In the seven years I have been designing web pages, I have experimented with several different HTML editors. I started out with notepad in 1999, back then I found it to be the best tool to design your creations, reason being it was the only program that gave you complete control over the presentation of your web pages. Between 1999 and 2002, I had tried and trialled many HTML editors ranging, from the full blown Dreamweaver to the insignificant and extremely crappy FrontPage. However, always found myself going back to notepad.

It was only when I started programming in other web languages in 2002, when notepad started to lose its appeal. I set out searching the internet for a bigger better text editor and found a lightweight program called EditPlus.

The two most loved of the many features listed below, include syntax highlighting for several different languages, and a very useful built in FTP client for editing your scripts on the fly.

• Extensible syntax high-lighting
  People write new syntax files all the time, and you just drop them in the program directory. I was looking the other day, and there's about 200 different syntax files out there.
• Localized FTP
  You can connect to an FTP site as if it was a local folder. Whenever you hit "Save," the file is seamlessly FTP'ed out.
• Cliptext options
  Write a certain text structure a lot? You can save that structure, and insert it with a click of a button with the text insertion cursor at exactly the right spot.
• Extensible templates
  You can save "shells" of file types you work on a lot (a blank HTML page, an empty Java class, etc.) and start a new one from "File > New…"
• Backup options
  You can tell EditPlus that, whenever you save, save an extra copy of that file to a certain folder. You never see it happen, never even think about it, but on more than one occasion, this little treasure trove of old files has saved my ass.
• Command line integration
  You can configure a button to run a command line program with the file you're working as the first argument.

Further more, its very lightweight and it works well under Wine, and has great support for regular expressions and macros.

This text editor does a lot. Software this useful and easy to use is a rarity. It is free to try and $29 USD to register. I guarantee it's worth every cent.

Coldmeat Version 8.0b has been uploaded, the main change is the full DHTML/CSS2 layout. There are however other slight changes you may notice such as better AJAX intergration and greater support for Internet Exporer v5.5+. Behind the scenes, the site currently runs a basic template system for building HTML on the fly, there is not administration console as and posts and comments can be managed during browsing.

Version 8 final will include full AJAX support and a better WYSIWYG code base as the current once doesn't work correctly with AJAX.

I have been thinking about releasing a version (Coldmeat Blog v1.0) for public download so feature suggestions are more than welcome.

My only reasons to endure running a Microsoft Operating System have just been eliminated. I have just Installed Macromedia Flash MX and Internet Explorer on my Linux partition through the use of a well known and free Windows emulator, wine. The only dilemma I had was with the installation of Internet Explorer, after a few Google searches I quickly found a solution.

Wine has saved me just under 5gb of precious disk space after I took great pleasure in removing my now obsolete NTFS partition.

That said, games don't work very at all well under wine at all, but thats why Microsoft invented the Xbox. Thanks Bill for creating an alternative gaming platform, now I don't have to use your crappy “Operating System” at all.

I now have to sleep as I have to wake up in a few hours. Good night.

The beginning of 2006 puts us at the mid-point of the first decade of the new millenium. What will things look like over the next four years at end of the 1st decade of the new millenium.

Web browsers
Future web browsers will no longer be just designed for searching the Internet, but will include a set of features almost incomparable to todays. Some of these features will be built in XML feed readers, bookmarks that detect when a web site has been updated. Even perhaps cellphone synchronisation. Your mobile phone will recognize your updated bookmarks and will automatically update your home PC, via bluetooth, when you arrive home from the office.

With release of Internet Explorer 7 in late 2006, the Firefox browsers increase in market share will start slowing dramatically. Browser market share between the two major browsers will stabilize.

Google
Towards the end of 2006, people will start noticing Google is no longer just a search engine, but a fast growing (do I dare say it) web portal. With the alliance of Sun Microsystems, Google will commence releasing it's own suite of open source applications, including their very own web browser that knows what type of sites you like to visit when you search the Internet.

In late 2007 Google will announce a service for VOIP and will later implement video calling. As the technology in mobile devices and wireless networks advance, Google will release their first major hardware product, the gPhone. This mobile phone will operate on a data channel provided by your GSM network provider and will allow for very cheap international video calling and instant messaging.

Interactivity
Over the upcoming five years, more and more Web2.0+ enabled web sites will start to emerge taking the Internet by storm. This has already started with sites such as gMail and digg.com and will very soon make it's way onto blogs, forums, and other sites that have a strong user orientated design. These sites will update themselves before your eyes as new content is added.

As the world marvels at the new experience these interactive web sites have to offer, a new set of web standards will emerge. You should expect a new set of standards allowing for persistent HTTP connections and SVG animation.

The web server will no longer have the task of building the presentation of web sites, but will simply serve data to the client via XML. This will at first happen on demand by HTTP requests from AJAX enabled web sites, however towards 2009 the server will notify the client via PHTP.

Household Connectivity
Most people think wires when they hear their fridge will be connected to the Internet. At first, these appliances will be connected via wireless to a central router. 2010 we will see these appliances connected via the build in router in your cable decoder, messages will scroll across the bottom of the TV screen when your washing is dry, or when you leave the fridge open. Your alarm clock will keep time with your cable service provider and your bathroom mirror will display the local weather forecast.

