Matt Kenefick writes a blog

CSS is not a programming language. Stop it.

2010-04-30T12:30:00.002-04:00

I just read this post: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2010/04/whats-wrong-with-css.html

CSS is not a programming language and most importantly should not be turned into one. This article is showing some of the advantages of third-party wrappers, which I'm also a fan of, but programming language is where it becomes muddy waters.

The two wrappers he mentions, LessCSS and SASS (like Rosemary), are better off as helpers.

Style is about taking an object and giving it attributes, that's it. If you have a naked human being, you add attributes to style them up like any Create-A-Character you've ever used. Add a top, add a bottom, add shoes, add accessories, there you go.. styled. That's it.

When you have the ability to wrap something like CSS, it can often be dangerous. Some people are like, "Well, I like the syntax of programming language X, so let's make it that way." Well, CSS isn't like programming language X for a reason. It's not a programming language.

Why does this bother me? Not because of these wrappers or mine. I think they're fine. Variables and other small things, like including files so you can break out large stylesheets, or dynamic browser checking, that help encourage DRY philosophy is cool with me.

CSS3 is what annoys me.

CSS Marquee Animating anything is the job of Javascript. HTML is structure. CSS is style. Javascript is motion. Don't mix the liquids because then responsibilities are forgotten. Leave animation out of CSS.

CSS Animations This does not belong. It looks cute and all, but it doesn't belong.

People really just need to understand what different languages are, what they're for, and why they're using them.

I don't really write in here

2010-01-11T00:54:00.001-05:00

I always think it's a good idea to start a blog. I write in it for like a week or two and I completely lose interest.

I own TheOnlyWebsiteEver.com

My domain now just redirects to a random site about me. Linkedin, facebook, friendfeed, twitter, portfolio, blog, who knows. Visit my site, you never know what you're gonna get.

TheOnlyWebsiteEver.com
MattKenefick.com
TheRoyaltyMustDie.com
RoyaltyDoNotSpeakInContractions.com
Jureuxoris.com

etc

This is a good idea. JS Authentication.

2009-10-24T02:23:00.002-04:00

I just had this idea while browsing a site. A lot of blogs don't allow you to post comments unless you're logged in. This is often a result of spammers and dadada.

Either you can make this or I will:

A Javascript anonymous user detection to allow them the option of posting comments. This should be done because there are a lot of sites I read often, but just don't care to sign up for. There are often things I'd comment on, but I still don't want to register.

How would it work?
A Javascript timer could be set for a minimum time of 60-90 seconds on a site. After which time, it sends a signal to the server saying that this session is actually valid proving that someone is on the site scrolling the page and reading. Then it shows, "Oh hey, this is actually a person and not a bot that's viewing this page. Let em post."

That's all.
Bye.

Fractal4D coming back

2009-07-15T21:43:00.003-04:00

No promises, but I'm thinking about it. I kind of let it go when I started getting busier at work, but I'm thinking about giving it a serious update. In case you don't know what it is, check this link out: http://mattkenefick.com/blog/2008/11/fractal4d-first-release/

Stay tuned and we'll see how I feel about updating this in my spare time!

Jetpack + Freedom = Failure of internet

2009-06-14T21:49:00.008-04:00

Mozilla Jetpack and Opera Freedom are not the "future" of the web. They should be known as the failure.

As of now, there isn't much information on what "Freedom" by Opera actually does..but one can only assume it works similar to their competition, Jetpack, by Mozilla. Jetpack is like the system of interacting with a browser extension from the web document you're viewing. You can adjust data in the status bar through the web interface, etc. This offers a lot of great potential, except for one thing. There are too many browsers! They're all going to tumble over each other trying to say each product is best.. and Mozilla syntax will be different than Opera's, IE, Chrome, Safari, etc.

It was bad enough when we, developers, had to manage the differences of CSS/HTML/JS through existing browsers... but if everyone is just going to make their browser extensible in different ways, that's just an even BIGGER disaster.

What we need is not more functionality... we just need you browser companies to be standards compliant and support the most recent version of things. How about instead of offering lame proprietary code in order to become "top-dog," you just start support HTML5, CSS3, and the latest versions of Javascript? We don't need your lame plugins.

This is why Flash is such a good thing. Are there problems with Flash? Yes. But why is Flash so much greater than standards when the usability is sometimes difficult? Simple, because it's universal! If I put a Flash object in IE6/FF3/Safari/Chrome or even Opera... the Flash engine renders it the way it's supposed to.

If you browser companies keep developing in your own way in different directions, eventually people are going to be pushed further and further into universal options like Flash or a platform that doesn't even NEED you. Standards has been growing with the ease and growing functionality of JS/AJAX/CSS, but this "expansion" is just chopping standards growth off at the knees.

I don't post these...

2009-06-05T11:58:00.002-04:00

...usually, but it goes a little something like this:

I don't usually like stuff like this, but I've had arguments hours on end about this. My standing is still this: Fear is nothing more than the uncertainty. That's it.

I'll pick you up...

2009-05-31T02:11:00.000-04:00

and it goes like this:

Get off the internet

2009-05-27T20:55:00.004-04:00

And put down your damn phone.

