A light hearted rant web 2.0 eye candy yada yada yada
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First off let me say that this is being written in the most light hearted manner I can muster and it is meant in the manner
Second, it is hard to believe it is me writing it, since I am as big a fool as anyone for the latest greatest web visual effect and tool.
But…….
Has all the fun things we can do on websites lead us away from the purer aspects of design and layout. I mean I can hardly wait for the next installment of great Rocket Theme templates to hit and see what I can do with it.
Andy continues to amaze us with a new eye popper every month, and for that reason we are loyal followers of his.
But this problem of js libraries, gizmos and gadgets run amok seems to be reaching the problematic point. This is not just a Rocket Theme problem by the way. Just look at the extensions hitting the extensions directory. For every one good addition there are 40 conflicts with some other fun thing you want to add. This library conflicts with that one and so on and so forth.
I guess this is sort of like the format wars in HD. All these libraries and software developers vying to emerge as the adopted leader. Currently the hot one is mootools. And if you look at their site it seems to be a good choice. But even a solid support of one library such as mootools presents problems. Editors stop working in the front end for example.
Currently I am working on a project with a gutted sporticus template. I took all the java script out and then started adding back what I could find that would work together. Still I have found myself spending more time in debugging javascript conflicts than I have illustrating and designing the graphics and color pallet. Something does not seem right there.
I am not sure what the answer is, maybe there isn’t one until things mature. Still I long for simpler times. Load up the components, modules and features you need. 20% of the work thanks to Joomla. Then do what I love best. Designing a visually pleasing web site.
Again this was just a light hearted rant. I am sure there are lots of people who disagree. I respect that opinion, and was not trying to start a flame war or anything. Some fun discussion might be cool though.
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- GollumX
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- joomla 1.5 will have native support for mootools, so i'd expect developers will have to watch that in future. it should reduce the conflicts as everyone will start using mootools.
- Last Edit: 17 years 10 months ago by GollumX.
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I could be wrong here, but isnt mootools behind many popular editors not working in the front end of joomla?
wysiwygpro, JCE and FCK all crash in the last few templates on the front end.
Still your correct, a single library adoption will make it better. mootools seems to do almost anything you want it to.
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- James Spencer
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JCE uses jquery.
This is just the way with web design, you are going to spend hours on javascript or hours on design or weeks on IE, either way, you are going to spend hours on something ;D
Nothing is ever going to fully compatible with everything else such as different javascript librarires being used. Even in a single library, there are updates such as mootoolsv1 to mootoolsv1.11 so then these would cause conflicts. It is just the nature of the web.
Luckily there are a lot of work around and fixes
- James Spencer / Developer & Support / Hull, UK
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- SureLurksalot
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"no comment"
Sometimes no comment is more incriminating than any comment.....
In a lighthearted manner I would tend to agree with the author of this post:
Too much scripting is just that: too much.
I do like the concept of this months eye popping template release. I am sure there will be some future posts where some poor template junkies have replaced the background image with one of their own not optimized for the web images causing a super slow loading template (if there isn't a post like that yet, there will be) Now combine that with a few conflicting libraries and I am sure we'll see a glutton of posts about why won't component x work with module y...and how come my site loads so slow now.... - Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
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- GollumX
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Thats why it's such a great thing that RT is a club and there are heaps and heaps of templates to choose from.
I probably won't use this months template because I don't have a use for it... but I envy the person who can. Hmmmm... maybe i'll build a site for the template lol. Just have to think up a good subject to go with the template... music, movies, harry potter, LOTR, a social networking community site with CB. hmm.. - Say no to Internet Explorer 6.
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- Adam Jacobi
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Great conversation on a relevant topic! When I think back to my university course on the principles of design, I can help but to think of the cardinal rule of restraint. As my professor would say, "when in doubt, don't." In other words, any time a new technological bell or whistle is available, is the feature something that can truly serve a purpose, or is it simply gratuitous.
On a positive note, remember those awful animated images that would flash, twirl and attempt to grab site visitors' attention -- while in reality, delivering more seizures than advertising results? (Okay, a little tongue-in-cheek sarcasm there; I couldn't resist). Well, animated gifs have been largely discarded by the masses, and I think once these so-called "Web 2.0"/JS/Ajax technologies settle in, we will find "mature" uses for them, and they will serve a more utilitarian, transparent purpose.
In the meanwhile, I applaud our RT crew for balancing the "cutting-edge" of technology without sacrificing tasteful, elegant and utilitarian design. At the end of the day, that's what fuels my "addiction" to these templates, and it's always exciting to see what audience Andy & Co. have in mind with their newest template. - RocketTheme customer since 2005. | Portfolio of sites .
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Adam Jacobi wrote:
In the meanwhile, I applaud our RT crew for balancing the "cutting-edge" of technology without sacrificing tasteful, elegant and utilitarian design. At the end of the day, that's what fuels my "addiction" to these templates, and it's always exciting to see what audience Andy & Co. have in mind with their newest template.
You are getting the gist of my post. It wasnt to judge the latest template or rocket theme. I doubt if any of us would want to change Andy's approach it is second to none in my opinion.
I am sort of disappointed in the, "if you dont like it dont use it" approach. That is not what I was hoping to hear. More over just a general conversation on the state of things.
I think it is an interesting topic, just for light hearted discussion.
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- Daniel Chapman
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I was hoping for more discussion.
The statement is correct, tons of templates and choices. That was never the reason for the post.
It appears that I may have bothered some by the attempt though
my apologies,
I will let it go.
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