[tech] A New Optical Drive...

767 One of these things can really open up your horizons, let me tell you...

I just obtained and installed a SuperDrive update to my stalwart PowerMac G4 system. The originally-installed Combo Drive was always kind of finicky when reading DVDs but lately its behavior has been more of an insurrection, meaning, if I did another foolish thing that killed my OS, like I did in November, it'd be a real tough time reinstalling my OS to the inboard hard drive.

And, besides, MCE Technologies has a 18x, DVD-DL upgrade that was priced right. So we went for it.

There is now no optical disc we can't read. And we can burn up to 8.5 GB onto a single disc-what's not to like about this.

If you're looking for an upgrade to your Mac, I've got to say so far that I have no complaints with this model, and you should check MCE out.

Tags: Super Drive, SuperDrive, Mac Upgrades, DVD Media, MCE Technologies

[zeitgeist] It's QOTD Time: Woody Allen

766

More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.

Tags: zeitgeist

[logo_design] KATU, Channel 2

765 For the last word on a busy day, we consider the KATU logo. Dig, if you will, this picture:


I give you the Portland ABC station, KATU, then and now. The then picture you may recognize from two entries back.

I don't recall exactly when the switch was made–it was a couple of years back, more or less. I recall no big announcement; they just started using the new branding. At the time, I thought it apt whilst I did regret losing the old "2", it had become a bit dowdy–not only had KATU been with ABC and on Channel 2 since Pontius was a pilot but the swashy, squished-looking numeral had been KATU's logo for as long as I coutl practically remember.

The new logo, viewed in and of itself, seems to be an apt updating of the staid old "2". But then, one day, whilst just bopping about the intarweb, I came upon the Fisher Broadcasting site and, knowing that KATU is part of a multi-state constellation of broadcast outlets, started looking at her brothers and sisters (I've always felt "2" was a feminine number, but nevermind that now).

I found that not just KATU, but all the television broadcast outlets had adopted the same look. Peep this:

Clockwise from top left: KEPR-19, Tri-Cities, WA; KVAL-13, Eugene; KIMA-29, Yakima, WA; KBCI-2, Boise ID (the network logo does not seem to be mandatory, as can be seen with the KVAL logo (which also happens to be CBS). It's clear from this (not to mention the logos on the KVAL Wikipedia page–KVAL co-owns KCBY-11, Coos Bay OR and KPIC-4, Roseburg OR), to state rather the obvious, that the relogoing of KATU is part of a coördinated graphic branding strategy to unify the Fisher station with a Fisher "look". Even the websites are similarly designed: Compare KATU's site to KVAL's. If you have the time and inclination you can surf over to Fisher's stations page and view the whole setup.

Unifying the station identities like this accomplish two things; imparts to the consumer that the areas served are served by a regional entity with a local flavor, meaning that any goodwill Fisher has gets leveraged all over the Northwest, and brings the stations' ownership from something hidden to something subtly stated.

Likely this is lost on a great many of the viewers; after all, probably the last thing on a KVAL viewer's mind is that their local TV station is owned by the same group that owns KATU, KOMO, etc. But to Fisher, at least, it will make a difference, and maybe that's all that's important.

And it is a clean, simple, and effective treatment for television, which is always a winner.

Tags: TV Station Logos, Portland TV, Fisher Broadcasting, KATU-TV, Channel 2

[bloggage] 20,000

764 Well, seeing as I was obsessing on it for the last several days, I thought I owed it to everyone to report that, at last, I've crossed 20,000 visitors.

We have the tape:


So whoever it was came in from somewhere undetermined in the USA, via Stan's excellent 'blog stayed for more than a couple of minutes, and showed the extreme good taste in seeing that genius clip at For Portlanders Only.

So, congratulations Whoever U. Arre, from Somewhere, Inthe, USA. You're number 20,000 with me. Regretfully, I'm not rich nor am I famous (not yet) (hint here, people) so there's no prizes. Check back in a year or two.

Tags: Shameless self promotion, The Zehnkatzen Times, Samuel John Klein

[liff] This Is Oregon-1976

763 The fellow over at For Portlanders Only just made my year.

Between 1976 and 1980, back when stations signed off for the night, KATU had this masterpiece of film paired up with this catchy-damn instrumental that were matched up so sweetly that it got under my skin and stayed there. I'd engineer staying up late just to see this little film.

Please, please go see it. This was as good a snapshot of Oregon in the late 70's as ever will be, complete with killer time-lapse of Portland going into night, Broadway movie theaters downtown, yes, 70's fashions...and "Strawberrys".

Seriously, you have to see this thing to understand. Would someone please give me money and a camera so I can make a new version?!?!

Thank you, FPO, Thank you.

This is our state...This is Oregon.

Tags: Oregoniana, 1976, KATU, Channel 2, For Portlanders Only

[zeitgeist] A Couple of Odds'n'Ends Before We Go Find Something Design-Related

761 Staccato Bursts of Constant Information:

Stupid-Headed Host: We don't need one more observation about what a cretinous mook Don Imus is, so I'll just mention that it's nice that the rest of you all have caught up. He might survive his broadcast slap-on-the-wrist, but sponsors are deserting like [insert cliché here]. Although I must admit, he and I are of one-mind on Tucker Carlson (though I hear he doesn't wear the bowtie so much anymore).

