I just had a crazy idea, which might be a bit of fun for the CSS guys and gals out there.
First off, has everyone should check out this site... CSS Zen Garden. It's basically a great showcase for what CSS is good for. One page of HTML markup that can have an infinite amount of layouts thanks to CSS.
After reading through the posts in this forum, I thought it might be a nice idea to come up with some simple markup and get a couple of people creating different CSS layouts for it, maybe it wouldn't work the same way as ping pong, but more with a single .html and then everyone having a shot at making it look different with their own .css.
Just a thought, but what does everyone else think about this? Is it worth the effort, are people interested in this?
From: Somewhere over the rainbow Insane since: Mar 2001
posted 05-25-2004 11:39
The poster has demanded we remove all his contributions, less he takes legal action.
We have done so.
Now Tyberius Prime expects him to start complaining that we removed his 'free speech' since this message will replace all of his posts, past and future.
Don't follow his example - seek real life help first.
Blaise: Yep its a good idea - I'm sure I mentioned something along these lines at some point (either here on at the GN - although I'll be damned if I can find anything so........) and it would certainly get people invovled and interested and give them a good test bed for playing around with things. So get the ball rolling
From: Rochester, New York, USA Insane since: May 2000
posted 05-25-2004 18:11
I am up for this.
I would even be up for hosting it if it wanted to get more complex, with people being able to submit the CSS file to link against, and then giving them a unique code for their CSS file to display the content.
If you want my assistance in any way send me an email dan @ my domain. Since I have problems with pill colors I miss a whole lot of useful threads.
WM: If you fancy it we could host it at the GN and plug into the user accounts over there or I think TP is working on a way to access the Asylum's user authentication.
From: Rochester, New York, USA Insane since: May 2000
posted 05-26-2004 05:55
Emps: If the GN is offering. I need to get down and edit my regex tutorial now that you mention it. I have it sitting at 6 pages. Now I am done being way off topic.
Jstah & ozphactor: the more support the better.
Blaise: Just waiting on you to place you stamp of approval and give the next round of directions towards kicking this off.
How do you want to go about doing this Blaise? We could attempt to make a 'pong' out of it by passing the file back and forth between members like PS Pong but maybe it would be best to do something like CSS Zen Garden where someone creates an initial HTML document and we each create our own style sheets.
I think turning it into a competition could be a fun idea. Perhaps someone can create the HTML file and then two people compete in adding their own styles, graphics, etc in an attempt to create a better website then their opponents. Then either the forum at large or the creator of the file can vote on a winner. I think it'd be a lot of fun. Any thoughts?
Well I'm thinking that the pong idea here may not really work, but competition or comparison is good.
I guess we'd have to put a limit on size, (are images allowed to be included/added?).
What about the HTML page? The CSS Zen Garden has a whole load of information about what its aim is; are we just going to have mock-ups of a homepage or something similar, perhaps that depends on the theme, like homepage, forum, gallery, etc.
[off-topic]WM I get problems with pill colour too (I assume you're talking about the red and yellow pills in the forum) what's that all about?[/off-topic]
So a little more thought and planning needs to go into this, but it's almost there.
From: Rochester, New York, USA Insane since: May 2000
posted 05-26-2004 17:06
And another one has a problem. I have been looking into the pill color problem for nearly a month now, and I can't actually figure out what the hell is causing it.
If this project is really going to go as a project I think that we might want to make some kind of powerful administrative interface which allows for people to automatically add their files, and have them linked against. If someone has to moderate this at all times then it is not going to go very far.
I would say you have a limit of 3 to 5 images with a total size of no more than 50k with a limit of 10k for the CSS file. So that each entry would be at most 60k. Disk space is cheap, it the the bandwidth and CPU cycles that gets expensive.
The HTML page should contain information about the project. I think it would need a menu and area which lists recent entries, the ability to switch between styles. The page should also be coded in XHTML using standard structural design practices, i.e. don't add hooks where they are not needed. This makes sure that there is a whole lot which the CSS sheet has to cover, and it also makes the project pretty much stand alone.
If you think this is the way you want to work this let me know, I can come up with a basic Admin Interface, which would need to be modified and audited of but would get the job done.
If we want to do a more contemporary each individual hosts their own, we could create a page that allows you to link against offsite styles by entering a URL, either method would work. The later would require less effort on our part, but might not lead to as functional a site.
quote:Jestah said: ...maybe it would be best to do something like CSS Zen Garden where someone creates an initial HTML document and we each create our own style sheets.
I think turning it into a competition could be a fun idea. Perhaps someone can create the HTML file and then two people compete in adding their own styles, graphics, etc in an attempt to create a better website then their opponents. Then either the forum at large or the creator of the file can vote on a winner. I think it'd be a lot of fun. Any thoughts?
