Architectural Record | House of the Month | Crowder House – Found via Land + Living
Archives for December 2004
Two Background Images
Jeff Croft pointed out a discovery by UrbanDude: how to use two background images on a Web page. The concept is so simple, that it is easily overlooked: apply a background image to the html tag in addition to the background image you would apply to the body tag. “When setting both an HTML and BODY background, the HTML applies to the entire browser window, but BODY only applies to the content within the BODY tags.” This may have been noted before, but I haven’t seen mention of it. The provided examples do a great job of demonstrating the power of the concept.
This idea opens up many possibilities, while cutting down on the need for extra containers that are used purely for layout elements. One more step down the road of separating markup from presentation.
Now…to find the right project to test the concept…
Lumps of Coal
Downhill Battle, a “non-profit organization working to end the major label monopoly and build a better, fairer music industry”, has set up a great campaign to raise funds for IPac, EFF and Public Knowledge. “For every $100 given to these groups in the month of December, Downhill Battle will send one lump of coal to the RIAA and MPAA.“
Exotic Guitars
Exotic Guitars – “Exotic Guitars are more than works of Art, they incorporate advanced instrument construction techniques for the ultimate results in sound and playability. ” Truly amazing work. Hat tip to Boing Boing
The Constitutionality of Software Copyrights
As mentioned on The Technology Liberation Front , “Greg Aharonian, Editor/Publisher of the Internet Patent News Service—and one of America’s leading intellectual property experts—has just filed a major lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of software copyrights. In his complaint to the U.S. District Court’s Northern California Circuit, Aharonian details the adverse impact of vague software copyright laws and decisions.”
I haven’t had a chance to read all of this, but from the overview, and some skimming, I think this could prove quite interesting as it may well affect the very foundation of the software world.
Also, a quick note, Adam Thierer, who posted this to The Technology Liberation Front, edited CopyFights: The Future of Intellectual Property in the Information Age which contains some essays discussing this issue and patents on business methods. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is seriously interested in the interaction of copyrights, business and the consumer now and in the future.