1. In the beginning GOD created the Bit and the Byte. And from those he created the Word.
2. And there were two Bytes in the Word; and nothing else existed. And God separated the One from the Zero; and he saw it was good.
3. And God said - Let the Data be; And so it happened. And God said - Let the Data go to their proper places. And he created floppy disks and hard disks and compact disks.
4. And God said - Let the computers be, so there would be a place to put floppy disks and hard disks and compact disks. Thus God created computers and called them hardware.
5. And there was no Software yet. But God created programs; small and big... And told them - Go and multiply yourselves and fill all the Memory.
6. And God said -I will create the Programmer; And the Programmer will make new programs and govern over the computers and programs and Data.
7. And God created the Programmer; and put him at Data Center; And God showed the Programmer the Catalog Tree and said You can use all the volumes and subvolumes but DO NOT USE Windows.
8. And God said - It is not Good for the programmer to be alone. He took a bone from the Programmer's body and created a creature that would look up at the Programmer; and admire the Programmer; and love the things the Programmer does; And God called the creature: the User.
9. And the Programmer and the User were left under the naked DOS and it was Good.
10. But Bill was smarter than all the other creatures of God. And Bill said to the User - Did God really tell you not to run any programs ?
11. And the User answered - God told us that we can use every program and every piece of Data but told us not to run Windows or we will die.
12. And Bill said to the User - How can you talk about something you did not even try. The moment you run Windows you will become equal to God. You will be able to create anything you like by a simple click of your mouse.
13. And the User saw that the fruits of the Windows were nicer and easier to use. And the User saw that any knowledge was useless - since Windows could replace it.
14. So the User installed the Windows on his computer; and said to the Programmers that it was good.
15. And the Programmer immediately started to look for new drivers. And God asked him - What are you looking for? And the Programmer answered - I am looking for new drivers because I can not find them in the DOS. And God said - Who told you need drivers? Did you run Windows? And the Programmer said - It was Bill who told us to !
16. And God said to Bill - Because of what you did you will be hated by all the creatures. And the User will always be unhappy with you. And you will always sell Windows.
17. And God said to the User - Because of what you did, the Windows will disappoint you and eat up all your Resources; and you will have to use lousy programs; and you will always rely on the Programmers help.
18. And God said to the Programmer - Because you listened to the User you will never be happy. All your programs will have errors and you will have to fix them and fix them to the end of time.
19. And God threw them out of the Data Center and locked the door and secured it with a password.
20. GENERAL PROTECTION FAULT

Thank god for firefox. I decided to make a few changes to my style sheet today when I inadvertently uploaded an older version of my CSS file over top of my only good version.

I was saved when I got home by firefox as I had my web browser open on my blog. "Edit CSS". HAHA! Success.

There are many other reasons as to why firefox is so much better than it's nemesis, Internet Explorer, however I'm only going to touch on the top 5 reasons:

1. Extensions
   If you can think of something you would like to have supported in your most used application, its more than likely been developed and ready for you to install on top of your browser.
2. Tab Browsing
   Ever had 20 different windows open while viewing several different web pages at once? In firefox, tabs replace these windows with a user friendly tool bar just waiting for you to click over to another page.
3. Security
   This is a debatable one as firefox has only just reached the 20% mark of the browser market share. Firefox security patches are released quicker than IE security patches that sometimes been known to take up to six months to be released, and then don't patch anything anyway.
4. Size and Speed
   Firefox is less than 10MB, IE is over 100. I wonder what unnecessarily crap Microsoft has bundled into their shitty featureless browser. Nuff said.
5. Standalone HTTP Client
   This is a big one, firebox doesn't need to use Windows APIs to function, which means when it crashes (and it does) it doesn't take your operating system with it. This is good for security as well, why would you want to use an application that could have access to your operating system?

If your not a caveman or a complete idiot, download firefox now you fuck!

A few weeks ago my life turned for the worse when my partner declared pregnancy, since then, shits just gone from bad to worse with stress levels taking on a pattern similar to that of Moore's Law.

Finally, I thought last week when it appeared it was all coming to a conclusion, she had actually agreed to go through the termination process. Now I know people have strong opinions against abortions but children just isn't for me at the moment.

Now don't get me wrong, I do want to have children, however as I'm only 20 years old it just isn't a scenario I'd like to take at this point in my life. I'd prefer to be more financially stable with a few assets under my belt before my sperm dudes dig me a hole that would take another 20 years to get myself out of. I think the ideal age for making babies is anywhere from the age of 25 years plus, by this time most people start to grow out of being kids themselves and start settling down to a more mature level, a level of that's suitable of to bringing up children of their own.

However I was so horribly wrong last week when things started to look positive. I honestly had know idea how much this would impact on our relationship, children certainly fuck shit up even before the little bastards even squeeze there way out. She's agreed to let me support her during the abortion, however she wants a break to try and fix her fucked up brain. I really hope things work out for the best for her and I as currently I don't think she really knows what the hells happening.

This morning I woke up at around 10am, and then again at 11:30. Almost late for work I scrambled for some random clothes from of the ground and walked out the front door. Once at work I finished of yesterdays coke and fired up my computer, which was conveniently placed under my desk.

...click, ...click, tap tap TAP. BANG!! grind... grind... CLUNK!

But unfortunately it wasn't like that, the machine fired up as normal. Right at the top of the queue sits an email from a customer demanding we call them and talk her through setting up their email client. Great, then the phone rings. FUCK!...

Anyway, after a few hours of slaving away I had completed about 95% of the days workload, so I did what any other responsible employee would do and took full advantage of my skill of laziness. After an hour or so I grew bored of the internet and decided to do something more productive.

The majority of the rest of the day involved much programming, I've now almost finished my web site.

Finally, I have just finished the pain staking task for formating this web site in 100% Valid XHTML v1.0. Initially, I converted to XHTML v1.1 however quickly came to the conclusion a short while after (much to my disgust) that XHTML v1.1 doesn't allow for "target" attributes. WTF? That would break my AJAX stuff.

On the topic of AJAX, earlier today I discovered the AJAX enabled stuff on my site doesn't work correctly in Micro$oft Internet Explorer. It should be a fun task trying to diagnose as to why as I killed Windows long ago.

Fuck you Bill.