Tag Archives: Fluid

CSS resets rediscovered

It was back in January of this year that the idea for FSSFive — a WordPress theme built on/with Fluid Skinning System (FSS) as a foundation to allow components of Fluid’s Infusion to make the most popular blogging platform on the internet (more) accessible — was born. Or that was the goal. The jury is still out on my effort, which isn’t by any means complete. It was then attitudes concerning deeply engrained personal habits started to be scrutinized. Namely the use of Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) browser resets in my design process.

Essentially all CSS browser resets are, is a bunch of lines of computer code usually inserted at the beginning of the file that handles a webpage’s (or more commonly a website’s) presentation information. And it’s these rules, if you will, that serve to put different web browsers at an equalled point where a designer can start designing from. Because every web browser handles their default inheritance, sizing and spacing issues a bit differently. And it’s this useful technique that puts everything “back” in it’s place. In a consistent manner. Across web browsers.

But as I started to develop FSSFive my thinking began to change. For years I become quite comfortable, meaning I no longer thought at any length about this issue, and used the popular Meyer Reset. Which isn’t a bad thing (this isn’t a criticism of Eric’s “tool,” in fact it is praise, it served me remarkably well for over 5 years!). I just threw it in at the start of any project, as a first step, and “designed” from there without a second thought. Read “CSS resets rediscovered” in its entirety

You just never know…

As it just so turns out today marks the 15th anniversary of my accident. It was August 5th, 1996, when a “catastrophic” automobile accident happened, forcing me to realize just how fragile life really is. Sometimes it takes quite a bit, like nearly dying say, to convince a knuckle-head like me just what he has. And, more importantly, what others don’t. Lessons earned and learned.

Point is, what better way could there be to mark such an occasion than to launch a brand new project? Especially one where it could potentially draw so many lessons from the situation I’ve found my self in ever since. I can’t think of any. (Bear in mind, I’ve not paid that thought any more energy than what I needed to compose the last couple of sentences.) And that’s what this is. My brand new endeavour.

In all honesty, this project isn’t really all that new. Or finished — in a presentational vain, at least (keep reading). I’ve been slowly — language is so powerful, I do mean slowly — working towards today since last October. When I bought this domain and commandeered this web space for precisely this project. Granted I haven’t been working on it solid since. I’ve been biding my time between various other interests, of which this project has been an important part of my focus, but not the exclusive recipient of my attention. I digress.

It’s been a busy year, thus far, and looking to get much busier. Such is life. Read “You just never know…” in its entirety