skedad

Hmmmm.... so now I wonder if this is the part where I kick myself... It might only be a free trial. Now that I have seen your reply, I am wondering. My address was showing invisionfree.com, so is it like a watered down version!? Or now I wonder if now my addy is free because maybe that is possibly what trial sites are like... If it is free, that would be pretty sweet, it would have ads on it, but I am just WAY too new at forums to get really concerned about it... kind of like when I first started out doing webpages.... it could change once I get the hang of it! I guess time will tell... and if it does end up staying free, I'll post it! - skedad -

Well now... I have followed along with BBS and creating forums. I just wanted to see what it was all about, and I must have found the same host that Xisto uses. It is a pretty cool thing to bump into, because it is almost just like working through the Xisto forums. I didn't really do anything as of yet, but dang, I really like it! I think there will be a lot of work involved being an admin in my own forum and then come here to post, but as the idea is similar, there is a lot of priority and involvement level. I would be involved with Xisto maybe on a more professional level compared to my own... but I would still be myself as to participation and how I will post to each. I don't expect I would have a lot of movement to my new forum site, but I would still like to have my crew be able to connect together... and not so much try to get them involved in web hosting! Ok, so I guess I am writing this post backwards... but I guess I can say I am now trying Invision... it was brought up so I thought I would give it a try myself... and since it is SOO close to what Astashost has layout wise, I will have to do A LOT of customizing! But isn't that what it's all about!!??- skedad -

I think that the developers need to realize who their users are when trying to upgrade messengers. There are millions out there that are loyal msn and yahoo etc. messanger users. And there will be many users that don't really do a lot of upgrading and they are satisfied with what they are running. Now as a lot of the features aren't used below 9, I think that they should at least be previewed or allowed to be broadcasted.I have been using Trillian forever and a day because I like all of my contacts will be on one messenger. I really don't do a lot of the emoticons or all of the little addons that the messengers do, but I do realize that there are many more that do. And I know that many of the little plugins add to the messaging experience.I just think that if there are so much nice features on the newer messengers, that some people should just upgrade.But I am glad you enjoy it anyways, haha...

Referrals and reference notices can always be brought up in comments and posts without link usage... it just takes a little longer to say than to link. I think that if something needs attention it could be brought up in the shoutbox, but yeah I really think that links will block a lot of smalltalk or even important needs that are brought up for admins attention. I have noticed that space is limited and if someone is LOLing all the time or just blabbing how unfortunate no one is around to shoutout... how will anyone be able to get their needs taken care of!!??Don't get me wrong, because sometimes I like to get in the box and do a lot of greetings and such, but some things just become a bit obnoxious...Ok, well rant is over!

I have been a member of Live Journal a few years longer than I have myspace. I thought that since I got a code from one of my friends to this site, that it would be a big deal. And I really did and still do enjoy LJ. I gave my code to my wife, at the time were really good friends. LiveJournal was a way for us to connect when we were not able to any other way.Myspace was fun for me when I went back to college a few years ago. A few school buds were playing around on myspace and my brother actually added me to start off the boom that was myspace. Now I use it to network and find people I haven't seen in over 10 years, add family members and more. On both it was fun finding the right look for each and continuing with HTML additions to each also. Then they began to seperate as I would blog more on LJ and just go crazy with videos and my playlist on myspace. But I still do both and get out a lot from each still.

I lucked out and was able to get many different programs at different times.... but all legal. I first got my Photoshop 5 from a former workplace. I worked as a PrePress Technician, and so when I was not at the office working on my work PC, my bosses thought it would be helpful for me to have copies of a few programs that I could use at home... SWEET! So all we had to do was get new copies and register my PC and get a good code... that was quite a while ago, but I could always use it at my leisure. It would still be fine since it was registered as a legal copy... and every time I reformatted, I just used my Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel, etc.The newest way that I got legal copies was when I went back to school for Computer Programming and Networking, and I had many different disks when I bought the books new.. like Java and VB, and then I was able to get new PhotoshopCS copies that were educational versions. I will be using it til it runs into the ground!I plan to upgrade all of my programs when the time is right... but then again I used to use Photoshop 4 when Photoshop like 7 or so was popular! So I was really lucky to be able to have what I have, but I also had to work for it.- skedad -

