McCains/DITTS

[Seto Kaiba]

Got number three from you, many thanks for that.

I think what's best would be to do a complete redesign of your navigational structure, rather than futzing with the same rather awkward button design.

[briscojr84]

I completely got rid of any buttons on the site, other than that I don't know enough about HTML to do anything else.

[Seto Kaiba]

This we can help you with. I can walk you through framesets, iframes, CSS and a few other useful gimmicks.

[briscojr84]

Thats great, I appreciate that a whole bunch.

Hows your guys site coming.

This we can help you with. I can walk you through framesets, iframes, CSS and a few other useful gimmicks.

381862[/snapback]

[Seto Kaiba]

Well, it's coming, albeit slowly. We're still waiting for some equipment to arrive, and still in the process of designing some of the graphics that'll be used in the final versions of the site. That and we're mapping out a plan to eventually convert the entire site to PHP instead of HTML. Graphics is a slow department because we tried to let one of our better artists integrate him PowerMac G5 into the network, and it encountered all manner of unpleasant difficulties.

[briscojr84]

Well, it's coming, albeit slowly. We're still waiting for some equipment to arrive, and still in the process of designing some of the graphics that'll be used in the final versions of the site. That and we're mapping out a plan to eventually convert the entire site to PHP instead of HTML. Graphics is a slow department because we tried to let one of our better artists integrate him PowerMac G5 into the network, and it encountered all manner of unpleasant difficulties.

381971[/snapback]

Well it would seem that Life intends to throw another bag of caltrops in my path, this coming tuesdays update may be the last for awhile till I find a room mate, since my current one has told me he nis moving out on the first of april, I'll still have a connection at work but it's AOL and phone line.

[briscojr84]

Okay update, mostly changing format of pages, but there are a few actual updates.

[Seto Kaiba]

Well if you've already uploaded most of your images then there's really not a lot in the way of transfer to actually do over FTP. Your average HTML page only runs about 20-30kb. So dialup and AOL shouldn't really be that big of a problem, unless you're usnig the AOL browser as your FTP client. (If you are, try SmartFTP instead, it connects faster). My own site goes back on regular updates on Saturday, when the upgraded towers get out here.

[briscojr84]

Well if you've already uploaded most of your images then there's really not a lot in the way of transfer to actually do over FTP. Your average HTML page only runs about 20-30kb. So dialup and AOL shouldn't really be that big of a problem, unless you're usnig the AOL browser as your FTP client. (If you are, try SmartFTP instead, it connects faster). My own site goes back on regular updates on Saturday, when the upgraded towers get out here.

382782[/snapback]

The only problem is finding a time to do it at work, I can work on the page but it's hard to find a time to upload, and the connection speed blows badly it's only around 33 or so.

But I'll try to keep it updated, glad to hear your tower is coming this soon, do you have a link banner for your site yet.

[Seto Kaiba]

Well, finding time to do it at work is the sort of thing that comes during any little lull. You just leave the PC running in the background with your site software open, and you can set your FTP program to keep the connection alive for a few hours before disconnecting. I remember a friend of mine who owned a comic shop used to update her store's website during every sunday card tournament, while everyone else was occupied.

Not quite finished with the banners yet, since Photoshop likes to have 512MB or more of memory all to itself, and my temporary computer only has 512MB total, shared with the OS and video card. Of course that changes Friday.

[briscojr84]

I've tried the upload while everybodies destracted thing, some dufus usually calls and disconnects the line.

I'll probably just do it on friday nights when I'm here by myself till 1 in the morning pulling my hair out in boredom.

Well, finding time to do it at work is the sort of thing that comes during any little lull. You just leave the PC running in the background with your site software open, and you can set your FTP program to keep the connection alive for a few hours before disconnecting. I remember a friend of mine who owned a comic shop used to update her store's website during every sunday card tournament, while everyone else was occupied.