More proof irony isn't actually dead: The President is looking for someone to oversee the war effort in Afghanistan and Iraq (wasn't he saying that was his job?). Nobody wants it. What I find funny is that they want to refer to it as the "War Czar". WTF is it with the compulsion of the Federal government to title these positions with that of the Russian emperor? Drug czar, War czar, bizarre.

God Love Tres Shannon: We've found crazy mad inspiration in Tres Shannon for quite a while. We never went to the X-Ray Cafe but he had so much fun with it that you couldn't dislike the guy. His mayoral campaign, whilst quixotic, was a delightful one. And he's come out quite bluntly that we should leave Burnside alone already. He makes such a compelling case (via BlueOregon) that we'll say that his position is our position too.

Tags: Snarky News, Tres Shannon, Burnside Couplet, Czar Czar Czar, Imus Shmimus

[bloggage] Day of 125 Hits: Did I Make it?

761 Short answer; no. Long answer; no, but it wasn't a waste of time, and it was kind of fun.

24 hours ago, as of 0800 on 10 Apr, I issued a call, with my eye on the 20,000th visitor, for anybody who had a moment to spare to hit on my blog, here. At the time the deficit was about 125, and I decided to go for broke.

Well, we didn't quite get there. As of 0800 this morning, I'd found that I'd notched 19,958 hits, in total, getting 85 hits in a single 24-hour period, almost 70 per cent of my goal. As that's well over twice the amount I usually get in a day, that's a qualified success.

Also, as I've mentioned, I've got three URLs which I'll be linking to. Most bodacious of course was Josh Bancroft and tinyscreenfuls.com.

I will admit to a bit of disappointment on one angle; there aside from Josh and a couple of others, there were no comments at all. Sad am I at this; I was hoping for at least one conversation to come out of this, and a couple of links; if I got any new links, they aren't showing up (well, at least not yet...some of those monitoring items I use take a day or two to show up).

But I do have a takeaway here. Sure, I'd love to be popular and linked- and subscibed-to, but above all I should be probably doing this because I like writing and I have passions.

I do. And, I do.

Now to update the blogroll.

Tags: Day of 125 Hits, The Zehnkatzen Times, Samuel John Klein

[bloggage] Thanks, Josh! (Welcome surfers from TinyScreenfuls)

760 By the way, I mentioned that I'd made the acquaintance of Josh Bancroft. He did make a righteous mention of this blog here, so, for those who came over today from tinyscreenfuls.com, Welcome. Make yourself to home, by all means!

Tags: TinyScreenfuls, Josh Bancroft, Samuel John Klein, The Zehnkatzen Times

[bloggage] 31 Percent Of the Way There

759 Earlier today, at 0800, I stated the observation that I was about 125 hits away from 20,000 visitors and cast my message in the bottle out to see how quickly I could gather those, hoping to go over the mark by 0800 tomorrow. The results I've gotten so far are pretty cool.

So far, I've notched 39 visitors, which is a definite uptick from my ususal pegging by this time during a typical week day. It looks possible.

Even if it doesn't happen, I've already accrued a couple of benefits:

1. Two commenters left me thier URLs: Bpaul at bugthumper.blogspot.com and Becca (I love that name, "Becca". Very sweet.) at escape2000.spaces.live.com
2. Also, made the happy acquaintace of Josh Bancroft (here). Nice fella.

We all have ideals of what we want to achieve. Not always do they match our realities, but along the way, whether we succeed or fail, we almost always pick up valuable things along the way. So far, I'm finishing ahead.

The original post in my campaign is here if you are in the one-article view. Come. Comment! Link!

Tags: The Zehnkazen Times, Josh Bancroft, Institute of Jurassic Technology, Escape 2000, Samuel John Klein, Shameless Self Promotion

[bloggage] 20,000 In My Sights

758 Well, after a lot of posting and waiting and basically having fun with this, I have my eyes on the 20,000th visitor. That's more than a lot, but not as much as some. Nevertheless, I'm looking to get over that hump. In the next 24 hours, I'm hoping to get at least 125 hits.

Now, I'm hardly the most popular kid around here, but that's okay; some people I really really like have linked here and sent clicks my way without my asking. I appreciate you, each and every one. And I don't plan on quitting this if I can't get over 20,000 in the next 24 hours; it's not a pathetic attempt at approval, I'm not dying of some undiagnosed disease, just a semi-pathetic and audacious attempt at notching some numbers.

All you have to to is stop by and, hey, leave a reply if you're so inclined. A link would be cool. But a hit would be stellar.

Tags: bloggage, The Zehnkatzen Times, shameless begging

[liff] If Orwell Were Spinning In His Grave, Part 2

757 From the intarweb collection of Steve Beattie:


Now, I'm no Spanish speaker (or Catalan, if that be Barcelona), but I believe that the legend essentially says Area under surveillance–radius 500m. The name of the way, of course, seems to be George Orwell Square.

And the drawing of the camera is sucky.

The irony, if not bluntly evident, is definitely left as an exercise for the reader.

Tags: George Orwell, surveillance society

[logo_design] A State Of Kramden*

756 It is safe to say, I think, that a state of direst kramden* exists between Moonstruck Chocolatier and Moonray Espresso. It's all over their logos, of course.