I usually do my own icons. I do them in Photoshop.... I begin with basic 72dpi and begin at 100 x 100. Now once you have the dimensions, all you have to do is fill in the square with designs, photos, color, ANYTHING!! Once there is a lot of pixels being used, or a lot of design being added, the size will increase. This is when you either lower the dpi, or begin to make the actual size smaller. I think any designing program that you can transform, resize, crop, etc... you should be able to make icons. I guess there are also programs that make them for you, or help you step by step. It is pretty popular nowadays, so there are a lot of ways online. All you have to do is see which one is right for you and your ideas!- skedad -

See now I wonder if it was an automatic change? I don't really notice what I did at this moment from any other time... Maybe lately I have been wondering with the Loading font looked different, but I didn't think anything of it. I just know that every service on the net will at some point evolve or upgrade in some way. I just don't see the day to day changes with Gmail anymore is all. So yeah, it is nice with the additions, but I may be just prudish and just take Gmail for granted! But I am glad that it is upgrading nicely... because it seems like it is to me.And even if it is not automatic, well I am seeing some of the changes that each of you brings... well, at least the positive ones!

I would think that the main ideas behind the various schemes of XP were probably designed with the title to match the criteria. The average user would only need what is necessary to get by comfortably for their needs. The single user would purchase HOME for personal usage and Microsoft was hoping that PRO would stick to industry. So I also would imagine that the techs and the hackers and the admins and every other user that has some knowledge would somehow come to found this as any other admin or superuser 'goodies'.The normal user isn't really concerned with how much more their computer can do... if they were, then at that point they would be a little more intregued by how their PC operates... maybe at that time, he/she would begin to learn how to customize your computer. Maybe that could be the case with PRO. Industry requires upgrading and as a nice alternative, increased bandwidth could mean better quality out of your computer usage.My parents are excited about using the net and keeping in touch with their kids and family friends. They just get on and look up specifics... and HOME was right for them. My brother and I are techs and we like to just totally redo XP (and now Vista) to the point of non recognition... we are the ones that like to work with the extras.Ok so I get a little off subject or too detailed, but I was trying to gather that just because some things offer different options and others don't... sometimes there are good reasonings behind it.... but don't let that stop you in the future people!

I am a fan of Google and Gmail, and I think that since Google is such a huge internet service that I figure they would just have to change with the times and would add webspace. And I could see that after a beta test of that, they would begin to increase the server size.... Why!? I think that would happen because that is how Google operates. I think that with how much exposure they have and such a huge fan and user base, that Google and Gmail would offer web designers room to play online.I am not all opposed with having ads on my website, heck, I even make my own. It is the content and or how it is handled in the layout. I was SOOO annoyed with geocities and always having to click away the sidebar... did the creators of geocities think that EVERYONE used the new default settings!!? And I think a lot of others offer great service and have ads that had better placement.Ok, so that turned into some kind of repressed rant there! So to summarize, I think that google should not tease, and should bring space to the net. I am a huge supporter of Xisto, but it still is nice to see what the competition brings to the table.- skedad -

I have been interested in animated software forever. I went to schooling for Graphic Design, but I was never able to use animation programs.... only photoshop was used on the PC. I am not that old, but the idea of Graphic Design had only began to start using more updated programs like Photoshop at the time... that was like in 1996. Now everything is Multimedia, and a lot of it involves animation and 3d programs. I was SOOO close to being able to get into that course.I had always wanted to be an animator, and I still would love to learn a lot more than I already know. I was given 3D Max to use at an old place of work... I have only began to teach myself, and then had a little break from the program. Now that PCs have a lot more memory and disk space, I plan to install my 3d max and just go to town. I just hope I can get back to where I was when I first learned the program... and I plan on finding many plugins for it...Maybe when I have a better grasp, I will have a better post!

I think as long as you don't clutter up your space and make it too busy, I think anything could go nowadays. I have noticed the usage of the new userbars, and sometimes relative banners are in use... I get bothered by repetitive banner or image placement. I think it is a waste of space and a bit tacky.I say that do whatever feels comfortable and fun for you... if you do something that doesn't seem like your preference, then you will continue to wonder why you made or added it to your signature, and it will be there every time you post, comment and or reply on the forums.Be yourself and be creative.-- skedad --

