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diff --git a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/crystal-ball.jpg b/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/crystal-ball.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 54b4b86..0000000 --- a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/crystal-ball.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/css-alternate-sheets.txt b/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/css-alternate-sheets.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 44ed196..0000000 --- a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/css-alternate-sheets.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -So you've got a pretty good handle on CSS and your design is well separated from the actual markup of your site, but now you're thinking you'd like to offer multiple style sheets. Perhaps you want to offer a high contrast design to users with visual difficulties so your site is easier read.
Or perhaps you just want to have two, three or even ten different designs available for your readers. Well it isn't hard to serve up multiple style sheets. Just add the appropriate <code>link</code> tags to your document's header.
Of course if that were the end of the story there wouldn't be a need for a tutorial. Naturally that isn't the end of the story.
The W3C spec says that browsers should offer users a way to switch style sheets, it even suggests that browser manufacturers offer a drop–down menu or tool bar. But there's one browser that fails to implement that suggestion, anyone care to guess which one?
So what to do for poor Internet Explorer users who have no way to switch style sheets? A List Apart (ALA) has the answer in a fine tutorial entitled *[Alternative Style: Working With Alternate Style Sheets][1]*.
In the end you'll need to add a smidgen of Javascript to your pages, but don't worry, it isn't too difficult and ALA author Paul Sowden provides all the necessary code.
ALA is also a fantastic reference for all sorts of other CSS solutions including the famous [Suckerfish dropdown][2] menu.
[1]: http://alistapart.com/stories/alternate/ "Alternative Style: Working With Alternate Style Sheets"
[2]: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/dropdowns/ "Suckerfish dropdowns"
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/elsewhere b/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/elsewhere deleted file mode 100644 index 43a3b4d..0000000 --- a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/elsewhere +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -
* Listening Post tells you how to [turn your Wii into an iTunes Jukebox][1] using Opera.
[1]: http://blog.wired.com/music/2006/12/turn_your_itune.html "Listening Post on Wii"
* 27B Stroke 6 [points out][2] all the fun things about flying during the holiday season. "People who sneak lighters past security are heroes in airport smoking lounges."
[2]: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2006/12/27b_traveling_n.html "27B Stroke 6 on holiday flying"
* Gear Factor [claims][3] wireless USB is coming next year. "Expect printers, laptops, cameras and other devices to start sporting built-in Wireless USB after the middle of the year."
[3]: http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2006/12/wireless_usb_co.html "Gear Factor on Wireless USB"
* Bodyhack [reports][4] that Cleveland doctor is all set to do face transplants as soon as the find suitable candidate. "For the transplant, the entire skin flap of a patient's face and possibly parts of the scalp, ears and neck would be replaced."
[4]: http://blog.wired.com/biotech/2006/12/first_full_faci.html "Bodyhack on face transplants"
* John Brownlee over at Table of Malcontents makes me rethink my decision to give up caffeine; the man is prolific with a capital p. Today Table paid homage to [the world's oldest punk rocker][5], and [nude fencing][6]. Nude fencing. Is that really a good idea?
[5]: http://blog.wired.com/tableofmalcontents/2006/12/the_death_of_th.html "Death of the World's Oldst Punk Rocker"
[6]: http://blog.wired.com/tableofmalcontents/2006/12/morning_thing_n_2.html "Nude Fencing"
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/google-bad-hair-day.txt b/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/google-bad-hair-day.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d423a9e..0000000 --- a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/google-bad-hair-day.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -Someone seems to have misplaced the mousse over in Mountain View, things haven't been so hot for Google in the last week. In the average week Google generally makes at least one, often more, announcements that are newsworthy, but this week not only have the announcements been thin, most stories about the search giant have been about things going wrong.
First there was a more than thirteen hour [blackout][1] of Google's social networking site Orkut. While few in the States may have even noticed, rumor has it panic and confusion reigned in the streets of Brazil.
The message on the site claimed that it was "under construction" which might imply that some new features were on the way, but not only is thirteen hours way too long for a feature upgrade, we've yet to see an announcement from Google explaining the downtime.