First reported in The Oregonian about two weeks ago, our very own Moonstruck, them whose exquisite and quite delectable truffles have seen two tours of Oscar® swag-bag service has seen fit to ring up Moonray Espresso, a coffeeshop of but a single branch in Duvall, Washington (though, to be fair, there seems to be aspirations to empire; their single store is listed on a "Locations" page.

As anyone who was raised in the age of "look and feel" must be aware of by now, subjective impressions count for a great deal. Microsoft and Apple tusseled over it for a very long time with respect with the GUIs of Mac OS and Windows. At the basic level, subjective impressions are the stock in trade of logos. This little graphic image must not only be designed brilliantly, it also has to leave a first impression that the logo-bearer is of a percieved benefit to the consumer or user.

Similarites also tend to, on a certain level, promote the impression of a relation–or, more succinctly, things that look alike tend to have something to do with each other, and in the world of commerce, usually means either the one is born of the other, or the other is trying to identify with the one. This is what Moonstruck is accusing of Moonray.

M-O-O-N, That Spells Copyright Infringement

The beef that Moonstruck has with Moonray seems to be that the Moonray logo (featuring a crescent moon with a highly- (and highly-effectively styled...we enjoy this logo muchly) lady lounging within) is very close to the Moonstruck logo (featuring a crescent moon with a dancing, Pan-eqsque flutist within)...close enough, in fact, that Moonray is effectively hoping that consumer confusion with the Moonstruck logo will garner them more sales.

In essence, Moonstruck's position is that Moonray is trying to hitch themselves to Moonstruck's star...or, moon, perhaps.

To the man on the street, the assertion might seem just a little bit risible; our initial off the cuff reaction is that they both trade on the Moon and perhaps some legendary imagery but we are having little trouble distinguishing between the two. From our POV, we'd expect not so much to be sold Moonstruck at Moonray except as, perhaps, an item on one of thier shelves.

Taking a more analytical view, though, we still find significant differences. The presence of the crescent moon supporting (in heraldic talk) the figure are indeed both common to both designs. However, we feel that's where the similarities definitely end. For there to be a real indication of alliance, in our minds, there must be more differences. The dancing male flutist is clearly not a recumbent female; the rendering style is clearly different; the Moonray symbol is closed with a brilliant disk backing it; the logo type styles are different, and the type is even arranged differently.

J'accuse!

Regrettably, however, the dispute has been sent to the courts; this humble assay would perhaps be irrelevant, regardless of how perceptive we feel it to be. And we don't necessarily disapprove of Moonstruck's basic behavior; frequently, protecting business identity is important enough that it must be taken even when it seems pointless to the average man or woman on the street. We believe there's a principle in the law that holds that if you don't move to defend your design, then you didn't really care all that much to protect it; IANAL, of course.

But also there's the street-level concept of wisely choosing ones' battles, and we fear that Moonstruck hasn't exactly struck properly here. From our reading of the news article, we recall that one of Moonstruck's concerns was that they would be seen as a bully here, and both sides have been strenuously casting themselves as Davids, with no Goliath to be found.

Regrettably as well we feel that, despite Moonstruck's averrings to the contrary, they will be seen to be the Goliath here whether they want to be or not.

Like we said, we are not lawyers. But, from the point of view of the consumer, perhaps a strategic withdrawl is warranted for Moonstruck. You can't unsue a person, and Moonstruck's already bruised themselves on that accord, but you can say "hey, maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

Moonstruck thinks we'll be confused by the similarities in logo. We rather disagree.

* kramden is a term used in the satirical book Doon, by Ellis Weiner, which in case it isn't clear, makes mad fun of Frank Herbert's masterwork. Kramden, a play on the vendetta called kanly, is said to be "a state of vendetta between two Houses who ought rightly be best pals".

Tags: logo design, copyright infringement, Moonstruck, Moonray, Doon, kramden

[liff] The Sorts of April Fool Jokes People Fall For These Days

755 One of the biggest buzzes of the last few weeks was the one where it was rumored out loud that the Vice President, in a speech, had actively advocated for the repeal or suspension of the 22nd amendment...people of all stripes, from amateur journalists to professional journalists and media types forwarded this, then found themselves embarrassed as they looked closely at it, finding itself to be the hoax that it was.

The article purported to be a news article from the New York Times reporting on the VP's speech. The URL, however, was http://www.newyourketimes.com/content/article76649.html (to which we add the emphasis) which, in the superheated world of information, spread like your favorite spreading metaphor.

Going to that URL today, however, gives you this:


...and clicking on the "See why this page was removed" link will initiate a download of a PDF from the real Times telling them, as the Chairman might have said, to "knock it off, or it's ring-a-ding-ding for you bozos".

None of this is a revelation; the smarter people in society have long since realized their mistake here, but I does raise a question that I think should be on everyone's mind who gives a damn about our country and the direction it's headed: What is it about the party in power that people would swallow this one hook, line, and sinker, even the smarter ones, without so much as a question?

How bizarre has American life become that this sort of April Fool's joke would go over so big?

The answer is, of course, left as an excercise for the reader.

