Infrequently Noted

Why the hell does every DHTML wonk under the sun insist on trying to re-invent the scroll bar (aka: scroll pane, scroller, etc.)?

It's not like you're going to do it better. Honestly, there's a set of default actions associated with scrollbars (wheelmice, key-events, the whole 9 yards) which are just painful to re-implement. I know, I'm doing it (for other widgets). The point I guess is that there is a fine line between providing a user with things not already available to them in a given environment and giving them a crappy version of something that they already have one of. People, listen: giving the user new is good, giving the user bad (but pretty) old is an exercise in vanity. We all know that you're a deity of DHTML, don't make us suffer for it. Remember, work with the browser, not against it. This is the true path to web zen.

Choose utility.

On another note, from a discussion about a checkin I made earlier:

Matt: That new tree thing is pretty slick.. me: it's messy in the inside, but I'm working on it me: but for now it works me: and the data format is more or less set me: and it doesn't look like 100% shit me: =) Matt: Hmm, how all good software starts and all microsoft software ends :-)

Well, Christmas Eve is here... merry Christmas everyone =)

On another note, I thought I'd have 0.2.3 out today, but after talking with Kevin and Bill, it looks more like we'll have something out just after the new year. But that means that we'll have new spiffy widgets to play with. Think of it as a belated Christmas present.

On another note...if XSLT hadn't already been developed, it's what I'd be writing Santa for.

Yes, I've been using XML for years, and no, I don't have an excuse for not using XSLT before...so sue me =)

XSLT templates + python + my python CGI caching engine = one very happy web developer.

Some bugs just creep in and out of your consciousness until someone forcibly sets them right in front of you. Today's case in point? The content loader and IE 5.0.

Ever since Jeff Yates showed me how to use the XMLHTTP object, I've been wondering if it would be possible to use that to re-construct the content loader for IE 5.0...lo and behold, it works.

Since I haven't been testing on this platform for like years, it's going to take a while to find all of the latent bugs that I've introduced without knowing it. Nevertheless, I'm totally stoked about how fast it runs, and the fact that menus seem to work flawlessly just gives me that holiday cheer all over =)

Looking for work in back-end web development, advanced DHTML, or computer security. My resume is available.