spacecoastweb: blog

spacecoastweb: blog :: devlog

Contact

David Harper: Facebook

Member: Florida Progressive Coalition

Email: dave AT spacecoastweb.org

spacecoastweb on twitter

@RogerSimmons http://rogersimmons.com/ has been throwing server errors for a while... Is the site now defunct? Wed Mar 10 13:50:40 2010
"It was very gradually that I regained my senses after that eldritch flight through stygian space." Memo: Don't read Lovecraft b4 bed 2nite. Wed Mar 10 01:09:28 2010
My prediction: Titusville will see 25-30% unemployment. Empty storefronts will dominate for ten years. Home foreclosure rate will rocket. Mon Mar 08 05:33:59 2010
@jenvargas I doubt an open forum w/ Obama would be anything more than repeated shouts of "You lied to us!" Mood is grim in Titusville. Mon Mar 08 05:29:44 2010
@jenvargas I don't think an open forum would be a bright idea for Obama at this point. Only VIPs, I'm sure. Mon Mar 08 05:23:22 2010

Colophon

Tentatively Valid HTML 4.01 Strict

Tentatively Valid CSS 2.1

Tentatively Valid RSS 2.0

I've just implemented geocoding and google map links for blog posts which feature locations. I wasn't satisfied with my blog software's existing geotagger plugin, so I rebuilt it. As I write this, the plugin is still under active development.

For the last few months, I haven't posted much new content to the blog. I've fallen behind on completing the site's redesign, as well. My focus has been on other projects. Cool features like geotagging can't substitute for fresh content. If I don't write, what's the use of redesigning the site?

I've spent a great deal of time honing my ability to hack code: Meanwhile, I've allowed my writing skills to become rusty. Unless I change my ways, this blog ain't going to work. I've spent too long hiding in the tool shed, puttering around. (See the site's colophon, for a list of the tools I'm using.) From now on, I'll hang out on the front porch a bit more, so that my visitors won't think I've abandoned the place.

» Link: / devlog / Geotagging

Blosxom plugin for YouTube videos

Tue, 19 Dec 2006

I upgraded my rss feed to support enclosures and RSS 2.0 standards. When I checked to see if it would validate, it didn't. The YouTube video I had embedded into a blog post caused an error in the validation. Embedded elements and objects aren't allowed in rss feeds, as they pose a potential security risk.

I didn't like it one bit. So I fixed it. It wasn't easy, but I found a method. This cached page gave me a method of coding around the embed: The Good Harvest - Web Valid Code and You Tube (together at last)

The SWFObject method of loading the video into a div container is cool, but that's a lot of code to cut-and-paste and change for each YouTube video I might want to post. That's where Blosxom's plugin and template architecture comes in handy.

I used the existing meta plugin to pass a variable, (the YouTube video's parameter string), to my new plugin, which performs some voodoo to construct the SWFObject code to be used in my html templates. An optional meta description tag is also used to construct an anchor link, (in formats specific to html and rss templates).

I plan more work on the meta_youtube plugin, before I release it. I'd like to make the SWFObject method optional and add other configuration options. While I have the hood up, I might as well add some chrome.

» Link: / devlog / Blosxom plugin for YouTube videos

Redesign of spacecoastweb.org

Fri, 15 Dec 2006

Excuse the chaos, we are currently busy reorganizing and redesigning everything. As I write this, the page it appears on is spartan and ugly. The blogroll is missing. The tagline is missing. Navigation is almost non-existent. These are temporary problems and will be fixed over the next few weeks.

To celebrate the site's tenth anniversary of publication, The Space Coast Web Journal is getting spiffed up with a new look and new functionality. When The Space Coast Web Journal started, in January of 1997, it was one of the earlier web journals, (AKA web logs - blogs). First hosted on Geocities, a year later I mirrored it on personal web space with my ISP.

In December 2003, I moved The Space Coast Web Journal to it's own domain name, spacecoastweb.org. Several businesses were infringing on my servicemarks. Rather than litigate, I established a solid web presence that would displace my imitators. Soon, my non-commercial publication ranked higher in search engines than all imitators. One by one, I watched them fold, like cheap lawn-chairs.

During the last several months, I haven't been posting much of anything to my blog. I've been writing for the Florida Progressive Coalition and working with the managers group to develop that project. I've about six other projects that consume the remainder of my free time. During the next weeks, I want to focus on the redesign of this site.

How better to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Space Coast Web Journal than to give it a major overhaul. It needed one. For a while, things will look inconsistent. As I refine the design, more of the site will be converted to the new look. Missing or broken things will get fixed, dead links will be expunged, the archives will be culled of non-relevant or outdated content, new and easier navigation will be built into the pages and all html code will eventually be converted to valid xhtml and css, (I hope!). Some of this will be done quickly, while some of the less visible aspects of redesign will take a bit longer.

» Link: / devlog / Redesign of spacecoastweb.org