What I specially loved about this is not the image itself but the message in the sentence that reads:

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, it’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration, it’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

In layman’s terms a pure flash website is generally more expensive because it’s (1)fancy - its “animated” and its moving as opposed to just getting presented with content in html, and the second is that it’s (2)engaging and more “interactive” as it forces the user to interact with the page rather than to just scroll up and down browsing through the pages of the website, and of course because it’s (3)harder to build. Of course, these factors are true only if the concept and the design are to be executed properly.

As a designer, these factors apply to a certain extent, but that’s probably not how we would explain it though(it’s just easier to say, especially to people who have no experience whatsoever in the actual design process). Given the opportunity to be more in-depth about the it, I’d probably say because (1)A flash website requires careful planning, (2)Functionality is a must, and (3)Flash requires creativity and logic to run smoothly.

Requires Careful Planning. A carefully planned flash website means that it is and should be flexible. Because flash is naturally harder to maintain than plain text(html), the design should not resist change - because if it does, then the design will pretty much not last for a long time, leaving the developer more problems (and a ton of headache) in the future.

Functionality is a Must. Animations are a good way to get attention, but, it must always be done with a reason. Most designers will do it for the sake of having motion in the site (and of course because that’s what the client wants), but mind you, always animate with a purpose ~ only get attention where attention IS needed (not as much as possible ).

Logic and Creativity. This is the main reason why a full flash website usually takes longer to build, because in flash, your not just designing a “fancy” interface but also Thinking, HOW, WHY, and WHEN to get the viewers’ attention ~ which requires a lot of logic in the part of the designer.

Conclusion. Planning is the most important part in designing a flash website, a lot of thinking process that you don’t actually see but rather feel in the application. A flash website is only powerful when it is carefully planned and well executed. Part of the planning process is timing, animating, and of course design and development, and if it should lack even just one of these four prerequisites then it makes it a lot less effective than it should.

So the next time you can’t explain to a client why his flash site is taking so long to build…. the right answer is always: “Please be patient about your flash website as it requires more thought compared to a static html layout.” And if all else fail, then I think your just better off doing what he asks you to do… since the customer is always right ~ Right?!?? ~ Or Are They Really?!??

Sony PS3 sure got its hands full now that it has lost exclusivity to one of the more popular fighting games around as Tekken 6 will also be available in Xbox 360. Quick Fact: Sony has had exclusivity of the Tekken game for 14 years now (has it been really that long?!?) Microsoft sure knows how to get what it wants now don’t they?? ~ Now this p*sses a lot of hardcore Playstation Fanatics out there…. I wonder what Sony will do now?? Given that Xbox already has the upper-hand in online gaming.

All right, so based on the Adobe Flash CS4 preview, I’d say the Adobe team has given the power back to the designers on this one…… as actionscript 3 (object-oriented concepts) is too far-fetched for designers to understand, which is why even with the option of AS2 in Flash CS3, it seemed weak compared to what programmers can do with the software using AS3, not to mention, with so much less effort….

In CS4, animating in 3D has already been made possible… and if you’ve ever used a 3D software before (to animate) I bet you’d be familiar with IK handles, yep that’s right, inverse kinematics is now made available through flash animation…. as of now, just take my word for it or go through google looking for adobe flash previews for CS4 and you’ll see what I mean….. Anyway, the point here is that its good to see that we (designers) can now gain back the power that we used to have before the CS version of flash was set to stage, as easing, tweening and all the powerful stuff accessible to classes can now be simulated through design view in CS4… although it doesn’t mean that there are no limits to it, it’s just that the value of design and code has once again been balanced in this new and upcoming version….

Bottom-line is that I can’t wait to get my hands on testing this new version of flash…….. even just the trial version for starters…

Great Work FHM!!!

MILF! MILF! MILF!

So why do I say this?!? - Well, for starters I feel like he thinks that I’m gunning for his position……. anyway, if I assumed correctly, (wow its not a logical if statement, i actually typed this just now) then I guess you leave me no choice but to say two words….. the first word begins with an F and the second one ends with a U. . . . . you can read between the lines right??

I can give a thousand and one reasons why I should try and do that but I’d rather give three reasons why I won’t… (coz it’s much shorter this way )

1. It’s Just Wrong. Like Respect, things like this should be Earned, Neither Taken, Nor Given.
2. I’m Anti-Social. Having to dealing with people just gives me stress.. I’d rather sit quietly and just do my job not minding anyone if at all possible
3. I Don’t Qualify for the Job. I’m not cut out for it.. I’m not exactly the person that everybody loves, though I would definitely admit to being the person everybody loves to hate - if you hadn’t noticed it yet… ( You Moron!! hehehe )

Guess that’s it then…. if I’m wrong then I can always apologize anyway… but this is where I stand and this is where I draw the line. I really hope you can read this, so I wouldn’t have to explain it all over, coz I’ve never really been good with words - being the “People Person” that I am, although the chances of that happening are as good as the sun blowing up ( hey they said that’s gonna happen didn’t they?!? ), anyway, I guess this means I have to prepare a speech???! hehehe that is if I don’t get preoccupied with my work and start forgetting stuff in the morning again - which has the same probability as the sun rising everyday.

Oh well, I’m not the type to dwell on these things anyway….. I’ve got lots of better (more productive) things to do in my life than to worry about petty assumptions and bad people relations…….. Although sometimes I really do wonder ….. From what planet did I came from anyway?!? xoxo

I think my brain officially died today, October 4, 2008, 9:34pm.