"Get off the internet.
That also means put down your phone and stop texting people you are not with.
Oh, and talking to you is difficult when you have headphones in 99% of the time. Chirp."

Shapes have fangs

2009-05-21T14:29:00.003-04:00

And it looks a little something like this...

DeviantArt USED to be cool...

2009-05-16T23:11:00.006-04:00

Listed as #3 of "Best Submissions Ever." Seriously..?

...until people found out about it. Such is life...

It's really a terrible thing how everything goes to shit when something goes mainstream. It gets filled up with idiots, kids, no talents, and they group together. There was a time when dA (deviantArt) used to have lots of great and talented ART on it...but since that time it has become a playground for 15 year olds that just got a their 'brand new shiny Rebel XTI from gramma!' and think they're professionals because they have a camera that can shoot, and they can far over-sharpen their shitty pictures with Photoshop.

What will they shoot? Well, MySpace photos of course. Then all their 60,000 MySpace friends will favourite their sweet medicine cabinet "slice-my-wrists" mirror secret-internet-fatty (SIF) photos and that photo will rise into "best photos of all time". What the hell?

The site used to be great for browsing actual art and talent but now it has just become an utter shit-hole. It's truly a sad thing because they have one of the best user-experiences for a website. I am very impressed with functionality and ease-of-use (which has been SERIOUSLY improved over the past several years). Now if only we can filter out the bullshit so the content doesn't suck.

I'd ask if anyone had recommendations on a good new art site similar to what dA used to be... but inviting more people to it is exactly the problem... so you should probably keep it secret.

Example of this problem:
Page 3 of Portrait Photography under "Best Submissions Ever"

This MySpace mirror shot fanboy brought over his collection of unknown internet groupies to make him popular. 7,525 favorites on THIS? Happy to see all this in an ART GALLERY. I hate the internet.

It's the SEARS tower

2009-05-06T00:45:00.003-04:00

Sign this petition: http://www.itsthesearstower.com

Why? I'm not from Chicago and I don't even care about Chicago. This is about the principal of the thing. If someone tried to rename the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building I'd be pretty mad. You don't even have to live there to appreciate this... Let's just rename the Eiffel Tower, Rockefeller Center, Mount Rushmore, and the Vatican while we're at it.

And to fuel the fire further... The people that want to name it are from LONDON! They have 500 people moving in which make up 3.6% of the building! A company from another country wants to rename a famous American building.

They want to rename it to "The Willis Tower" which is part of their name. This is the worst thing I've ever heard of.

Sign it and stop it.

Frequent change of habit

2009-05-05T00:09:00.002-04:00

It's interesting how often I go through such sudden change of habits. I play guitar, shoot photos, design things, build things; I do a lot of stuff... but, for some reason, most of it comes in storm-like bursts. I'll play guitar all day, from morning 'til night, for a few weeks straight. Then I'll put it down and touch it maybe once per week. I'll shoot and edit photos for a month or so, but then my camera will collect dust for the following month.

This strange habit is something that never ends and I'm not quite sure if I like it. I guess what this is supposed to say is, "I've found a routine I like. I would like to hold on to it, but I'm not sure what makes the others disappearing so suddenly in the first place." Would it matter to me if the feeling dissipated? The me-right-now says yes, but the me-in-the-future may not care. Which one is more important?

VOID: Empty Room

2009-05-04T23:12:00.004-04:00

It looks something like this...

by christian robert-tissot

If anyone knows where this exhibit is...spread the word. Looks great to me.

I want to attend more of these...

2009-05-04T20:51:00.003-04:00

So if you've ever been to something like this...

Let me know and be sure to invite me. This particular event was held at Pianos on March 25th. How could I have missed that? Anyway, it's pretty cool. I'm into it.

Morning Discovery

2009-05-04T06:32:00.002-04:00

And it looks a little something like this...

New York Makes a Book!!

2009-05-04T02:06:00.018-04:00

Attn: NYC people. Support the book, make a pledge, get a page, meet everyone in the end.

New York Makes a Book!! is an effort by Claudia Clyde, Yancey Strickler and Perry Chen. The target is amount $3,000.00. At the time of writing this, there are only 29 more supporters (aka. "backers") needed, and the current pledge amount is $2,214 with 11 days to go. You get your very own copy of the finished book, an entire page of your own to express yourself on, and everyone that collaborated will meet up at a bar after it is finished to celebrate.

Why is this a great idea? You get 100 strangers in NYC to create a total of 100 pieces of art, unrelated and undefined, compiled page after page... It might be faster to start with why this wouldn't be a good idea.

Help make the book happen: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nymab/new-york-makes-a-book It won't happen if it doesn't meet the required funding!

KickStarter is a new service that helps artists accomplish their goals without worrying about the money needed to get it off the ground. People who like the idea pledge money to see it happen. Notice I'm saying "pledge" and not "donate". Check out their site at kickstarter.com for more details.

I love this video

2009-05-04T01:25:00.004-04:00

And it goes a little something like this...

Matt and Kim - "LESSONS LEARNED" (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
from FVMMO FILMS on Vimeo.