Not quite finished with the banners yet, since Photoshop likes to have 512MB or more of memory all to itself, and my temporary computer only has 512MB total, shared with the OS and video card. Of course that changes Friday.

383199[/snapback]

[briscojr84]

Slight update of files.

[briscojr84]

Okay UN Spacy Mecha And Zentraedi Ship Files Are All Updated And Uploaded.

[briscojr84]

Okay everybody is probably tired of me changing things around so much but this change won't accure for quite awhile, I've decided since I'm adding other anime to change the name of the page and the navigation slightly, the main index page will have the following image and a link to the different anime sections don't worry the TDB will still be the largest part of the site.

Duh *smacks self in head*, almost forgot, I'll also be calling the site AMASS now, standing for anime mecha and ship systems.

Enjoy and MOTG and DITTS thanks you for your patients.

Edited April 10, 2006 by briscojr84

[Seto Kaiba]

Hey man, sorry I haven't gotten back to you. It's been a little hectic getting twelve computers online all at once. I'm still getting my site online.

[briscojr84]

Not a problem man, not a problem, I've been kinda redoing things a bit myself here so, and rescanning and editing things and working on a timeline and glossary, so I've been kinda busy myself.

[briscojr84]

Any other problems pop-up while getting things running.

[Seto Kaiba]

Is it just me or did all the other threads in here vanish?

I'm getting caught up on a grading backlog, then I'll be back into the website stuff.

[briscojr84]

Is it just me or did all the other threads in here vanish?

I'm getting caught up on a grading backlog, then I'll be back into the website stuff.

393398[/snapback]

If they don't have any activity for awhile they drop off but if you tell the thing show them it will.

Grading? What exactly do you do for a living, I don't think I've ever asked?

[Seto Kaiba]

Grading? What exactly do you do for a living, I don't think I've ever asked?

Mainly, I'm running a website design and custom application development studio with some good friends of mine. It pays pretty well, but it's mostly designing websites for small businesses and doing repairs and maintenace for the few larger companies around. We also do pretty good business as makers of custom, high performance gaming computers, and doing computer repair, but those jobs are again, mostly for small businesses, and the occasional independent customer. So since the hours aren't long, I usually end up picking up a "hobby" to keep myself occupied.

Recently I've done a bit of public relations work for a major American automaker in my free time. Also, once or twice a year I get called in by the local orchestra and their affiliate performing arts groups to either pull a shift as stage crew chief or as either a Bass Trombone, Baritone, or 2nd Trombone. It also happens that every so often I end up either substituting for, or helping a professor at the local university's computer science department teach a class or two. It's that last one that's generated all the papers to grade. The semester's ending in three days and I've got a massive backlog of programs to grade for a Java Obeject Oriented Programming class.

What about you?

[briscojr84]

Grading? What exactly do you do for a living, I don't think I've ever asked?

Mainly, I'm running a website design and custom application development studio with some good friends of mine. It pays pretty well, but it's mostly designing websites for small businesses and doing repairs and maintenace for the few larger companies around. We also do pretty good business as makers of custom, high performance gaming computers, and doing computer repair, but those jobs are again, mostly for small businesses, and the occasional independent customer. So since the hours aren't long, I usually end up picking up a "hobby" to keep myself occupied.

Recently I've done a bit of public relations work for a major American automaker in my free time. Also, once or twice a year I get called in by the local orchestra and their affiliate performing arts groups to either pull a shift as stage crew chief or as either a Bass Trombone, Baritone, or 2nd Trombone. It also happens that every so often I end up either substituting for, or helping a professor at the local university's computer science department teach a class or two. It's that last one that's generated all the papers to grade. The semester's ending in three days and I've got a massive backlog of programs to grade for a Java Obeject Oriented Programming class.

What about you?