Tags: April Fool, New Yourke Times, Hoaxes, 22nd Amendment

[logo_design] The New Look of OPB

754 I missed the announcment of this, but like a good campaign, eventually it'll get your attention. And it got mine, particularly that cool billboard...

The OPB identity has been through three changes over the past ten years. The first, was the simple "O"; then next, the letters OPB emanating from what looked like a sliver-crescent moon. This new one is a real standout from the restrained presentation of the past two incarnations.

A truism of rebranding, from my impressions anyway, seems to be that if a company or organization feels they aren't communicating their outlook well or that it just feels dated to someone, it's time to rebrand. As the Quark, Inc fiasco of 2006 and and the NBC embarrassment of the 1978-79 teaches us, sometimes going full-tilt boogie into an identity rethink isn't the best thing to do...and sometimes, you can't be ablsolutely sure.

I imagine that rebranding is a bit like standing on the edge of a swimming pool, blindfolded, wondering if there's any water in it.

The new OPB logo splashes blocks of color and knocks the letterforms out. Compared to the earlier logos, it's not just a freshening up, it's Mardi Gras. Let's take a left turn into the world of logo-talk and find out what it is they're trying to say with it:

The LKP campaign also firmly identifies OPB with Oregon’s unique state of mind, its activism, community involvement and thoughtful opinions,” explained OPB President and CEO Steve Bass.” We are thrilled with the quality and creativity of LKP’s work and look forward to seeing it and hearing about it throughout the region (source: this news item on the Portland Advertising Federation's website)

Of course, what I see are the letters OPB reversed out of three pastellish color blocks, which, if you're taking notes are C77M4Y3K0, C17M4Y64K0, and C55M38Y85K18.

And perforce the need for logo-talk. But I come here not to bury the work, but to praise it; as a lifelong Oregonian, I'm still not sure what the logo's supposed to say about my experience thereupon, but it is a freshening up on the brand, and when viewed in relation to OPB's restrained graphic identity previously, must be viewed as a success; my internalized reaction is one of interest and of admiration. They brought this one up, and it pretty much hits the target.

The agency that did the work, Leopold Ketel & Partners, is responsible for more than one local brand: they count ODS and Kettle Foods amongst thier satisfied clients. Judging by that work, it's not surprising that OPB went with them. Looks like money well spent.

Tags: logo design, Oregon Public Broadcasting, OPB, Leopold Ketel & Partners

[pdx_media] KPOJ's Punctuated Equilibrium

753 Despite the snarkiness of my title, I'm actually quite pleased with the changes at KPOJ. But evolution is a gradual change, and if they want to borrow a term from the biological sciences, then that should be it.

Anyway! I am thrilled to hear that Mike Malloy will be coming back. This is a an upside/downside thing: if Mike were being broadcast live in Portland then he'd be on from 1800 to 2100. But that's okay; Mike's full program on tape delay is about 100% better than no Mike at all (the situation since he was terminated with no warning from AAR last October). For us Mike fans, KPOJ's rather lighthearted, gradual approach to changing the schedule have been a little maddening, but they have well redeemed themselves by making it worth the wait.

One thing I didn't count on was the shifts to the morning sked. Thom Hartmann, already a winner here amongst us lefties, didn't just have a three-hour morning show, he has for quite some time had a synidicated national show. When he came here to Oregon he continued, meaning he was on the mike for 6 hours a day–a marathon, apparently, in radio host terms, and in a market where the brightest local light is Lars Larson, this raises the average IQ of this market's radio output considerably.

They've gone to 6 hours of Thom in the morning, adding his natonal show live from 0900-1200. At first I was a little concerned; while Thom is stunningly intelligent, he gets a bit dry at times. But not to fear; the 0600-0900 block is adding a comic personality who goes by the name of Carl Wolfson. From what little I hear of him, he's quite funny and rather wry, which is right up my street; the dryer the comedy the better (you know, like Dennis Miller before his brains fell out).

I think the biggest takeaway here is given away by KPOJ's adoption of the term "The Flagship" when referring to Thom in general (it occasionally boggles the mind that Thom, with no shortage of fans already, relocated to Portland two years ago from Vermont–he was secure and popular there. Our grass must really be greener). Really, KPOJ, in three short years, has become a legend in the radio industry; first Clear Channel AAR affiliate, possibly the first of all AAR affiliates; it's programming and logo style have served as a template for other progressive stations; quadrupled listenership and kicked Lars's plastic ass with Randi Rhodes (Lars was beaten by a girl!).

But I digress just a little. KPOJ has really carved out a niche for itself as a radio power, and is a strong enough draw (based on the buzz I'm hearing–I'm not a media insider, there's other sites for that action) that I think it can stand on its own as a source of progressive programming regardless of who it affiliates with. KPOJ is big enough that it can become a center in and of itself, and that's the meaning of a Flagship.

I think in the future KPOJ will become more than a flagship for Thom Hartmann. I think it's going to become even more legendary.

Tags: KPOJ, Mike Malloy, liberal talk, progressive talk, Thom Hartmann

[logo_design] A Couple Of Chuckles from The Past

752 Depend on The Register to bring a smile to ones' face.

The info source, with the tagline "Biting the hand that feeds IT", is usually funny and very trenchant. It gave us the BOFH (you know, if you know what that is) series. And occasionally it sweeps up other stuff...such as logo design.

