of us who don’t want to use flash.
• Sites that are totally written in flash. Is it really necessary? Do search engines even take notice of sites such as these?

Thats enough of a rant for today :)

peace out

Today, for some reason, I check the letter box. I wouldn’t usually do this on a Sunday. Anyway, there was blank envelope in it. So I opened it and it contained $25 an a note saying

“Please accept this assistance for your wonderful cats”

How fucking weird. It is nice and all but really, who would do something like that. It couldn’t be someone I know. And why give me money? Do they think I am really poor because the grass is over grown or because I drive a bucket of shit? What do I do with the $25? Do I hang on to it in case someone owns up to giving it to me? or do I go out and buy a shit load of cat food?

Hopefully this person isn’t going to find my cats too wonderful and take them away from me :(

Oh, and on the off chance that the person who put it in my letter box actually reads this, Thanks!

Another sucky weekend at the office :( Id much rather be cleaning up my some.. or something. I am so not in the mood for writing database reports that don’t even make sense.

In an undercover operation, The Sunday Mail discovered that non-disabled people are using car parks reserved for disabled people. How is that news?

Also in todays paper is an outline of how Iraq is going to be invaded. What the fuck is up with that? It says in plain English that the US are going to use “smart” weapons (as opposed to the dumb weapons that Iraq has) to cause mass destruction on what is left of Iraq’s infrastructure.

Why do we have to bomb the fuck out of Iraq. If you really wanted to get rid of Saddam, surely there is a more efficient way of doing it. One that is going to fuck millions of people.

Besides, what is more worrying. A mad Christian fundamentalist Texan controlling 10,600 nuclear weapons or Saddam and a few barrels of 10 year old chemical weapons he has been stashing under his bed. NO BLOOD FOR OIL!

oh, yeh. Another fish died last night. That’s 3 deaths in a month. What is wrong with the silly buggers.

I just got home from work :( I hate working such long hours. Oh well, this big job I have been working on will be over in a week and I will have more time to do nothing important.

I went to the gym again last night and I plan on going for a decent bike ride tomorrow. I must be on some subconscious health kick.

There are so many things that I want to say but I am too tired tonight. Time to finish my beer and go to bed.