394005[/snapback]

Not quite as busy as you are, mainly because I'm stuck at the comic shop doing ordering and stocking for it and the karate school that my boss also owns, plus running tournaments and keeping pulls updated plus I'm here anywhere from 12-15 hours a day and only have about a day and a half off every week, although I'm going to start doing the flea market thing once a weekend per month here soon, and plus I'm starting to sell some stuff on e-bay, pain in the but that it is.

Plus I have two kids job shadowing me this week.

Oh and running two RPG's on thursday and sunday one at the store the other at home.

Other than that it's pretty much, go home eat dinner, read a book or watch some anime for an hour and a half or so and then go to bed.

Oh and also answering the phone and taking messages about the stupid film my boss is making.

[Seto Kaiba]

Not quite as busy as you are, mainly because I'm stuck at the comic shop doing ordering and stocking for it and the karate school that my boss also owns, plus running tournaments and keeping pulls updated plus I'm here anywhere from 12-15 hours a day and only have about a day and a half off every week, although I'm going to start doing the flea market thing once a weekend per month here soon, and plus I'm starting to sell some stuff on e-bay, pain in the but that it is.

Plus I have two kids job shadowing me this week.

Oh and running two RPG's on thursday and sunday one at the store the other at home.

394371[/snapback]

Sounds like you keep almost as busy as I do.

Today's my last official day of grading papers, then I'm free for the next four months, to pursue my goal of simply taking my mind off the hook for a while. I figure if the world wants to get in touch with me badly enough, it'll call back. At least that means not only a four-day weekend, but also the final testing of the new version of my site, and the implementation of the new interface for it.

Bugtesting and validation is a cast-iron bitch at the moment, I'm not taking Dreamweaver 8's word for it and I'm double checking each page using IE6, IE7, NS7, NS8, FF1.5, and OP7. That's a consistant enough mix that if the page loads in all of them, pretty much anything running Windows, MacOS, Linux or Unix should be able to interpret it just fine. So you'll be keeping your text link to my site for a while until I can finish checking it in every browser.

[briscojr84]

Not quite as busy as you are, mainly because I'm stuck at the comic shop doing ordering and stocking for it and the karate school that my boss also owns, plus running tournaments and keeping pulls updated plus I'm here anywhere from 12-15 hours a day and only have about a day and a half off every week, although I'm going to start doing the flea market thing once a weekend per month here soon, and plus I'm starting to sell some stuff on e-bay, pain in the but that it is.

Plus I have two kids job shadowing me this week.

Oh and running two RPG's on thursday and sunday one at the store the other at home.

394371[/snapback]

Sounds like you keep almost as busy as I do.

Today's my last official day of grading papers, then I'm free for the next four months, to pursue my goal of simply taking my mind off the hook for a while. I figure if the world wants to get in touch with me badly enough, it'll call back. At least that means not only a four-day weekend, but also the final testing of the new version of my site, and the implementation of the new interface for it.

Bugtesting and validation is a cast-iron bitch at the moment, I'm not taking Dreamweaver 8's word for it and I'm double checking each page using IE6, IE7, NS7, NS8, FF1.5, and OP7. That's a consistant enough mix that if the page loads in all of them, pretty much anything running Windows, MacOS, Linux or Unix should be able to interpret it just fine. So you'll be keeping your text link to my site for a while until I can finish checking it in every browser.

394456[/snapback]

Unfortunately it would seem so, thankfully we dropped our monday thru wednesday hours from 10 am to 11 pm to 10 am to 10 pm, so I can actually eat something besides fast food before I go to bed.

I wish there wer some Macross fans in the Mansfield ohio area, then I could get some help with my page, mainly just to help maintain the place, oh well.

But I digress, I wish I had the time and energy and resources to do what you are doing with your site.

Let me know if you need anymore images.

[Seto Kaiba]

... I wish there were some Macross fans in the Mansfield ohio area, then I could get some help with my page, mainly just to help maintain the place, oh well.

But I digress, I wish I had the time and energy and resources to do what you are doing with your site.

Let me know if you need anymore images.