Next on Google's oops list came the revelation that some user accounts in the massively popular GMail service had [lost all their email][4]. Google representatives [emailed TechCrunch][3] to say:
>Regretfully, a small number of our users — around 60 — lost some or all of their email received prior to December 18th.
Then there was the case of the disappearing sex blogs which BoingBoing [covered][7] throughout the week. It seems that a number of sex blogs disappeared or dropped significantly in their google rankings. And mind you these are not porn splogs, but informational blogs like Violet Blue's [tiny nibbles][5] (note the landing page is okay but the rest is decidedly **NSFW**).
No one seems to know exactly what happened to the sex blogs, though Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Land has a [thorough analysis][6] of what could have gone wrong. Whatever the cause, it was more bad news for Google.
Outside of soft/hard ware failings Google also took something of a beating in the blogosphere for their [annual Zeitgeist][5], the top ten search terms of the year.
Many readers were suspicious that the otherwise unpopular social networking site Bebo was the number one search term of 2006 according to Google. In Google's defense it's worth noting that Google Zeitgeist tracks the biggest "movers" in search -- the search terms that went from nothing to a lot over a period of time.
In other words, Bebo had the biggest amount of *growth* in 2006, measured in raw percentage, over 2005's numbers, which explains why it's number 1 -- **not** because it's the most-searched term on Google.
But fine print as never been the blogosphere's strong suit and the outcry was such the Google [posted a clarification][2] expounding the criteria behind the Zeitgeist.
The Zeitgeist controversy may be made of misunderstanding and hot blooded bloggers, but Blake Ross, wunderkind of Firefox fame, had a more serious [bone to pick][8] with Google. Ross says that Google's new self promotional tactics are eroding the public trust.
Earlier this week Google searches with terms like "blog," "photo album" and "speadsheet" began displaying "tips" which suggest Google's own services in those fields. Ross accuses Google of abusing its powerful position to promote the company's own products.
Of course Yahoo! and other search engines already do something similar, but many have always held Google to slightly higher standard and the new self promotional efforts seem, well, heavy handed.
For instance I frequently search for old Monkey Bites posts using the <code>site:</code> operator with the full Monkey Bites url. Because that url contains the term "blog" Google now adds a link to Blogger at the top of the page. What's irritating is that the term isn't even part of my search, the <code>site:</code> operator is simply restricting my search parameters.
Even a WWII era punch card machine could probably figure out I'm not looking for a blogging service.
Perhaps the most irritating thing is that Google tries to pass these off as "tips." These aren't tips, they're advertisements and calling them tips is misleading and, well, almost evil.
What ever happened to don't be evil? It was so simple.
At best Google's new self promotional drive is simply annoying and irrelevant, at worst Ross is right and users may lose confidence in the objectivity of Google's search results.
On the brighter side of an otherwise dismal week perhaps Google can take comfort in the notion that things go wrong at Google seldom enough that when they do, like Jennifer Aniston's bad hair days, they make the news. Paul Mitchell was unreachable for comment.
[1]: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1461015,00.asp "Orkut Outage"
[2]: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/how-we-came-up-with-year-end-zeitgeist.html "Google explains Zeitgeist"
[3]: http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/12/28/gmail-disaster-reports-of-mass-email-deletions/ "GMail Problems"
[4]: http://groups.google.com/group/Gmail-Problem-solving/browse_thread/thread/e19d6ab5d41e58eb/bd2a9386c2a1ad41 "GMail loses user email"
[7]: http://www.boingboing.net/2006/12/27/google_disappears_se.html "Boing Boing on disappearing sex blogs"
[5]: http://www.tinynibbles.com/ "Tiny Nibbles"
[6]: http://searchengineland.com/061229-133230.php "Search engine Land on disappearing sex blogs"
[8]: http://www.blakeross.com/2006/12/25/google-tips/ "Trust is hard to gain, easy to lose"
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/hoping-for.txt b/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/hoping-for.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0210e7a..0000000 --- a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/hoping-for.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -This morning Wired put up the [annual list of predictions][9] for the new year, but we're more conservative over here at Monkey Bites so we've compiled our own list, but we've tried to keep things a touch more realistic. Most of this stuff is either officially scheduled for release or widely believed to be arriving in the next twelve months.
