More on outdated browsers...

So, I'm hoping either work is going to upgrade their browser, or I find new work soon...

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2010/02/youtube-to-kill-ie6-support-on-march-13.ars

YouTube is joining Google (and many other sites) in shunning IE6.

Good news from a designer POV (I really like the idea of IE6 disappearing and not ever having to muck about tweaking/setting up separate IE style sheets) but more narky banners for IE6 users, arrgghh!!!!!

Speaking of outdated browser experiences...

BIG pet hate of mine...

At work I am forced to use IE6, as I am not allowed to install anything of my own accord on the company's computer. I know it's possible to run at least Chrome off a USB stick, but honestly, I can't be bothered. I understand that using an outdated browser means I will have a less than optimal web experience, but I am willing to wear it as the cost of my laziness (not wanting to add a single extra step to access my email/the news/update my blog/maintain Strine).

What I loathe are websites that plaster a hate banner across the top of their site, informing me that I am using a crap browser, that I should update, that I'm clearly a moron etc. I really get defensive - I want to tell them 'I'm at work and I don't have a choice!!! I use all of the latest browsers on my laptops at home!!! arrgghh!' Really annoying. Most annoying because I know I do actually have a choice, but having someone point out how lazy I am does not make me a happy person....

What I'd prefer is something I saw in Elliot Jay Stock's talk on Progressive enhancement at Webdirections South last year (http://www.webdirections.org/resources/elliot-jay-stocks-progressive-enhancement/). During his discussion on understanding different browser capabilities and appreciating sites don't have to look identical across them all, he showed us a site I loved - http://www.stuffandnonsense.co.uk/ Old browsers show a black and white site, new browsers are in colour. Reward progressive people, don't harangue the late majority...nice!

J.K. Rowling - Commencement address

Love a good TED talk...

This version loads better in work's outdated IE6 browser: http://www.vimeo.com/1711302

16th AIMIA award finalist!

Still getting excited about Strine making the finalist list for the 16th AIMIA award nominations for best student project! Feeling in very good company, scrolling through the other award finalists' projects...

'Real-world Flash Game dev' - where I'm at

So, I'm through the first couple of chapters of the book, but not playing with AS3 yet...
I've been caught up with the whole job application process, sending off letters to the awesome-looking digital agencies (not cold calling, but cold emailing :-)), hoping to catch someone thinking about hiring an eager and keen paid intern/junior flash developer. I realised quite a few companies didn't have an email address to send my cv to, but were contactable through LinkedIn, so I've just been developing my LinkedIn profile (and got sucked in hooking up with old contacts/friends...the social networking collecting game begins again...).

Anyway, back to the book.

So, the first three chapters dealt with Flash (how it evolved, an overview of what it is/isn't good for) as well as some basic concepts re games and game development (although I'd covered this in way more depth in my Comp Game Design subject, there were a couple of handy checklists I might employ).

I've started on Chapter 4 //FTW! which covers best practices programming in AS3. I started to freak out a bit as he's starting to talk about classes, instances, assets etc and code sections are starting to appear, but I know I'm being silly. I've actually come across and used all of these sorts of things before, in GameMaker as well as in some of Strine's tpl/php code. I think it's one of those things that when you use it, it makes sense, but it's no longer fresh in my mind so I might have to go back and play with a bit of code (or read one of my development blogs) so it all means something to me again.