394527[/snapback]

Well, I'm not that terribly far, not quite in Ohio, but close enough for the drive to be do-able if I'm willing to spend three hours in the car. There's lots of Macross fans out here, thankfully. So I have no shortage of people to get things done, it's just the small matter of keeping them on task. I've discovered it to be something akin to herding squirrels.

Time, energy and resources? Actually if you think what I spend in terms of time on my site is excessive NOW, wait till you see how it starts becoming in the next month or so, when my number of obligations drops by one enormous load. I'll have enough idle hands around to really make a dent in the project. As for energy, I work myself to death at my job, and enjoy every last instant of it. Sort of like a hobby people give me obscene amounts of money for. This is just something I do with my free time. Resources? Well, all I've got is a bunch of overenthusiastic and overly hormonal fans who want to do something for the cause.

Images... well, I'm pretty much set for images right now, Luis is doing a number on the huge mecha wishlist that we had on an almost hourly basis, and we've got a mess of stuff left to get together. I think we're pushing something like 1.6GB in resources. I hope to have some of it up by tomorrow morning, at the latest.

[briscojr84]

Well, I'm not that terribly far, not quite in Ohio, but close enough for the drive to be do-able if I'm willing to spend three hours in the car. There's lots of Macross fans out here, thankfully. So I have no shortage of people to get things done, it's just the small matter of keeping them on task. I've discovered it to be something akin to herding squirrels.

At least squirrels smell better than magic players; word of advice don't go to a gaming shop during a magic tournament, although yu-gi-oh kids are pretty darn close, to being as energetic as squirrels. What state are you in?

Time, energy and resources? Actually if you think what I spend in terms of time on my site is excessive NOW, wait till you see how it starts becoming in the next month or so, when my number of obligations drops by one enormous load. I'll have enough idle hands around to really make a dent in the project. As for energy, I work myself to death at my job, and enjoy every last instant of it. Sort of like a hobby people give me obscene amounts of money for. This is just something I do with my free time. Resources? Well, all I've got is a bunch of overenthusiastic and overly hormonal fans who want to do something for the cause.

Same thing here for the hobby for a job thing, well except for the obscene amounts of money that is.

Images... well, I'm pretty much set for images right now, Luis is doing a number on the huge mecha wishlist that we had on an almost hourly basis, and we've got a mess of stuff left to get together. I think we're pushing something like 1.6GB in resources. I hope to have some of it up by tomorrow morning, at the latest.

394778[/snapback]

Thats cool, but if you do let me know anyway, I'm hoping once our e-bay thing gets off the ground I can start bidding on some more books, and maybe next time my bosses wife who is from taiwan can be convinced to stay in tokyo for more than a layover and do some snooping for me.

Edited April 28, 2006 by briscojr84

[Seto Kaiba]

At least squirrels smell better than magic players; word of advice don't go to a gaming shop during a magic tournament, although yu-gi-oh kids are pretty darn close, to being as energetic as squirrels. What state are you in?

Dude, wrong thing to say to me. I'm a M:tG player myself, and have been since the game first came out. Not to mention that my hygene is excellent, as is the hygene of many other M:tG players that I know. I frequent many game shops and never once have I experienced any kind of unpleasant odor. Some of the local gaming shops happen to be among my best customers too. I myself regularly compete in some of the local tournaments.

I happen to be currently residing in Michigan, but that may or may not be subject to change without notice. I go where the money takes me, and thus far it seems to be prompting me to stay put. Of course that could change soon, since the governor is an incompotent baboon and the state's economy is sinking faster than the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Thats cool, but if you do let me know anyway, I'm hoping once our e-bay thing gets off the ground I can start bidding on some more books, and maybe next time my bosses wife who is from taiwan can be convinced to stay in tokyo for more than a layover and do some snooping for me.

eBay, now there's a great way to lose lots of money quickly. I avoid them whenever possible, because there's been a lot of fraud and misrepresentation going on over there. Also, Tokyo ain't all it's cracked up to be, I've been there a few times now and I must say it's really a foriegn country... they do things exactly the same there.