Of course there's always the chance that some of this stuff will find its way to our vaporware list by the end of next year, but in the mean time raise your glass with unbridled optimism as you peruse our list of Things We're Looking Forward To.
* [Windows Vista][2]. We've got some concerns about DRM and security, but we're cautiously optimistic about Redmond's new system. Here's to upgrades and security patches.
* [OS X Leopard][3]. Chock full of what looks like great features. We're looking forward to putting this one through the paces.
* We want our MP3s and we want them DRM-free. Okay maybe we've had too much of that special punch that's been fermenting since the office Christmas party, but we like to believe 2007 will see a DRM-free, **legal** alternative to the iTunes Music store. And by legal we mean legal in the United States (i.e. not AllofMP3.com).
* Thunderbird 2.0. Our tests of the first beta [whetted our appetite][4] for the real thing. Would a good IMAP mail client be too much to ask for in 2007?
* µTorrent for Linux and Mac. We [love][1] this little client and with BitTorrent Inc. at the helm chances are good that µTorrent will be cross platform by the end of the year.
* [OpenOffice.org][5] finishes the port to Mac OS X and/or NeoOffice improves. We have nothing against MS Office per say, but we [like open document formats][6]. And we like free -- in all senses of the word.
* Full release of the Adobe line. We're [lovin' the PhotoShop CS3 beta][7] and looking forward to the full suite which should arrive some time in the second quarter of the year, but what's up with those icons?
* Would it be too much to ask for an end to OS flame wars? Or is that punch kicking again -- who knew ergot fungi were so tangy? After all, as [Joel points out][8], software is just a tool to help you get laid.
* Speaking of which we're also hoping for more tall hot blonds, or perhaps we're misunderstanding the whole "long tail" thing again?
[1]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/10/best_of_bt_torr.html "Monkey Bites on µTorrent"
[2]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/11/windows_vista_i.html "Vista Release Date Explained"
[3]: http://www.tuaw.com/2006/10/19/screenshots-from-the-latest-leopard-build/ "Leopard screenshots on TUAW"
[4]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/12/mozilla_has_rel.html "Thunderbird 2.0 beta 1 reviewed"
[5]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/11/open_office_21_.htm "OpenOffice RC1 available for download"
[6]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/12/office_document.html "Monkey Bites on ODF"
[7]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/12/elsewhere_on_wi.html "Monkey Bites on Photoshop CS3"
[8]: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/12/15.html "Joel on Software: Software is a tool to help you get laid"
[9]: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72370-0.html?tw=wn_index_6 "Wired's 2007 predictions"
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* Parallels, the popular Mac software that lets you run other OSes as virtual machines, keeps [cranking out the free betas][1]. Parallels Beta3 features improved USB 2.0 support, improved coherence mode and more.
[1]: http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/beta_testing/ "Parallels Beta3"
* Good old Mainstream Media outlet Reuters [ran an article][2] today on RSS calling it the "coolest thing you've never heard of when it comes to the Internet." Rather depressingly the article cites media analyst group Forrester who claim that less than 2 percent of internet users use RSS.
[2]: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyid=2006-12-29T185423Z_01_N29192014_RTRUKOC_0_US-COLUMN-PLUGGEDIN.xml&src=rss "Reuters on RSS"
* I [picked on][4] Google earlier today, but there was one bright spot today for the search giant, Hitwise [reports][3] that traffic to Google's Blog search service now surpasses that of Technorati.
[3]: http://weblogs.hitwise.com/leeann-prescott/2006/12/google_blog_search_surpasses_t.html "Google Blog Search beats Technorati"
[4]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/12/googles_bad_hai.html "Google has a bad hair week"
* Why writing down passwords is stupid. CBS 5 in SF [reports][5] that Unabomber Ted Kaczynski wrote his journals using code that security expert Bruce Schneier calls "the most complex cipher the FBI has seen since World War II." Neither the FBI nor the NSA could crack the code until they found among Kaczynski's notebooks a page entitled "Unscrambling Sequence." Doh!
