Dec. 2, 2011

If you visit my website you will notice everything is in a scrawly hand-written font now. This is a digitized version of my own handwriting. Here is how I produced it:

  • Went to YourFonts and printed the templates twice.
  • Scanned both copies, used the best version of each letter, and tweaked some stuff in an image editor.
  • Uploaded the templates, paid $15, and downloaded the resulting TTF file.
  • Tested it out on my blog (see the cross-browser CSS font-face declaration below).
  • Loaded up the TTF in font forge and tweaked more stuff.

To get it as a web useable font:

  • Use a program called ttf2eot to create a web font file that Internet Explorer likes.
  • Use the following CSS font-face declaration, which works on pretty much all mainstream browsers including Internet Explorer 6.

Font-face declaration:

@font-face {
    font-family: 'MyFont'; /* Use the real name of your actual font */
    src: url('MyFont.eot');
    src: url('MyFont.eot?#iefix') format('embedded-opentype'),
    url('MyFont.ttf') format('truetype');
}

You can do this with basically any TTF font, but watch out for the legal implications of using commercial fonts on the web. It's obviously fine to do it with a font of your own handwriting. There are probably lots of other free fonts you can do it with too, but read the licensing information first.

Here's to more flexible web typography!

Dec. 1, 2011

Looking for a good open source Software Libre alternative to Google Analytics? I can't recommend Piwik highly enough.

Piwik graph example

  • Setup was easy - PHP & MySQL with a simple web based installer.
  • Basic mechanism is similar to G.A. - add a code snippet to the bottom of your HTML code and you are done.
  • Reporting seems more comprehensive than G.A. - all kinds of interesting data, visitor trails, etc.
  • Take back ownership of your stats data!

Have fun.

Nov. 26, 2011

Calm down, Internet, I am back! My server had a small mishap.

My new hosting provider is much more reliable than my old one. Hooray!

My new one is called prgmr.com and they are great.

I have also taken the opportunity to redesign my website. I hope you like it.

Oct. 22, 2011

Linus Torvalds in a Speedo.jpg

(image of Linus Torvalds in a speedo originally from xkcdsucks.blogspot.com)

Google recently announced that they are discontinuing the social features of Google Reader and folding that functionality into Google+. So basically the thing that I liked most about Google Reader, not it's social network features but it's actual social network - the one made of the real people who inhabit my Google Reader friends list - is going to disappear this some time this week. Google Reader was by far my favorite and most active social network so this is pretty crummy from my perspective.

Maybe Google don't realise the value in that network aside from the features of the software itself. Maybe they don't care because they just want to get people into Google+. Either way, we the users lose.

Oh well, this is what you get when you use proprietary software. At some point the company that develops and controls that software will do something you don't like. There is basically nothing you can do about it.

So long, Reader friends, it has been a genuine pleasure! (and for the OCD amongst you, I am very sorry for the hypersharing) :)

Oct. 7, 2011

pocketloops-design.png

Today I submitted this PocketLoops prototype app to the Univation WApp competition.

This builds on my PdDroidParty work, which is the engine of the app (as well as the impending CanOfBeats re-release!).

Fun mobile-music times. :)