virtual pc 2007 on windows 7

see here and
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2009/08/19/running-virtual-pc-2007-on-windows-7.aspx

If you get the "This program is blocked due to compatibility issues" on the Windows 7 RTM then you need to do the following:

1) Have to remove Virtual PC from the

   - Control Panel > Programs and Features

   - Then click on the "Turn Windows features on or off" link on the left

2) Uncheck "Windows Virtual PC". After this you will need to reboot.

3) Then you can install the new Virtual PC 2007 SP1

Note: you cannot just install the Virtual PC 2007 SP1 without disabling the Windows 7 built-in Virtual PC feature.

Virtual pc 2007 can be installed here:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=24439

Offline wordpress theme development - localhost map and virtualhostx

heres what worked today, and see older post for more links

to setup mamp etc
http://bitbob.com/mac-web-development-made-easy

how to install wordpress for localhost
note, I didnt use the 8888 mentioned, and just altered the settings slightly till they worked to bring up the mamp page for installing dbs
http://jayrobinson.org/2009/08/10/setting-up-your-mac-for-local-development-using-coda-wordpress-mamp/

Sidewinder theme - new sideways scroll theme from graphpaper press

new theme form graphpaper press

good for artist portfolio on the cheap.

also good because it incorportaes a blog template, apart from the gallery pages

and custom shortcodes, to make columns of text on content pages, so its really flexible...

i dont really like the thumbnails nav, id just make the scroll buttons bigger so people use them instead

how to fix virtual pc 2007 internet connectivity

do this when first setup

http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/fix-virtual-pc-2007-shared-networking-nat-internet-not-working-in-windows-server-2003-2008-and-vista-guest-os/comment-page-2/

then do this
http://www.mydigitallife.info/unable-to-connect-to-internet-in-virtual-pc-with-nat-shared-networking-nat-on-windows-xp-guest/
this is basically turning the virtual pc off (proper shut down) and then vpc off and restart vpc console.

of course the internet has to be working on the host machine, this method is to get the wireless connection working.

so if its all setup but the office internet gets chaned or fiddled with, try the off and on method, to reset or reget the details

when this worked, the wireless was on and working in the host machine

also maybe in the DNS imputting screen, click on advanced, and find the 'enable netbios' radio button options. try auto vs enabled and the restart method together.

video for youtube - codecs and workflows

when to transcode to a diff format
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/when_to_stay_native.html

got youtube, seems 1080 or 720p are the go, square pixels.

h.264 is the output format, but you cant edit in FCP in that, transcode to prores 422, edit, then output.

Photo Video backup workflow, intense

pro photo video workflow system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-6EQo6it7Y

Mac OSX maintenance, routine maintenance

Speeding it up if its slowed down
http://www.index-site.com/Macosxspeed.html

other links for maintenence
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1147
http://www.macworld.com/article/133730/2008/06/maintenance_routines.html
http://www.macworld.com/article/133671/2008/06/macmaintenance1.html
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/maintainingmacosx.html
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1772235
http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html

safari speedups
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10328447-263.html?tag=mfiredir

Checklists for good HTML and efficient CSS

Efficient CSS

cascading reminder:
http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS21/propidx.html

Efficient CSS - for:
http://css-tricks.com/efficiently-rendering-css/

http://www.shauninman.com/archive/2008/05/05/css_qualified_selectors#comment_3942

Against:
http://clipperhouse.com/blog/post/Please-dont-write-efficient-CSS.aspx

GOOD HTML coding standards
http://css-tricks.com/examples/CleanCode/Beautiful-HTML.png

http://faq.programmerworld.net/web_publishing/a-web-standards-checklist.html

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=24011&seqNum=3

Also:
Use widths and heights for images

Video for the web - 2011 updates - HTML 5 video etc

Quicktime Embed
-Nice easy export from the old Quciktime Pro 7 'Export for web' with iphone capable versions and a poster frame, and it makes some code for your site. Seems to work nice out of the box. Makes and m4v file...