Since I'm rather knackered right now but wanted to post something but didn't have much to say, I'll cut to the chase with two logo-design centered articles which are definitely on wry:

MasterCard International's rebranding from mid-2006.

Quark, Inc's re-rebranding from Q2 2006.

Tags: logo design, rebranding, snark

[design] Adobe CS3 New Feature Resonance: Ripple 1

751 I don't know yet who likes what they've heard about in CS3, but Russell Viers over at the Yabb-adobe-dabba blog likes him some Place cursor previews and some placing Indy files in Indy files.

I've got to admit, those are high on my list, too.

Read his take here.

Tags: Adobe, Creative Suite 3, CS3, InDesign CS3

[logo_design] The Rise And Fall of The Portland Art Museum's Logo

750 Noted in passing was the new Portland Art Museum logo, which see to the right. At the time I noted it caught my attention for its cleverness; embedding the word ART and the interesting breaking up of the word Portland made it interesting to me.

Well, perhaps it's my proletarian upbringing, but it's starting to look like I'm the only person around who admired it at all. Noted here in the art blog PORT, it was roundly disliked as being hard to read and generally non-communicative.

Now, I'm not one to contradict others, but I must say I rather enjoyed the logo. But then, did I enjoy it as a technical exercise or an actual example of a working logo, one which meshes with what it represents and communicates? I think I can see the problems with it. Though the type play is very ingenious. this may be a case of being too clever by half–the logo is all about the gimmick.

Adding insult to the injury is apparently the fact which the logo cost some mumble thousand dollars to develop and create, which really smarts when the final product doesn't exactly go over well.

As noted by other sources, the logo never really even gained a foothold; I too had a hard time finding an adequately-sized logo for my own commentary (I nicked it from Jeff Fisher's bLog-oMotives...you give the word, Jeff, it goes, promise!).

So give it a good look, as it descends to the design and branding purgatory also inhabited by New Coke, the Apple Newton, and QuarkXPress's 2005 logo.

Sic transit gloria logo.

Tags: logo design, portland art museum

[design] From the Home Office in Denver, Here's Quark's Top 10

749 Quark has a new idea up for getting laggarts on board.

One takeaway I've gotten from watching Quark for a long time now is that, since the days of QuarkXPress 4, XPress's biggest competitor has been XPress itself. More specifically, Quark lost a great many fans in the v5 days, which was still Mac OS 9 when InDesign v2, flaws and all, was Mac OS X native. v6 was a more compelling upgrade than 5, but my impression was a lot of the installed base was still using v4.11.

Now, QuarkXPress is in v7, which is, IMHO, a vast improvment for Quark, and with the advent of Quark Interactive Designer, rather exciting.

But Quark still has to contend with one of its biggest competitors–XPress 4, 5, and 6. Note that the current Top 10 campaign is clearly targeted at upgraders.

More thoughts from my at my article at QuarkVsInDesign.com here.

Tags: QuarkXPress V7, QuarkXPress, Quark Inc.

[liff] If Orwell Were Spinning In His Grave, It'd be On CCTV

748 Phil Plait, via the Bad Astronomy blog, takes note of a tender departure:

Irony is dead. The UK killed it: there are 28 CCTV cameras within 200 yards of George Orwell’s house.

From the referenced article, readable online here complete with map:

Use of spy cameras in modern-day Britain is now a chilling mirror image of Orwell's fictional world, created in the post-war Forties in a fourth-floor flat overlooking Canonbury Square in Islington, North London. On the wall outside his former residence - flat number 27B - where Orwell lived until his death in 1950, an historical plaque commemorates the anti-authoritarian author. And within 200 yards of the flat, there are 32 CCTV cameras, scanning every move.

Orwell's view of the tree-filled gardens outside the flat is under 24-hour surveillance from two cameras perched on traffic lights.

The flat's rear windows are constantly viewed from two more security cameras outside a conference centre in Canonbury Place.

In a lane, just off the square, close to Orwell's favourite pub, the Compton Arms, a camera at the rear of a car dealership records every person entering or leaving the pub.

No word on whether or not the Crompton Arms serves gin flavored with cloves.

Tags: George Orwell, 1984, surveillance society, irony

[type] Indents, Hyphenation, Leading, Finding Fonts...

747 Everyone has questions on the titular subjects–especially those thoughtful designerly types who love the "high-end type controls" that modern layout applications obtain.

The fact is that most people introduced to those controls–leading, kerning, &c &c, have so much to adjust now they either spend a lot of time twiddling or almost none. Or, if you're late to type obsession, as aim I, you invariably forget something, and look back at the finished piece and go "gahhh....wish I had that to do over."

Irene Strizver at CreativePro.com gives you a rocket ride around four common things and has good advice served up: Tabs vs Indents (hint: use 1st line indent, not tabs); Hacking Hyphenation; a nifty Auto Lead vs no Auto Lead that'll help you control leading with characters of varying point sizes, and timely tips for font searching.

It's all at CreativePro.com here.

Tags: typography, digital typesettng, CreativePro.com

[design] Extensis: The Quiet Giant Amongst Us

746 I didn't know it when I started studying GD, but one of the big names in creative software lives right here in good old Stumptown.

