CSS Transparency Issues

CSS 3 promises the ultimate almighty background transparency in Background attributes–opaque. Until then, and until all the major browser adopt those new properties seen in CSS3 we’re locked up with Transparent PNGs and Opacity properties.

I could use JS effects, or simply have a background that looks transparent(a non-transparent jpeg or gif). Or I could use the technique discussed at ALA on Transparent PNGs and what not. I strongly recommend having normal markup not touched with JS for visual effects. Specially if it ain’t a web-application. I’m also against having to work out many different things to achieve a simple effect.

If all that I wished was right then nobody would’ve gone and found a work around the transparency issues.

Issues Explained

In CSS2 there’s a property that could be used on most of the block type selectors which is “Opacity” ,IE6 & IE7 come with the same property but as a member of “Filter” group. Firefox older than 2.0 misses Opacity and uses -moz-opacity instead. This is the definition.

The problem is here, upon making an element see-through(opacity:0.5; or filter:alpha(opacity=50) in IE) all the children of that element become see-through! And no, setting the children to have different opacity values won’t work. So where’s the problem? It shouldn’t be a problem thinking from the base and why the Opacity property was made, but looking at no way to have only transparent backgrounds makes it a problem since it’s the only markup based solution. Until “background: #000 opaque %50″ works.

Looking at the footer of this website you’ll find the see-through brown rectangle making all the other elements in it see-through, the only part that was not intended to be transparent was the copyright line, the rest were all intended to be that way, but since it worked, I didn’t have to worry about it.

The header of this site uses the same effect but with one difference, the logo is not see-through so Opacity did not work for me there, a see-through PNG came to rescue but then it doesn’t work on IE6! Well, the IE6 users would see the logo w/o the transparent brown box. Same goes with the boxes in homepage. What a mess. No I won’t apply a solution that makes me include a zillion JS files and add 30 lines to my stylesheet. I can live with having IE6 users not seeing the transparent bits.

Tweet This Post

And We’re up again, dotone redesigned

Finally I could take it up and convert the long designed PSDs into a built website. So many changes, and for the first time ever, I use brown, I don’t know what I had against brown, but we’re so brown this time. And not to forget “I ain’t sellin’ wood!”

So what do you think? In Arabic, Farsi, English, or whatever language, let me know.

More on the redesign details later.

Tweet This Post

Mobile TV leading in Mobile Content

Screen Digest’s latest press release shows a massive adoption of Mobile TV comparing to Mobile Gaming & Mobile Music.

It is the newest of all mobile content offerings – TV – that looks set to emerge as the strongest performer globally, delivering €4.7bn of revenue from 140 million subscribers by 2011. The new broadcast services, launched in only a handful of markets, are growing rapidly. For instance, Unicast services, delivered over existing 3G networks, have begun to generate real revenues in Europe.

One of the areas that this release misses is the Web textual or written content consumption. And yet the Videos. Here’s the release in PDF with charts and data.

Being in the Middle East, anybody for UAE or Gulf region statistics? Any idea?

p.s thank you Lucy for the heads up.

Tweet This Post

Sticky Communications pt1

“Information has a sticky nature”, one of the few statements I remember from my final year “Technology Management” subject at college. It’s brighter and brighter everyday that goes by and it keeps getting clear to me how right that statement was.

Another touchy and tangible aspect of communications and information delivery is “Credibility”. Sticky nature of Information added to Credibility measures makes a combination of skewed and distorted messages. Leading to what I call “Sticky Communications”.

Deals could be sealed by Credibility, Proposals get accepted and signed based on the right information, yet the Sticky Communications keep businesses moving forward.

One of the toughest issues to face while running a startup is maintaining credibility, telling your story right, showing your edges, but the questions that pop into minds are: Why should I believe you? Is this another new sales person on the block? Well, everybody’s outsourcing, are you another services sales shop? But, who are you?

So we keep on talk-shop. And talk is cheap. So the time comes to prove what you’ve been claiming by showing current/past work. No matter how good the work is, the image is “New”, your portraying a “Freshy”, a “Junior” in the business block. Which in special cases is a plus. When it comes to Account servicing and heavy clients, that means you are not credible, nor capable of keeping up. Not forgetting sustainability and reliability.

You’re great, I love your ideas, your people sound so fine, but how can I assure that you’re going to exist next year?

Passing the Credibility trap can be tricky, hard to beat and tiring. Time, Achievements, Testimonials & Salesmanship gets it closer to happening until it happens. So you’re the hot guy with hot services out there, how can you Inform? It’s sticky! Hard to transmit new services, new models of servicing and new solutions.

It’s obvious, obvious and ordinary needs are justified and understood. Thus, not that sticky. When it comes to complicated solutions and new services that are being injected to a market or a need has been calling for, that’s the time when stickiness of Information stands out and shows how big of an obstacle it is.

Tweet This Post

Drawing Mona Lisa in MS Paint!

They say tools are nothing when you’re talented, check this one out, drawing Mona Lisa with full details and textures using only MS Paint. No Illustrator and No Freehand, just MS Paint. Watch it here.

Tweet This Post

I know you “dot”

“Hey dot, hey, hi I know you dot”, the nice young guy said, “I’m not dot”, I said, “No, no, well, sorry my bad, aren’t you dotone”, he said. “Sure that’s me” shocked, “I’m a web developer for xyz advertising agency” I’ve been reading your articles on your blog and print magazines, I’m a big fan”, it happened in Spinneys in Abu Dhabi. Lots of kind words and appreciation. I was flattered with what the young developer said about me. Nice kid! Left me shocked just out of words.

The day before yesterday I was wining about receiving no comments on the blog, the next day I find this nice guy saying how much he appreciates what I have to say.

The nice young kid remembered an article I wrote two years ago about Ajax vs. Flash which I completely forgot what went in the details of the article, it felt so good. For the first time.

Well, Alex, you’re probably reading this too, you were the first one to bring it all out, thanks, it was great meeting ya!

Tweet This Post

De-Lurk and Comment more often

dotone is being redesigned, for that I’ve been in the process of upgrading to the latest branch of Textpattern. While testing the new design on posts and comments, I came to this realization, most of the posts end up with no comments while on average at the time of posting more than 100 views still end up with no comment.

No comments even on requested posts

Last week I posted on how to setup Mobile TV on Sony Ericsson P990i and M600i, yet no responses, even though it was a requested post by nine readers through e-mails and two through comments.

Let’s talk and De-Lurk

The beauty of blogging is not only in posting but reacting and sharing as well. It’s a real joy when a comment appears in the comments list that is not a spam nor a commercial message. Please comment, it’s really valuable to have your comments, it is a motivating incentive to every post I write.

Lack of comments really worried me of one fact, are my posts not the right one for you? Or are my posts not interesting enough? Tell me what you think. Meanwhile a new design is coming on the way with a color that I’ve never worked on before. So kindly let me know what you think.

Tweet This Post