Upgrade Your Browser. Save a Developer.

One of my tasks in the creation of websites is HTML/CSS development. It plays an important part in the process of design integration before the development in dynamic language. This part of the development involves an essential and boring step: giving the website cross browser-compatibility, especially with Internet Explorer 6 and earlier!

Google decided in the last couple of months to stop supporting Internet Explorer 6 in their applications such as Youtube, Gmail and Google Docs.

In spite of the fact that some developers have decided to no longer optimize their websites for versions previous to IE7, Aasman continues to support IE6 to keep information accessibility open to everybody. A small number of internet users still use IE6, particularly in companies where the network is managed by a CIO (Chief Information Officer), who often disables the automatic updates of windows.

You can find some good reasons to stop using IE6 on this website : http://www.browserupgrade.info/ie6/

You can also add the fact that optimizing your websites for old browsers takes us time and costs you more money...

If you are still using Internet Explorer 6, we recommend trying some other popular Internet browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Safari to get the best possible experience, or to upgrade your browser to a newer version. The current IE version is Internet Explorer 8 and the upgrade is free.

Fabulous February Finds

Who doesn't like a list of cool websites? It's one of my favourite sections of magazines and blogs. I was never one to be the dead-end of a chain-letter and would like to share with you a collection of Fabulous February Finds – a mix of beautiful illustrations, niche design history, and valuable resources.

1. Olaf Hajek (www.olafhajek.com) is a prolific German illustrator with a impressive list of clients. His hand-painted work is textured and vivid, incorporating fluid shapes, layers of multicoloured dry-brushing, and detailed references to nature that leave my spirit satiated with inspiration.

Here's an interview with him about his book "Flowerhead".

2. www.propagandaonline.info is a historical survey of government issued posters in China and written descriptions of their context. The website itself is worth a visit for its witty navigational transitions. Select a decade, and a topic like behaviour, hygiene, safety, or politics, look at the posters and read about what they meant at the time.

3. I'm not even sure how to begin describing what this next site does, but if you love information, comparing global statistics, and you're a visual learner, this site is for you. Plot in your desired factors and track the information across a chosen time-line, geographical location, demographic of your choice, etc, and use the information as you will.

www.gapminder.org

4. While working on a Haiti Fundraising project with aasman I stumbled across this useful site.

Ever wonder what pantone colour your territorial flag is? Or the country you're designing for? It's not that easy to find out…unless you're looking for a Caribbean Flag, in which case you simple go here and they are all listed alphabetically. If only there was a global one.

http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp

5. Art, theatre, music, and photography all wrapped up in one amazing 3-D panorama experience by photographer Sam Rohn.

The Chelsea Hotel in New York is an iconic building that's housed the likes of Leonard Cohen, Mark Twain, Dylan Thomas, Allen Ginsberg, Sid Vicous, Diego Rivera, Rufus Wainwright… and on, and on… since the late 1800s when it was first opened. If you've ever wanted to go there but live hundreds of kilometres away like I do, this is as close as you'll get. Click on either panorama to open an interactive tour of the lobby and ornate stairwell, both laden with art.

www.samrohn.com/360-panorama/chelsea-hotel-new-york-city