I agree Jestah, I like the idea of a CSSZG type competition. Hell, would it be considered theft of an idea if we were to have an ongoing competition and began a new website to show off the designs? Then, each month, or every other month we could have a topic, much like we do with the sigs. One month could be flowers, tech, etc... The winner, or winners (who says there can only be one) would then have their design added to the site.
Whatever the outcome and decided format, count me in. Sounds like fun.
Sounds like everybody's already put their two cents in, but I just wanted to say that I would enjoy spectating at a game such as this and perhaps messing around with the HTML in the privacy of my own home (I'm certainly not good enough at CSS to join in with you guys, but I just need more practice basically).
Also, I wonder if it would be cool to have the base html to be some sort of theme, so it brings a design aspect into the competition? I think it would be cool, but I also realize that some of the beauty of the PS Pong games are the basic lack of rules or guidelines.
One more thing, I think it might be nice to keep things 'simple' The CSS Zen Garden is beautiful, it has CSS created by graphic artists,
quote:Graphic artists only please.
I don't think that our project needs to be so perfect.
like was said earlier by Emperor (sort of), it should be a nice friendly thing that people can play with and learn from even with very little CSS knowledge, yet with the same XHTML they can see what can really be done by a CSS guru's stylesheet.
So the templates need to be flexible, yet simple.
I agree with the size restrictions WarMage, sounds good to me.
quote:like was said earlier by Emperor (sort of), it should be a nice friendly thing that people can play with and learn from even with very little CSS knowledge, yet with the same XHTML they can see what can really be done by a CSS guru's stylesheet.
Wouldn't a fierce competition to the death be much more fun then a nice friendly thing? Just my $.02.
In addition to the Pong style of competition, you could have something more along the lines of the monthly signature contests in which one website is chosen to be restyled with CSS.
From: Rochester, New York, USA Insane since: May 2000
posted 05-30-2004 03:25
I have been out of touch the last couple of days, and will be for another couple. I would like to get the ball rolling on this, so... I think we need a few things to happen.
1) All those who are willing to donate time, come in a put down how much time per week and what skills you have.
2) Blaise if you could do a basic write up of the goals you want to reach with this project and how you want to reach them please do. Please do this in HTML format. We can then post this online as the first outline for the project goals.
3) Emps, if you could get some specifics on the hosting at the GN for this that would be great. How would we handle uploads of pages for this? So if we can get those issues ironed out in the next 3 days that would allow us to get moving by at the lastes next week.
warmage: ok, so lets get thins rolling.....
i personally would love to contribute. i think some of my skills are known, but in general, there are my sites over at thespacebetweenus.com and lonesomeend.com
(shouldnt we open an extra thread for contributers?)
i am also ready to offer several hours a week.....so i would be open for all that.
and about the hosting....i would also be ready to host the whole project. i have a few hundred mbs ready over on dreamhost.
WM: And as you would need image uploading you could then create a folder with ID of the sheet '/css_pong/graphics/4/' and upload the images there.
You could also let people assign a 'code' (like 'sunset') so they could make sure the links worked before adding the stylesheet, i.e. they'd go to '/css_pong/graphics/sunset/' or just assing them one like '/css_pong/graphics/warmage_3/'.
Ok, I'll get onto writing up a little list of the goals that this project should achieve. If anyone wants to lend some advice on this then please do.
I reckon I can spend a few hours a week on this, maybe a little bit more, things are pretty busy with me at the moment, but I'll at least be consitent.
From: Rochester, New York, USA Insane since: May 2000
posted 06-01-2004 16:18
I am still internet impared, and using public keosks for my internet needs. I am glad this is moving forward. Hope to see your list soon, also don't worry too too much about formatting and all that it is just a rough draft type thing, and as we spend more time on it I am sure it will get changed and modified.
I think you listed some of the key points yourself
- Not for just graphic artists
- Provide a tool for people to use who wish to learn how to program using CSS and XHTML while working along side those with a large knowledge base.
etc, etc, I think you have this on lock.
<edit>I just looked at the zen garden, it should be discussed whether we want to add a whole lot of unnecessary hooks to the structure, or if we want to code the administrative side of things to allow for multiple different structures.
I am also concerned with the idea of linking the url to the database. I can see URLs of http://site.com/%20;DROP%20*%20FROM%20*/ or something else like that. If you know how to stop this type of abuse let me know, I was just thinking on this the other day and it scared me a little.</edit>
OK I've managed a quick chat with WM about practical details and we think it might be a good ida to host it over at the GN so I've bumped the thread over there:
we alreay have various things over there that can speed up development. However, we are still waiting to hear from Blaise on the actual broader setup (but no rush there)
posted 05-25-2004 11:08
