Everything is going pretty well here this week, with the exception of my actual academic work, the schedule of which continues to slide forward as I keep finding far more compelling things to do instead. But it's been a good week.
Since I'm now officially unemployed and penniless, I've been looking for work. But I've also been trying to figure out ways to earn some pocket money in the meantime, or in my spare time even when I find employment. Even I, with my worse-than-nonexistent business acumen, can tell that some of these wacky plans have zero chance of netting me even a penny, but some of them Just Might Work™. Obviously, I'll write more about this in the future.
Next week I intend to write one of those long, tutorial-style entries, entitled something like "Transparent PNGs and why Internet Explorer needn't stop you from using them". (Only a lot punchier, hopefully.) I was amazed at the results that can be achieved today using PNGs with a full alpha channel, and there are only a few hoops to jump through before you can get your page rendering acceptably in IE, and fantastically well in every other significant browser under the sun. If you're willing to accept that the dominant browser will give you reduced but controllable behaviour when it comes to transparent PNGs, you can do some incredible things. And it's not just for show -- this can simplify graphical overlays considerably, reducing complexity, file sizes, and headaches. Look for the tutorial sometime next week, if all goes to plan.
Oh, crud. This was a totally dull and pointless entry, wasn't it. I hate those. I'm going to post it now before I decide to delete it out of frustration.