Blog #8

Acronyms and Reminders

SVG is a scaleable vector graphic and is a text based graphics
language that describes images with vector shapes, text, and embedded raster graphics. SVG files are small and give high-quality graphics on the Web, print material and on mobile devices. Also it supports scripting and animation; great for interactive, data-driven, personalized graphics. Check more info at Adobe.

Graceful Degradation is the property that enables a system (often computer-based) to continue operating properly in the event of the failure of (or one or more faults within) some of its components. If its operating quality decreases at all, the decrease is proportional to the severity of the failure, as compared to a naively-designed system in which even a tiny failure can cause total meltdown (from Wiki). In other words design for flexibility. Make sure your content is accessible without images, scripts, applets, and plug-ins.

JavaScript is apparently THE scripting language of the Web. It is one of the most popular programming languages on the web. It has had widespread success as a client-side scripting language for web pages. It adds functionality, validates forms, detects browsers and much more. It was released in 1995 and is the behavior side of code. For more information visit W3 or Wiki.

Considering we are about to take our Midterm test, I thought I would review some of the things that I obviously misunderstood the first time around and share the correct info with you. A quick refresher helps keep things straight.

1. Front end processes happen on the visitors computer and Back end processes happen on the server.


2. www.browsershots.org is a site you can use to see how code is rendered in different browsers.


3. Attributes for form controls: Single Line Text Entry = text, File Upload = file, Checkbox Button = checkbox, and Multiple Selection Box = multiple.


4. Three additional buttons in HTML are image, button, and button element. There are also submit, reset, checkbox, radio, browse, and pull-down.


5. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator (or URI-identifier). It is made up of 3 parts. These are the protocol, site name, and absolute path.

Tid Bits

• Practice what you Preach reminder. Realized that I provided info last week about being attentive in class and realized that I did not follow my own advice during last weeks session. Note to self: Pay attention to yourself. Note to Jesh: My bad; sorry.


• Do not use more than three different fonts in one piece of design. It may look too busy and confuse the message for the viewer.


• Quote to live by"Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience" George_Louis De Buffon

Useful Web Sites

• Throughout my posting process I am constantly researching and coming across many links that are helpful and even some that are not. In addition to your own research it is also a great idea to ask fellow designers about what sites they like to visit as well. This week I obtained a couple new ones from Mario.
  
  
  


• If you are creating a logo be sure to visit FlippingTypical. This site is awesome because it allows you to type in your text and then it will proceed to show you how it will be rendered in each font that you currently have loaded. This is much easier because you can see them all at one time as opposed to just clicking on one to see how it works out.


• Another site he mentioned was WhatTheFont. Now I am pretty sure I have heard about this site before but what I did not know was that they have an app for this site. Now you can take a picture of the font you are looking for instead of scanning it into the computer. Way Cool! Thanks Mario.
  
  

In Other Graphic Design News

This first site I came across when I was trying to find a cartoon for acronyms. It is just a fun site which reviews some of the Worst Email Mistakes made by various people in the business world.

I also found a website that has a font game on it. Rather it is more like a test but challenging none the less. It is Font Game. Those of you who are currently taking typography may do pretty well and end up in the Hall of Fame.