Extensis is a name familiar to a lot of digital creatives and Mac addicts: its flagship applications have been the Suitcase line, which was one of the first applications I bought for my then-new PowerMac G4, as Suitcase X1.

I no longer have Suitcase X1, in as much the big hard drive crisis wiped it from my drive back in November. I remember enjoying using it, however.

Portland's Extensis seems to be very committed to the Adobe CS3 platform, recently announcing upcoming free font-activation plugins for Suitcase Fusion for Indy CS3 and Illy CS3, which is undoubtedly fine.

I have not had the chance to upgrade to Suitcase Fusion (though I have had the opportunity to review it for Designorati) and I liked what it had to offer.

And they have a cool blog, which I read (soon to be blogrolled). I think it's pretty cool to have a company like that in Portland.

Tags: Extensis, Suitcase Fusion, Suitcase X1, Adobe CS3, Oregon Businesses

[design] Adobe Creative Suite 3: Now It Can Be Told

745 Yes, Creative Suite 3 is announced...and we know what's going to be there. We don't quite exactly know when it'll be officially on sale, and we know it's gonna be sa-weet.

I am, of course thrilled. And it's nice to be able to breathe again–for the past several months, while I've been TE'ing an upcoming book and learning up on CS3, I've been under NDA about these things. However, now me (and some others) can tell the world: I've written already about the CS3 and InCopy/InDesign CS3 here and here and I've got more coming up (I'm particularly excited about Adobe (neé Macromedia) Flash® CS3 Professional).

They say "feature-packed" a lot in the software biz, and I think it's profitable for any regular user to be a little bit jaundiced when that phrase that gets flung about. But Adobe does not use this in vain. At the first "here" link above (or at the end of this link if you don't feel like scrolling back up) at at least 10 reasons why I'm (and I think you) should be excited about CS3, at least the Design Collections.

Almost all of it will run on PowerPC as well as MacIntels; certainly the Design Collections will. You'll need a MacIntel for the Production Collection, but the core apps, InD, InC, PS, Illy, Dreamweaver, Flash, are all Universal Binaries, so live can be equally as sweet for PowerMac and MacIntel users alike.

Altho I think Quark, Inc would do well to take note here. IMHO, it's QuarkXPress catch-up time again.

Tags: Adobe, Creative Suite 3, InDesign CS3, InCopy CS3, Photoshop CS3, Illustrator CS3, Dreamweaver CS3

[liff] Taskfreaking, GTD and Lifehacking

744 I'll admit, I'm not terribly good at 'lifehacking'. Which is a shame; of all the lives I know, mine requires perhaps the most; I could nominate myself as a canonical example of the spirit being willing and the flesh being weak.

As I used to tag this blog with "The only things standing between me and my goals are me...and my goals."

Strictly speaking, I'm expanding a bit on a definition that has spread somewhat since the nomenclature was coined. I have a subjective take on it; over time, I've come on board the definition of the "hacker" as someone who does brilliant undocumented and ad hoc things, and slowly adapted to the thought of its opposite being a "cracker", though the simple unreconstructed term vandal should serve.

I digress in the interest of exposition.

Anyhow, the idea of hacking in the traditional sense (the positive, "elegant and impressive solution to a difficult problem" sense) appeals to me. For various reasons, off-the-shelf solutions are not always that available; moreover it appeals to me in the self-sufficient abstract sense).

All this rambling is coming down to the concept of what I see as discipline. This, to me, is the idea of staying focused on what you are doing that you believe will get your there. Discipline is a worthwhile thing in this wise, and one has a lot of enemies in keeping discipline in.

Illegitimati non carborundum, they say. Noble thought. Trouble is, the illegitimati never give up.

Hacking, discipline, illegitimati non carborundum, all this, and me being actually quite a lazy person...mix it all together and let's see what this woolgathering and thinking out loud has gotten me.

Land of the Lazy

James Blish, in the Cities in Flight saga (more particularly the book Earthman, Come Home) introduces us to the character of Mark Hazleton, the city manager of New York City.

For those who haven't read it, this is Blish at his height, not the Blish of those risible Star Trek script adaptation omnibuses or the bizarre first Star Trek novel, Spock Must Die. The story of the cities in flight was speculative SF at its best, using an imaginary future history to look back on the socioeconomic history of the first third of the 20th Century, when the spindizzy gives humankind supraluminal travel with trivial limitations, and cities become migrant workers amongst the stars. Fleeing a permanently-economically-depressed Earth of the 28th Century, New York City is one of them. Due to the anagathic pharmaceutical ascomycin, people also live hundreds (some more than a thousand) years, as does the mayor of New York, the main character of the 2nd half of the saga. Working under him is Mark Hazelton, a lanky, laid back fellow who has to be eminently successful to rise to the level of city manager in a flying Okie town, who nonetheless Mayor John Amalfi inwardly describes as the kind who takes "lazy man's pains".

That phrase speaks loudly to me. I tend to laziness; it's a fight I fight every day (and lose abound as much as I win). What I do tend to do is try to take care of as much as I can as quickly as I can; that way, when I can be lazy, I've enabled that option.

The benefit of taking lazy man's pains is that you sometimes look quite industrious. Perception is the reality (Oh, my, the secret's out!!!).