Questions:
if iphone dosnt support flash, how come youtube works if that is flash video?? is it actually h.264 on the flash player, whcih iphone plays on quxiktime
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/20youtube.html
To achieve higher video quality and longer battery life on mobile devices, YouTube has begun encoding their videos in the advanced H.264 format, and iPhone will be the first mobile device to use the H.264-encoded videos. Over 10,000 videos will be available on June 29, and YouTube will be adding more each week until their full catalog of videos is available in the H.264 format this fall.

ok so its not flv, its h.264... its flv on youtube desktop??

SKINS
A free QT skin that looks like JW player... free for non commercial use.
http://www.zenwebware.com/webware/zenqt-player/

HTML 5 Video!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML5_video
it dosnt seem ready

demos
http://www.html5video.org/demos/

!!! Definitive article on HTML5 and video formats for web 2011
http://diveintohtml5.org/video.html

Finally some instructions:

For maximum compatibility, here’s what your video workflow will look like:

1. Make one version that uses WebM (VP8 + Vorbis).

2. Make another version that uses H.264 baseline video and AAC “low complexity” audio in an MP4 container.

3. Make another version that uses Theora video and Vorbis audio in an Ogg container.

4. Link to all three video files from a single

Miro video encoder for all the latest formats:
http://www.mirovideoconverter.com/


go to the bottom of the above article for the full code to use for these formats, includes video tag and object tag for flash... yay!

Dummy images right size generator

makes those placeholder images
http://dummyimage.com/

rich black and plain back all about

http://www.printernational.org/rich-black-plain-black.php

main points:
careful with photoshop blacks and converting from rgb, which makes a rich black by default.
-careful with matching a seemingly black image with a plain back box ion a page layout program, sample acolour acurately.
-rich black can cause registration problems if type is small or line art, or reversed.
-a printer recomends low value to be safe: 30c, 30m, 0y, 100k.
-dont use rich black fro body copy, mainly for large blocks of black.
table fro here

Overview of black inks

Name	CMYK	Usage or description
Standard black	0C, 0M, 0Y, 100K	Normal black.
Rich black	63C, 52M, 51Y 100K	The 'old' adobe photoshop black.
Cool black	60C, 0M, 0Y, 100K	Black with a bluish tone.
Warm black	0C, 60M, 30C, 100K	Black with a redish tone.
Registration black	100C, 100M, 100Y, 100K	Used for registration marks.
'Designer' black	70C, 50M, 30Y, 100K	A dark slighly cool black.

also go to this page for recommended books about print design.

see also:
http://photoshopninja.com/techniques-print/better-cmyk-black-printing/
http://www.typophile.com/node/17683

TO do -write up a FAQ and make these assets for new web projects

COMPILE / WRITE FAQS AND ASSETS for new web projects, KNOWLEDGEBASE.
or collect online tutorials into an FAQ page instead of making ones from scratch

What size should I make it? 

show 960 x 600 page, and a grid. 

give a template/instrutions for setting up in photoshop and illustrator, in pixels... if they are a designer.

about text and fonts. 

about namehosting, hosting email. 

how to setup your email to come into applemail. (always a problem)

make a form with all your vital passwords etc on it... (with some encryption method thingy and instructions on how to keep it secure and FTP issues)

ftp and so on tutorials

briefing questionairre template

tutorials for mac and PC. 

Ultimate guide to setting up wordpress after an install

http://www.problogdesign.com/wordpress/the-ultimate-guide-to-setting-up-wordpress-after-an-install/

New Indesign / print stuff

GREP - find change queries
http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/InDesign/5.0/help.html?content=WS1952D538-1335-4b1d-BA5E-FA5A176FDC9F.html
http://www.kahrel.plus.com/indesign/grep_query_manager.html

CS5
CS5 also is meant to be unstable and slow, dont update just yet, many on forums are preferring CS3 for speed and stability...

To do:
-Find a list or automated script of common type checking like hyphens, double spaces etc etc and things to watch out for in a print doc.
-Read up once and for all about colour profiles and settings and PDF, create presets for the correct settings.
-Read up on print in general and typesetting.

Freelance / Design Business Sites - Good Examples

Rounding up examples of websites that do a good job of promoting creative or production services.