Diagnosis:

1. Too Much Coding For a Day
2. Stay Clear of Action Script
3. XML is just a text file, but using it to load information can kill your brain
4. Lack of Coffee in my System (I can use the extra mileage)
5. If you are a Designer, Stick with Design

As much as this day is frustrating trying to figure out how to work this dynamic xml gallery, i just don’t seem to wanna give up….. i guess I’m just really, really stupid - well either that or I like the challenge, hope it’s the latter really…..

Well, i have good reason not to want to quit, two years ago i was using obsolete Action Script 1 syntax… onRollOver { //code } <- like this one, placed on buttons and did not even dream of editing complex functions let alone write it on my own, I never really saw why I should - as I never really intended to look at codes in the first place. But now, looking at classes, it doesn’t seem to be as impossible as it was way before (even if I’m still so very very very very far (light years far) from learning/understanding the Object Model). That’s why even if I know I can’t do it, even if I know I can just download some open source codes from the net, I still want to try and build it the way my brain comprehends it for the simple reason that my brain tends to learn that way (don’t know why but it really is a pain like this) and I really, really, really really want to learn this language……

To be honest, initially, i was forced to watch it but a few episodes and I guess you could say that I was hooked….. took it as a blessing in disguise though, as those were the days that I needed a push, a shove, or even a kick to the head just to wake the hell up and start working harder

Well I’m in the IT industry, web design to be more specific, and common grounds (especially in the Philippines) in my field is being underpaid for the type of work that we do. To be honest, I still believe that I’m very very underpaid, but you won’t hear a word of complain from my end - and let me tell you why…

It’s just friggin’ sad that I had to learn this from a Japanese TV Series which is about Cooking - quite pathetic actually , anyway, to cut a long story short, it’s about Achieving Goals and reaching for your Dreams…. we all have dreams, we all have goals, and we all have ambitions…. and what we would typically hear is that if we work hard enought then our dreams would all come true, in a fairy tale that is - as this is not so true in real life…. and like most people, I have my own goals and dreams, I also have a measure of what I’m worth as well (believe me, that measure is ridiculously high as I believe my skills to be at par with international standards *arrogant *arrogant :D). But just one line, from one scene would change it all…… Let me remind you again that the story revolves around Cooking…… for the Last (hopefully) friggin’ time!!!

Anyway, it’s very simple and straightforward really, it goes like this: “Those Who Can’t Concentrate on the Work That’s In Front of Them, Have No Right to Talk About Their Dreams.”

And that was it for me…. it’s a simple line that for me said, Would You Just Stop Complaining and Just Do Your Job?!? We tend to talk about goals and dreams and how we want to be somebody and how we plan to make it big in this world, but a very simple task as being productive in our current work (no matter what it is) we can’t even do right, and yet we expect to achieve our dreams?!??! - WELL GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

To be more specific, this post is actually a follow-up on my previous post entitled “Work Hard Play Hard” as I don’t believe a single post is good enough insight on topics as complex as Culture, or Attitude.

Watching that show really gave me a good insight on why these people (Japanese) act the way they do…. it’s not that they all love their jobs, but rather they see what they do now as means of getting closer to their dreams…. so they always do their best no matter the situation. Which is why it’s easy to see why Japan is easily one of the richest countries in the world…. and the Philippines one of the poorest………. if only we can have even just HALF of their Dedication and Attitude towards work….. we won’t be in the situation that we are now….. pathetic…. that’s all there is to say… (on top of the words disgust, frustration, pity and a whold lot more )

If the Japs can do it, why can’t we??? - If We Put Our Minds To It, We Can Achieve Anything………………………..

For most cultures, having a life simply means having fun… but i guess having fun is different for everyone right?? Some of us may enjoy playing video games, some may prefer to read books, while some would find fun in social gathering activities where more people means more fun.

So which is which for the Japanese?!? To be honest, I really wouldn’t know…. it’s hard enough to live as human beings and we even make life more complicated by stereotyping people and cultures as well… Although, the thing about the Japanese culture that makes it stand out so much is their “Work Hard, Play Hard” attitude - an attitude that branded them as people who doesn’t know how to have fun (for the narrow minded that is…) I guess it just seems to me that they “Enjoy” anything that they do… to a point that they tend to execute things to perfection - and quoting from The Last Samurai : “They Dedicate Their Lives to What They Do.”, which is why it’s easy to see why these guys are so good at what they do… there’s just no room for mediocrity… in anything that they do.

So what’s fun about work then??? Hell How Would I know?!?! ASK THEM!!! it’s their culture?!? DUH!!!

But seriously though, finding fun at work is different for everybody, we just have to be more open-minded about it…. Some would say that if my boss and my co-workers are “fun people” then I’ll definitely have fun at work, some would say that if my Job is not too difficult then I’d have fun at work, well I can give a thousand different reasons why people would say that work is fun - but I simply won’t do that, because the bottom-line is that the concept of FUN is simply different for everyone - and the best way to deal with this is to always keep in mind this simple phrase: “To Each His Own.” Or as we put it in the Filipino tongue: “Walang Pakelamanan!”

So what’s new?!? AS3 is new that’s what…. well technically it’s a 2006 technology, or was it earlier…??? who knows… it’s almost a thing of the past anyway with how technology moves forward, but hey, ActionScript 3 was never meant for designers, and the last time I checked, the title of this blog says: “DESIGNER’S Dilemma”, with a capital D-E-S-I-G-N….

So I guess it’s a maelstone achievement for me to be able to understand the language…. although i still find it hard to work with the object model’s class types, much more create my own classes… I’m in no rush though, and am planning to take it one step at a time….. as I have always done when it comes to programming…

Oh and one more thing, this month I learned asp syntax as well… nothing new with the logic and other conditional statements, but i guess for just two months, I have been very very productive in terms of adding up on my things to learn library… not that I really do have one….