I'm about eight hours from having a presentable version of the web interface for my site working, though I'm hoping to find something better in the way of a texture to use for it. Right now it's a kind of flat, unpolished gunmetal texture right now, and it's really annoying me. I'm going to try for something a little more visually appealing and sci-fi-ish. Gonna try for something like enameled metal and glass, or maybe a somewhat more black plastic-like design. I'm going for a three-frame console look, so hopefully it'll turn out the way I want it to.

[briscojr84]

Dude, wrong thing to say to me. I'm a M:tG player myself, and have been since the game first came out. Not to mention that my hygene is excellent, as is the hygene of many other M:tG players that I know. I frequent many game shops and never once have I experienced any kind of unpleasant odor. Some of the local gaming shops happen to be among my best customers too. I myself regularly compete in some of the local tournaments.

I wasn't trying to insult all magic players [i played it as well myself for awhile] it may just be the ones in Ohio but every store I've gone to in Ohio that has had magic players [although I've run into the same phenomenon with RPG'ers as well but not as heavily] present has stunk to high heaven [and I've been in the same stores sans magic players], probably just Ohio though, I think about 75% of ohio doesn't understand soap.

I happen to be currently residing in Michigan, but that may or may not be subject to change without notice. I go where the money takes me, and thus far it seems to be prompting me to stay put. Of course that could change soon, since the governor is an incompotent baboon and the state's economy is sinking faster than the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Sounds like Ohio, only it's been down hill for awhile now. And if you see a guy named Jake Lutine who wears glasses and has a pierced lip, run.

eBay, now there's a great way to lose lots of money quickly. I avoid them whenever possible, because there's been a lot of fraud and misrepresentation going on over there. Also, Tokyo ain't all it's cracked up to be, I've been there a few times now and I must say it's really a foriegn country... they do things exactly the same there.

I hate it personally, but my boss is being a jerk and won't give me a raise so it's about one of the only ways to get extra money.

As for Tokyo, eh, it's easier to get art books there than here and I wouldn't have to pay shipping costs.

I'm about eight hours from having a presentable version of the web interface for my site working, though I'm hoping to find something better in the way of a texture to use for it. Right now it's a kind of flat, unpolished gunmetal texture right now, and it's really annoying me. I'm going to try for something a little more visually appealing and sci-fi-ish. Gonna try for something like enameled metal and glass, or maybe a somewhat more black plastic-like design. I'm going for a three-frame console look, so hopefully it'll turn out the way I want it to.

394805[/snapback]

Enameled metal and glass sounds good, hopefully you can get it to where you like it.

[Seto Kaiba]

Well my estimate was smashed to all hell. Had a guy come to me for emergency repair on his PC. There's some huge LAN party going on tomorrow, and he needed not one, not two, but FOUR working GeForce 7900 GTX 512 video cards installed as an upgrade to his machine. The money was great, but it took me a while to get all four properly linked and configured. He's running Doom 3 at 2560x1600 at around 120fps right now, so I think he's satisfied with my work.

So I'm once more behind schedule, but I've got a really light work schedule every day this week except Wednesday, so I'm not too worried.

[briscojr84]

Well my estimate was smashed to all hell. Had a guy come to me for emergency repair on his PC. There's some huge LAN party going on tomorrow, and he needed not one, not two, but FOUR working GeForce 7900 GTX 512 video cards installed as an upgrade to his machine. The money was great, but it took me a while to get all four properly linked and configured. He's running Doom 3 at 2560x1600 at around 120fps right now, so I think he's satisfied with my work.

So I'm once more behind schedule, but I've got a really light work schedule every day this week except Wednesday, so I'm not too worried.

395186[/snapback]

Ouch, we tried doing LAN parties here a couple of times, I swear I think those parents spent more on their kids computers than I do on grocieries for a year.