While I haven't quite cracked the nut yet, I do realize that any system of instilling discipline for myself that will sustain me and move me on will be one that enables my habit of taking lazy man's pains. I think I've found one method and one tool that may help me keep my focus on things.

Taskfreaking and GTDing

One thing that I was introduced recently to is an FOSS web-based PHP app called TaskFreak!.

TaskFreak!. What a cool name. The exclamation point comes standard with it.

While it's meant to do serious things, it has an irreverent streak in it. That appeals.

To cases, then; TaskFreak! is a an application that allows you to organize what you want to get done along the lines of projects and tasks, attach attributes like contexts and spaces for notes and comments, and have an instantly recognizable status update right on your web-browser window.

It's fun to use. It does require you to have access to a database server such as MySQL (which I've installed on my home machine and the workstation at the design job), and I'm finding MySQL so damn useful I'll be installing it wherever I go from here on out, and I'm digressing again, anyway, as I said, it's fun to use and quite intuitive. I don't have to use all its features in order to get benefits from it.

This dovetails with something I've stumbled on which needs no flogging from me as it's already quite the rage; I imagine that everyone who's likely to read this post probably already knows about it. I just found out about it. It meets me where I live–in the land of the lazy man's pains. that thing, of course, is GTD–Getting Things Done. It's the land of such hugely popular places such as 43Folders.com; Wikipedia, of course, has an entry on it.

Here's where it and TaskFreak! meet me in the Land of the Lazy: Simple, simple, simple. Get it and get it down, don't fuss and fret too much with organization; just get it out of your head and on paper (or onto Taskfreak!, as the case happens to be). Then, do it, delegate it, or defer it. If I can't make of it an action thing, file it for reference, ashcan it, or sit on it until I can handle it.

This is the prefect intersection of motion and comfort zone that I need...at least it sure looks that way.

In the past I've gone gung-ho on personal managment to get myself into the space I've wanted to be, with the concomitant burnout when I run out of gas. This method respects my style; I can get gung-ho, but I dont have to start out that way.

I might be able to do something with this stuff.

Takeaways:

1. Taskfreak!
2. 43 Folders
3. Getting Things Done

Tags: liff, Getting Things Done, 43Folders

[pdx] One More for Norm Thompson

743 Here's another pic of the old Norm Thompson building at NW 18th and Thurman, focussing on the part that the veneer's been removed on, with a better view of the old painted signage:

I adore the hand-done typography; while it's nearly immaculately-executed it is clearly hand done and seems rather proud of that fact. The italic tagline is a delightful bonus.

And here's a photo of NW Thurman Street looking east toward Front Avenue taken at (natch) the same time. I'm including it because I have a big soft spot for the romantic feel of an empty street in a deserted corner of town in the pit of the night:


In the next block up on the left is a cabinet shop, The Thurman Group, and on the right is a machine shop called Premier Gear Works. The area is filling up with upscale development, but they ain't driven out the real folks...not quite yet.

The time was 0430 approximately on 11 March 2007

Tags: Portland Photos, NW Thurman St

[pdx] Remembering Norm Thompson

742 NW 18th and Thurman, about 0430 today:


This is what's becoming of the old Norm Thompson flagship store–some of the veneer gone to give a glimpse, and a reminder of what was a good old local company.

No word on who or what, if anyone or anything, is going to happen here.

Tags: Portland Photos, Norm Thompson

[liff] Happy DST!

741 I had nearly forgotten about that, you see.

I have a Palm Tungsten E. It gives me much pleasure; and needed to be updated. If you have a Palm object it may need updating; go to this page here and peruse the requirements. It's small and quick to install.

If you have Mac OS X 10.4.5 or better, or the most updated Win, your computer should already be one with the ylem.

I hate DST, just to be on the record about it. Perennial third-shift worker. Personal problem, but still.

Tags: daylight savings time, DST, Palm OS

[liff] It's A Sign of the Times

740 Found at Powell's Hawthorne on the POS rack:


From the left: Scooter, Rove, Veep, Hammer.

Note that it's already 25% correct. And, sure, I found it at Powell's, but my experience has been that today, you'll find it at Powells, tomorrow, the rack at the 7-Eleven store.

The back reads "Eat them with conviction".

Available at your local Godless liberal agitprop outlet or The Unemployed Philosophers Guild.

Interesting times.

Tags: political satire

[design] Developing Supporting Materials: Virtual and Real

739 There's just no doubt about it...it's time to amp up the self-promotion by establishing my own website and refreshing my identity.

The word identity to a print designer means one thing generally–the brand. In this case, it's Brand Sam™.

As far as the identity goes, I'll be developing a business system–that is, a coordinated letterhead, business card, envelope system. This will share tangible design elements such as logo, type, and colors, and intangible ones as well, such as color, relationships, and attitudes of the elements I do use, all of which will thematically bind the group together. This is what makes it a system.

The website I'll take a more gradual approach to. Right now I'm evaluating providers. I'm familiar and have had experience with Lunarpages, which seems to have a wide range of services available at a wide range of price points. I've heard both good and bad about Lunarpages, but so far the good is ahead of the bad.

I'll be most interested in a hosting service that can give me a easy start and grow with me, with a history of stable pricing.