[5]: http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_363002905.html "FBI cracks Unabomber security code"
* And finally, let's close out the year with this [incredibly creepy image][6] of the world's largest superconducting magnet. It looks like something out the machine city in the Matrix crossed with the big spider in Arachnophobic. Shiver.
[6]: http://www.boingboing.net/2006/12/29/worlds_largest_super.html "BoingBoing on the world's largest superconducting magnet"
Happy New Year everyone, see you Tuesday.
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This could probably be filed in the same category as the drive to [abolish the caps lock][4] key -- admirable idea, but unlikely to succeed.
But perhaps there is a bigger need for a NSFW indicator. As strange as it might seem to those of us working at home, people actually get [fired][1] for clicking the wrong links at work.
Doland's proposal is to use the <code>REL</code> attribute to indicate when links contain content not suitable for work.
Under Doland's system links would look something like this:
<a href="" title="" rel="NSFW">link text</a>
Currently the <code>REL</code> attribute is mainly used by search engines to determine what links to follow on a site, for instance, adding <code>rel="nofollow"</code> to a link tag will cause Google spiders to ignore the link.
Most browsers ignore the <code>REL</code> attribute, but because it can be styled with CSS NSFW links could be marked with visual clues.
Doland admits that using the <code>REL</code> tag alone has some problems and he has an [expanded][2] his original proposal to also utilize the class attribute.
The idea is sound and would even help search engines by adding another bit of metadata to their indexes, but will it catch on?
[1]: http://metatalk.metafilter.com/mefi/3484 "Woman fired for reading MetaFilter"
[2]: http://pj.doland.org/archives/041577.php "NSFW Rel attribute spec"
[3]: http://pj.doland.org/archives/041571.php "Proposal for a NSFW indicator"
[4]: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,71606-0.html?tw=rss.index "Death to Caps Lock"
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/reboot.txt b/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/reboot.txt deleted file mode 100644 index cdcf29d..0000000 --- a/old/published/Webmonkey/Monkey_Bites/2006/12.25.06/Fri/reboot.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1 +0,0 @@ -<img alt="Any_key_3" title="Any_key_3" src="http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/any_key_2.jpg" border="0" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;" />The morning reboot:
* Apparently the HD DVD hack we mentioned in yesterday's reboot is real enough that the companies behind the AACS encryption system are [looking][1] into it. Muslix64, the hacker who claims to have cracked AACS, has said he/she will post more code on January 2.
[1]: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061229/wr_nm/dvds_hacker_dc "Media Companies Investigate Hacker's Claim"
* In the wake of the earthquake which disrupted internet service in Asia, Asian telecom companies are [moving to install more underseas cables][2] to ensure that this week's internet outage does not happen again.
[2]: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyid=2006-12-29T054757Z_01_SP140905_RTRUKOC_0_US-INTERNET-ASIA.xml&src=rss "Asian companies to add more cables"
* The French space agency [announced][3] it will publish its archive of UFO sightings and other phenomena online. The names of contributors will be kept secret to protect them from "space fanatics". Damn those space fanatics.
[3]: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyid=2006-12-29T143450Z_01_L29796180_RTRUKOC_0_US-FRANCE-UFO.xml&src=rss "French to publish UFO reports"
* AT&T has agreed to concessions which will force the company to live up to net neutrality rules if its merger with BellSouth is approved, but not everyone thinks the concessions are enough. TechDirt [reports][4] that midway through the concession doc is this sentence: "This commitment also does not apply to AT&T/BellSouth's Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service." This phrase could mean that while any existing network is governed by the net neutrality in the concessions, future networks are not which paves the way for AT&T to charge companies for preferential bandwidth treatment.
[4]: http://techdirt.com/articles/20061229/001833.shtml "TechDirt on AT&T/BellSouth Merger"
* Laughing Squid, one of the recipients of the [laptops from Microsoft][7], is [auctioning][6] off the machine on eBay. Proceeds will benefit the [EFF][5]
[5]: http://www.eff.org/ "Electronic Frontier Foundation"
[6]: http://laughingsquid.com/windows-vista-laptop-on-ebay-proceeds-going-to-eff/ "Laughing Squid auctions laptop"
[7]: http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2006/12/microsoft_lapto.html "Monkey Bites on Microsoft Laptops"
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