I would have to rate Google very high, too. I have used it, and continue to use it daily. (Well, if not daily, then almost every time I get online)I have used it for research, used it as a source for dictionary terms, spelling, I still use the image section WAY too much.... as a designer, sometimes I just have to take a few shortcuts, and it is nice to just look at the thumbnails and realize if that is what I want or need to use.I use gmail as one of my top email accounts. At the time I signed on, I have been able to use my gmail account for more professional usage than yahoo and hotmail. I have also used it over previous school accounts. I just really liked that the account size increases, and it is SOO easy to just click and archive, and just not worry with certain emails.So I definitely would say that Google and Gmail are a part of my everyday internet usage, and that things would take forever to get done without it. Nice review idea!- skedad -

I myself am planning on getting a new computer in the coming months. I plan to update my design programs and try to put them all onto the new PC. I have done a lot on my PC right now, but I am lacking a lot of memory that I would love to have for my new one.I am ready to go all out, and now that the 90's are gone... computer prices are now reasonable. I have seen acer, Dell, and emachine in the lower price ranges. I have seen all that are PC and the brandnames nowadays just don't seem to jump to me... I have basically played with each OS and each system, so it will be whichever comes to me at that time, and maybe which one has the best deal at the time... So I like that I have taken in a lot of information that you all have shared, and that may even help me out, too.Have fun with that new computer, because when I end up getting mine, I will too!- skedad -

So I take it that userbars can be added as a new crave!? I like making and adding new things... and I can so see my daughters having fun with wanting userbars on their sites. Well, I will just have to start making them now along with the other stuff I am doing for websites and such.I do use Photoshop almost daily, and I have been doing otherwise. I think this could be a fun project to start working on...

I have seen many many browsers out there... and there are probably many more unknowns and ones that aren't getting as much traffic. I think that a designer would have to have a good grasp of a few browsers that are working better and others are more popular. And if it is business oriented, then a few browsers should support their site... or they just won't have the users that they are looking for... and that is their loss. I started playing around with my site, and it said that I may have a few Netscape errors... After troubleshooting a few times... I thought I would at least give my users an option of downloading or going to the IE and Firefox setup pages... in case they want to be able to view it in a different screen. I know tons of people who don't care if it's IE or Firefox etc.... If they are interested, and would like to follow my page more, then they might be interested in DLing a different browser.I think that it may have been easier for this designer to just cover his/hers tracks by just blocking and shutting off options instead of going ahead and re-direct or to fix certain problems... if lack lazy processes continue to, well, continue... then there may be more problems on the horizon... and soon that link will be dead, and the site will be done. But that is being very dramatic... it just seems that if the user is interested, he/she will jump through designated hoops to use that site... or they won't.Good luck with all of your sites out there.... and hope we don't come across this in our designing endeavors.- skedad-

Nothing seems to surprise me anymore. Someone taking advantage of a good thing. Someone taking advantage of another human being... There will always be someone stupid out there and thankfully these types of people that cause serious trouble are being found and caught. I think that rules are followed t 1800o a point, then at some point these stupid people want to raise the stakes so to speak and that is when they start getting into trouble. The victims themselves aren't stupid... just a bit foolish, or just don't seem to mind what they get into, until they realize what they got themselves into... then they double check and begin to research when it is too late!There will be spammers, and at every level out there. There will be the email spammers that hit yahoos and gmails and myspaces... thankfully a nice spam blocker will delete them and hopefully stop it from being sent or viewed in the future. I think on the phone, telemarketing is just as bad spamming. If you can even answer and tell them that you are not interested and to please take your number off of a list, it is a 50-50 chance of them not calling you back... like the very next day! They will keep up until there is a good answer, oh wait I mean a sale.Now the spammer you are talking about become criminal... scam artists, and they are usually pretty clever... but not the stupid ones! I would think that he should have at least had a plan for it all and not just blow the lute... stupid, stupid....I say out there... BE CAREFUL PEOPLE!- skedad -

Well now, I like that I am adding my post, but throughout life I have learned to try to take judgment better! I was trained to try to get things perfect, and I am trying to not do that anymore. I plan to try to have fun with this personal site, and not always have to do things to the 'T'. I notice that I am not as original as I thought I would be... and the uniqueness isn't really coming out how I would like it. I think it is because it is a family oriented site, and not one of my older SINGLE person site... So like, I am trying to put things from the family, or for my family... and this is a first, because for a long time even when I had a wife and kids, I was always just updating MY site. So, I am trying to make it more family and not so dark and well, the old me... haha... I am trying to keep it general at most, and then start giving it character as I go along... I plan to keep this site going for a LONG time! And my daughter is dying for her own page... so the uniqueness will end up coming later on. I am so trying to add new techniques and am doing a lot of Flash and such too... it will just start being added when I am able to. And I do use many images... but I try to keep it fun with kids pics for the grand parents hahaha! So I do like hearing thoughts and opinions and whatnot... and will try to be a good boy if they don't seem to go as I plan... hahaha! Well, other than that semi-rant... I hope you enjoy! I am working the site from IE and Firefox... and if anything else comes along I will try to adapt to it... Thanks all! - skedad - SKEMB -- The Official Home of the Horner Family