That's not to say that Raindrop Laboratories (the best damn ISP in the world, word to Alan Batie) isn't a good solution for the small-timer, which level I'm trying to graduate from...it sure is, and Alan also offers hosting plans, which I'll be evaluating as well.

Tags: Samuel John Klein, design, design websites, designer self-promotion, identity systems

[pdx] Portland Skyline From Sellwood Park Dock

738
The Portland skyline from the end of the dock in Sellwood Park on the first clement day of the year. The new condo towers in Rich Person City make an interesting new dent in the profile. Obscuring the right end of downtown is the south end of Ross Island; OHSU is at the top of the hill on the right, of course.

This was where me and The Wife™ went to enjoy the sunshine and our new art supplies from I've Been Framed.

Tags: pdx, Portland photos

[bloggage] Slight Uptick in Visitors...

737 They must be rerunning last year's Hell's Kitchen in Canada, he noted to himself bittersweetly.

[art] Site To See: EmptyEasel.com

736 I stumbled on this one when I was Googling Bob Ross (don't ask why–it was an impulse), and there was a highly pithy commentary on why Ross Method ain't necessarily all that. I found that me and he agreed on quite a bit as far as The Bob went.

Since that first post I've exchanged at least one email with the webster (Dan by name) and traded links. EmptyEasel is well thought out and intriguing, with an article-a-day sort of thing, something about art, about making art, about inspiration–if it has to do with art, Dan will write about it, and it's clear he knows his stuff.

We suggest anyone interested in art–addicts to tyros–give it a visit. We do.

That's emptyeasel.com. Accept no substitutes.

Tags: art, art tutorials, art instruction, art commentary, pacific NW artists

[art] Art Supplies–Cheap!

735 Yes, it's the eternal question–art materials or booze?

No, no, it's not the eternal question. Skip that. Sorry.

Anyhow, on Monday me and The Wife™ were able to visit a store we particularly love–I've Been Framed, at 4950 SE Foster Rd. Being right at the crook of Foster and Powell, parking requires a bit of planning, but it's worth the effort.

I've Been Framed does a big business in art framing, but that's only the half of it. They have the most worthwhile selection of cheaply-priced art materials we know of. This is just the place for the dabbler or the new artist who wants to dip their toe (so to speak) in oils or watercolors but don't want to sell the farm just to try it out (art materials, remember, can get 'spensive real quick).

They have closeouts on oil colors, water colors, acrylic paints, little starter kits, canvases and papers at amazingly good prices. This last time, me and The Wife™ walked out with two high-quality sketchbooks, one little Moleskine-knockoff book, an armful of colors and pastels, and blew less than $60 for it.

The catch is that they buy the clearance stocks of various places that are going out of business and lots that people are trying to get rid of, so the stocks are not going to be 100% consisten from day to day. But if you're looking for an art supply, and you happen to be in that area, we've found enough pleasant surprises that it's always worth a look.

Tags: art supplies, bargain art supplies, I've Been Framed

[design] Adobe Creative Suite 3: Contact Imminent

734 It's apparently official; Adobe Creative Suite 3 is now just around the corner, with the official announcement date mooted at 27 March 2007 with a release/ship date apparently soon to follow. According to an announcement posted at the site Beta News, an analyst at Merrill Lynch spilled the beans about days and what in general we might expect.

But that's all Adobe's telling us about form and function up to now. I'd say that the best way to get a look at what CS3 will probably look like is for those lucky Adobe users who've downloaded the Photoshop CS3 Standard public beta to fire it up and run it.

Creative Suite 3 is apparently going to be a Universal Binary as well, meaning it will run on both PowerMacs and MacIntels, and a rocket ride around what the tech analysts are saying strongly suggests that the combination of CS3 and Leopard is going to make Apple a very very profitable place to be in the coming months.

I find myself wondering if this will be a perfect storm for Quark. QuarkXPress 7 is much improved from QXP 6.x, but if CS3 is slick enough, Quark will still find itself in the catch-up position.

If I were them, I'd be kinda worried.

Tags: Adobe, Creative Suite 3, CS3, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver

[netlife] Photoshop Is Coming To the Web

733 Photoshop...the staple of respectable graphic designers, image manipulators, Farkers, and visual arts malcontents everywhere, as a web-based application?

It's going to happen, according to Bruce Chizen. As I mentioned in this news bit on Designorati yesterday (which links to the CNet News.com article it sources) he's apparently said that it's due live and online sometime in the next three-six months.

And that's not all...the hosted version of PS is supposed to be free, supported by ad revenue. Adobe doesn't seem to be doing this to move away from coming out with shrinkwrapped versions (Creative Suite 3 is coming and it is massive, yo) but to compete with hosted offerings by Google (Picasa) and Microsoft (whatever it is they are doing). This is part of the battle for the Web.

The hosted version of PS is not going to be feature-complete; rather, it is said it will have whast is essentially a subset of PS functionality, presumably appropriate to the Web interface and efficiently deliverable over a web connection. For instance, I don't see PS for the Web as having too many layers (could be wrong there, Adobe's magic) or advanced features like alpha channels. But we'll see.

Tags: Netlife, Adobe, Photoshop, Web Applications