rips…

…and other disturbances…

evaluating new browser-versions…

Opera 9.5b2 is shaping up quite well. It shows some regress in that it won't paint/repaint properly when elements with certain positioning-styles are shown/hidden/moved dynamically, but it reacts well to the old Op7.50 hacks so it isn't problematic. I'd like to see these last bits fixed before final release though, as having to hack a new browser-version doesn't make its engine look very impressive.

Firefox 3b4 hasn't introduced any surprises over previous betas. Its page-zoom looks like a copy of Opera's, which of course is fine with me. It has quite excellent CSS support – finally, so it isn't holding me back anymore.

Internet Explorer 8 beta1 is available for testing, but it's too unfinished for my taste so I'm happy to leave most testing and commenting to others. Here are some:

• on HowToCreate.co.uk: Internet Explorer 8
• on the CSS-D Wiki:IE8

I won't use IE8 for anything but local – isolated – testing of the browser itself. Consequently I'm not focusing too much on the effect IE8b1's performance has on my creations, and am mainly discussing its many broken and unfinished details with other web developers. Notifying those behind IE8 about failures in their browser, is what this phase of early beta testing is all about

This site appears mostly ok in IE8b1 now – as long as one doesn't apply its seriously broken page-zoom. The real testing won't take place until we're near IE8 final, as it's of no use to make changes based on broken betas. The IE-team sure got a lot of work ahead to get IE8 up to something worth serious testing and debugging, but it appears as if they're really trying to get there this time.

unusual testing…

I have created a number of test-cases for comparing basic CSS rendering between the major browsers, and am slowly working my way through the many inconsistent details. Some of these test-cases will probably end up here on my site once I've gotten around to write somewhat intelligent comments for each browser's performance (or lack of same), while others will stay in my (very) local sandbox.

What's a bit unusual about these test-cases is that they are perfectly valid but mostly nonsensical – as much of what's called “valid pages” actually are. It's no joke, as one can easily make most browsers render as if they are on drugs – and each going on their own “trip”, by serving them “perfectly valid markup and CSS”. No surprise so many web designers are complaining about browsers breaking their “perfect designs”, and start hunting for browser-specific hacks to “clean up the misery”.

I do not often run into such problems, since I know what makes sense and what doesn't – in most cases. So my perfectly valid but mostly nonsensical test-cases will allow me to look into this world of strange rendering that I otherwise don't get to see very often, and help me develop better ways to deal with the “bugs” that can be found there.

I'm tired…

Nothing special going on, but it's that time of year. I always get tired in the spring, and tend to sleep 10 to 14 hours instead of the more ordinary 6 to 8. Doesn't bother me, as all that needs to be done gets done, and my mind is working fine while I'm sleeping – have probably solved more design-problems while being sound asleep than while being in a more alert state. The only problem is that I have to wake up in order to write down (or whatever) what my mind has been working on.

Of course, I can always convince myself that there are no real problems worth solving. Thus, I can just stay in a half-awake state all day and watch others battling whatever problems they have managed to create or dig up. Maybe that doesn't sound so nice, but we can all need a break sometime and I'm having mine now.

Anyway, nothing really serious demands my attention apart from the farm these days. I'm mostly focusing on “the good life”, and I've got plenty of it right here. A couple of small design-jobs, and the usual surf around the web just to see if there's something worthwhile my immediate attention going on, tops it up before it's time to doze off again. Life is wonderful, and I am relaxed and can enjoy it.

It's calving-season on our farm now, so for the next few weeks I'll have enough real-world challenges with small creatures and their a bit larger mothers, to fill the hours I care to stay awake. Caring for new life is great.

sincerely 

Hageland 10.mar.2008
last rev: 21.mar.2008