Here is an example of multi-service offering company, but with each service clearly explained in a way that sells it to the prospective client and probably cross sells services they hadn't thought of too. Also there is some good articles on the blog.
http://theindesignguy.com/web-design-services/

I like the descriptions of the services, breaking up visual design services and development service, and explaining Wordpress benefits. Also very clean visually and good blog.
http://www.oliverker.co.uk/services

Good example of a portfolio site whilst employed. Friendly tone, lists and explains skills, mentions interested in freelance.
http://stina.co.uk/

New links

wireframes
http://wireframes.linowski.ca/
http://wireframes.tumblr.com/
wireframes look kinda fun

page grid calculator invaluable
http://www.problem.se/labs/gridcalc/

filmmaking/video blog
http://filmmakeriq.com/

really should set up delicious...

LOL @ Google

Why does Google send SNAILMAIL for promotions?? Overseas?? LOL!!!

They um, have my email address...

The future is now

Shopping Cart Options - Small Business / Indie Labels - Part 2

And the winner is...
Big Cartel http://www.bigcartel.com/
For a new startup indie jewellery label.

Why:

• Low entry level cost $9.99p/m
• Simplicity; of options, of admin, and conveyed through thoughtful interface design throughout their offering
• I don't have to host it 
• Has a 'store directory' for promotion within the community
• Has a sizable community / forums
• Allows a custom domain
• No commissions, just flat store fee, paid monthly no contacts
• Paypal only, no mucking about with merchant stuff, eg. no liasing to make this happen
• The client had already signed up for a free store and seemed comfortable with the admin section, so this was a good sign it would be pain free for them (me).

Result?
I'm pleased with this shop solution, it was up and running at signup, and customising the 'Sexy' theme with basic CSS to personalise it and match the clients website was done and browser tested in under a day. I havn't tried more intense theme customisations / filters as there is no budget, and no need I can see for now.

The non-technical client was able to use the BigCartel admin without instructions to add images and pages, colour options, descriptions, prices, categories etc etc.
The only caveats was explaining how to crop / resize photos in Photoshop properly... as there is no inbuilt crop / resize app in the CMS. (Photoshops better anyway).

It check it here: (Still under construction in terms of content)
http://www.yinjoux.bigcartel.com/
or here when the domains been setup
http://www.shop.yinjoux.com/

Not sure how it goes with SEO etc, but for this sort of client main traffic will come from design blog referrers, online mags and the like, so its no biggie at this stage, and they have a Wordpress main site which can be customised for the SEO goodness.

Shopify's affiliate options are enticing though, I'll keep them in mind for future, larger volume shop clients with a larger budget.

Publish to HTML5 from Illustrator using plugin

This is cool, HTML5 canvas support for Illustrator:

http://rwillustrator.blogspot.com/2010/10/web-designers-rejoice-again-new-html5.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RealWorldIllustrator+%28Real+World+Illustrator%29

The content displays and animates flawlessly. What’s totally cool about this plugin is that it almost turns Adobe Illustrator into Adobe Flash Professional—only it publishes to HTML5 instead of SWF. It kind of blows your mind.

Wonder if this HTML5 stuff is going to be around for the long haul or if its just a fad... already seen a few job ads for specifically HTML5 developers even though its only just been released far as I know.

Browser testing - new stuff

This is a really good rundown of browser testing and resources associated
http://harrikauhanen.posterous.com/an-ultimate-guide-to-browser-testing

Good point, has testsuite of legacy browsers, modern browsers, and future browsers, for the latest beta of next browser version. Id only go so far for IE though, other just get better really.

Heres a nice list of browser specific hacks
http://paulirish.com/2009/browser-specific-css-hacks/

Heres where I found a standalone Safari 3.2 and safari 4 beta(?useful)
http://tripledoubleyou.subtlegradient.com/stuff/Standalone%20Safari/
sadly the 2.0 versions link not working anymore.

Couldnt install IE9 beta on the windows vista virtual image, maybe it needs to go on my windows 10 machine.

By the way - the newest Macbook Pro has Bootcamp - really simple way to boot into Windows on your mac, no extra vm hardware required...