[Seto Kaiba]

Ouch, we tried doing LAN parties here a couple of times, I swear I think those parents spent more on their kids computers than I do on grocieries for a year.

395440[/snapback]

That wouldn't be difficult, I've built custom machines to specifications given to me by clients that I would say would retail for around $13,000.00 USD. Of course me being a somewhat more savvy shopper than most, I can beat the retail average by a good $4,000.00 on a machine like that. It's all in knowing where to look for the parts you want. My first custom-built machine that I did for myself cost me exactly $200, and it outperformed computers that cost ten to twenty times that much.

Every couple months the local anime & gaming society rents the fieldhouse at the local university for one of the state's largest LAN gaming sessions, some 400 people usually participate. That's why that guy needed an emergency fix, he was a major contender.

Now that the horror of my final grading nightmare is upon me (see also, EXAM WEEK), I have a few days to grade several hundred exams, and yet I still find a little time to work on the site. Maybe I'll have something Thursday.

[briscojr84]

Ouch, we tried doing LAN parties here a couple of times, I swear I think those parents spent more on their kids computers than I do on grocieries for a year.

395440[/snapback]

That wouldn't be difficult, I've built custom machines to specifications given to me by clients that I would say would retail for around $13,000.00 USD. Of course me being a somewhat more savvy shopper than most, I can beat the retail average by a good $4,000.00 on a machine like that. It's all in knowing where to look for the parts you want. My first custom-built machine that I did for myself cost me exactly $200, and it outperformed computers that cost ten to twenty times that much.

Every couple months the local anime & gaming society rents the fieldhouse at the local university for one of the state's largest LAN gaming sessions, some 400 people usually participate. That's why that guy needed an emergency fix, he was a major contender.

Now that the horror of my final grading nightmare is upon me (see also, EXAM WEEK), I have a few days to grade several hundred exams, and yet I still find a little time to work on the site. Maybe I'll have something Thursday.

395470[/snapback]

Well don't let the grading get to you to much, make sure to take plenty of breaks, that is right most colleges will be out for the summer soon.

[Seto Kaiba]

Heh, while I've been busy, Luis turned up an original design specifically for use in the Macross II RPG that we run on my site. A new version of the VF-2SS Valkyrie II, built with Electronic Intelligence and Electronic Warfare in mind, just like the VE-1 ELINT Seeker from DYRL. The conjectural name is the VE-2IS ELINT Cipher at the moment, we might change it later.

[briscojr84]

Heh, while I've been busy, Luis turned up an original design specifically for use in the Macross II RPG that we run on my site. A new version of the VF-2SS Valkyrie II, built with Electronic Intelligence and Electronic Warfare in mind, just like the VE-1 ELINT Seeker from DYRL. The conjectural name is the VE-2IS ELINT Cipher at the moment, we might change it later.

396655[/snapback]

Now that definately sounds interesting. Can't wait to see it.

[Seto Kaiba]

Now that definately sounds interesting. Can't wait to see it.

396699[/snapback]

Yeah, it's a real interesting piece of work. Started it's life as a VF-2SS Valkyrie II, and Luis's crazed mechanical mind fitted it with a new head unit similar in design to the original VE-1 ELINT Seeker, stripped out the portable firearms in order to fit an updated version of the VE-1's sensor FAST packs and Radome, and changed the optical sensors in the head around a little.

[briscojr84]

Now that definately sounds interesting. Can't wait to see it.

396699[/snapback]

Yeah, it's a real interesting piece of work. Started it's life as a VF-2SS Valkyrie II, and Luis's crazed mechanical mind fitted it with a new head unit similar in design to the original VE-1 ELINT Seeker, stripped out the portable firearms in order to fit an updated version of the VE-1's sensor FAST packs and Radome, and changed the optical sensors in the head around a little.

396723[/snapback]

Whoa, sounds like he should be doing his own mecha show.