I used to always be in front of the PC and there were different locations and different things to sit on.I now am glad that I put a little money into purchasing a nice leather Captain's chair. My wife also has one, but it is padded and not leather. But I still like the texture. I would not sit at this PC if I did not have this chair. I used to only have like a little computer chair, but they were too small and you couldn't sit on it and there were not any hand rails on them. And most of the time the seat was too small, too. Like I was on display while working on the PC.My dad has a piano bench style seat, and it is all wood... nice for a few then... OUCH! My mom has an older metal fold up chair.... nice until the somewhat padding falls off and then you have NOTHING! My sister and her husband went ahead and bought some nice PC chairs too... Gotta get comfy when you can nowadays! We have a laptop that I will play with that is internet only purposes... other than that, everything else is on the desktop... including a steady online connection. So when I am tired of walking and running around after the kids all day... I will wind down on the PC before I hit the bed... and if I can't sleep and am feeling really lazy, I will just plug in the laptop and lie in bed and play around... So when I can... I try to make my PC experiences as comfy as possible... and it is and will continue to be worth its' while!- skedad -

Wow thanks for the tutorial listings.... I have wanted to brush up on a few programs that I have been away from... AKA Flash and StudioMax. I have been too much into the Graphic Design aspect of paper media lately haha... I planned on reformatting the PC and if necessary then start installing my programs like mad.I will just have to see what tut goodies you have listed there and maybe go ahead and play away!Thanks again!- skedad -

I guess if I was going to upload a lot of files, like to start up a fresh site, I would use FTP... but I am usually wanting to add a jpg with the index page, or something basic like that, so I stick to using file manager.I guess if I start doing a lot of hardcore additions all at once, I would use the FTP and just upload it all with overrides, and then leave the PC to just upload away!I realize that there are a lot of other options to file manager and FTP, but this is on an average basis that I use either one.

And there was the catch... I do see that it is post also, but I still haven't seen anything different than what Xisto has told me from the very start. It said to go ahead and read many tutorials and posts regarding Xisto and what is granted to users; and what is required in return.It sounds like this other host site is luring people in and then expecting payment for upgrades or for partial site manipulations... I don't like the sound of that. I mean by all means I hope you enjoy what this site has to offer, but I am good where I am.

As I am getting older, it decreases! I remember spending all day almost online. I would go to work and do some online stuff regarding work, then do some emails. I would come home and check my emails again, and then check my online journals, blogs, etc. I used to be in chat lines WAY too much... and I don't even IM anymore. Things have changed. Now I surf and check out a few sites here and there... sometimes hit up Xisto forums, see how my site has been doing, sometimes update my site... It just depends on how the rest of my day has been.Being full time husband and father FIRST... then when I can relax I take my time on the PC. And then here and there I squeeze in a few emails and a few posts on whatnot.I went from all day to about a few hours here and there...

I was never the best rule follower... I always found new ways of doing something, and sometimes ended up finding new effects and styles.I have been playing in photoshop way over 10 years now, and I seem to always come up with something new. I think that I always copy my work and save a lot before I go ahead and play around with affects, that way I don't go way too far into creation, and if it is terrible, then no harm, no foul.I have used many tutorials way in the past, but I think the best way to make the best work, is to go out on a limb and do it myself. It is the best way to do it... your way...Go experiment and don't be afraid to try new things!That's what makes up artists...- skedad -

I am on myspace also, but it seems that I basically sit and do other things while using my playlist. I think that if I were to just play my music elsewhere, that I might phase my myspace out completely.I have younger sisters that just basically overkill myspace... I go visit my youngest sister and she is just glued to it... Crazy.My wife likes to keep the photos updated, and I rarely even upload much. I think I just look for old friends, and just see who is online at different times. I am just trying to keep up with my website and forums when checking my emails... Myspace gets checked as much as my online livejournal blog does... here and there... but everyone keep having fun!