WHAT'S NEW?

@ netSperience

11/21/03

Ah, it's been a while... The ten-year-old Compaq broke just after the last entry in April. I still don't have work (since 9/11/01 - but I hope to start as a substitute teacher soon). Someone gave me a Compaq Desk Pro with Windows 98 - but it doesn't have a modem, so I am still working offline and uploading files at the library. And the monitor is screwy - I can't get the windows (or the desktop) to fill the screen, so at home everything's a little distorted.

New at netSperience

I collected a lot of the original JavaScripts I created into a little library of demos called jsgenie scripts. I adapted a menu from the DynAPI, an open source programming library for developing DHTML applications. I tweaked variable height for the notes cells, fiddled with the colors and fonts, and added a HIDE MENU control.
I created a new script, TitleSweep, which sweeps the title bar with a series of characters. You can see it at jsgenie scripts.
Another new script, MouseMark, adds a mostly transparent image that follows the mouse, but disappears when the mouse stops moving. I generally don't like effects which follow the mouse, so I am using it sparingly, but you can see it at my Link to netSperience page.
(I discovered that the copy & paste code on the Link to netSperience page was wrong. Since I work offline, I strip the URLs of the http:// header and domain, but I forgot to replace them when I uploaded it. It's fixed now, if you want to link to this web site!)

Redesigned

I completely reworked my Jimi Hendrix photo gallery script. When you click on a thumbnail, the full size image displays at the top of the page. A linked graphic next to the display brings you back to the thumbnail. Originally, I was using history.go(-1), but after a couple of times, it went screwy. So I set anchors for each row of thumbnails, and now the return script gets an actual URL.
I reworked Magic Return. Now, when you click on a link with the script, the Magic Return window blurs after three seconds (but focuses every five minutes to remind you that you can return to the page that opened it). I rewrote the code so that it is easily adapted with nine customizable variables. This is my oldest script, going back to around 1998, but I keep fiddling with it.
I also redesigned the cookie demo at JavaScript @ netSperience. It remembers a name, and counts the number of times the demo loads. You can change the name. The raw and retrieved cookie are displayed. Certain names select specific images on the page
(like "Cookie Monster"). What can I say, it's cute!
I reworked the images for the Privacy Policy link:

I installed Netscape� Communicator 4.02 from a cd-rom I picked up in a $1 store. (I can't find any later versions I can download spanned on floppy disks at the library.) So, I have attempted to make my scripts NS and IE compatible (IE 6.0 came with my "new" computer). NS is funny about forms, and handles cookies a little differently. NS4 considers document.title read only, so I had to test for it in my TitleSweep and PROTEST scripts. Still, there are some purists who maintain that NS4 is the last true DOM based browser...

04/07/03

A couple of weeks before the US Coalition Forces hit Iraq, I started to feel very angry and helpless.
It was clear that the anti-war movement would not succeed in stopping the invasion.
So, what was I to do? Naturally, I conceived of a JavaScript to protest the war!

Introducing UP AGAINST THE WAR, which temporarily flashes anti-war quotes in the title and status bars, replaces all the images with badges adapted from Peace Pins, and changes the bg and text colors. Then, it puts the page back to it's "normal" state. The rhythm of the effects was inspired by
Machine Gun, by Jimi Hendrix. There are full instructions to add the effects to your web page(s),
with copy and paste code. Naturally, a Control Panel puts the viewer in charge of the display.

Not content to stop there, I added UNCLE SAM'S AUNTIE, a quiz matching the quotes with the speakers. To keep it interesting, the player decides how many quotes are in each game (out of more than 40); the script rearranges the order of the quote database for each game; random multiple choice answers are selected for each question; the correct names are shown when the wrong answer is selected; a percentage score is calculated at the end of each game; and a cumulative score of correct answers / total quotes is displayed. The game interface is similar to an American Flag...

OK, BUT HOW WILL THIS STOP THE WAR?

Well, I just hope that some people who read the quotes think about them, and I'll be making a small contribution to building a critical mass for the anti-war movement. And, maybe, somebody will really like them and give me some work.

In the continuing saga of technical challenges, these scripts and web pages were created on a ten-year-old monochrome Compaq 486 "laptop" (remember the portables in those little suitcases?) running Windows 3.1 -- fortunately, somebody down the street threw out
an equally antique color monitor a couple of weeks ago, which helps a lot!

01/29/03

Totally New!

Link to netSperience - with banner and text links to netSperience and
The Ultimate Original JavaScript ColorShow. Also, you can submit your website here for a reciprocal link!
Joe Strummer (of The Clash). A memorial tribute to the great rocker, with my story about buying him a beer, and tales of my punk band in college.
I've improved my form mail handling script to avoid that horrible static window after you submit the form. It's very elegant with a five-second countdown animated gif on a floating message window that thanks the visitor for submitting the form information. When the message window closes, the main window is redirected to the page with the form, the page before the page with the form, or any other desired URL. Try the demo! With copy & paste code.

Redesigned!

Welcome to netSperience - I streamlined my start page with smaller graphics, and a better "Channels" menu. I also like how the dynamic button pushes text across the page, sliding "RIP 12/22/02" under Joe Strummer's name. I added an explanation of my Magic Return feature, since some people thought it was a pop up ad. I also posted a disclaimer about error messages generated by the GeoCities pop up scripts: my code is error-free.
The Ultimate Original JavaScript ColorShow - I added a copy & paste <BODY> tag generator, which I used to preview the new colors for this page. I found a site that "borrowed" my ColorShow script (but called it "The Ultimate Original website ColorShow") in a Google search for "colorshow" - the webmaster added a link to my original ColorShow after I requested credit for creating it. Then I added the tag generator. You will always find the latest version at netSperience.
Jimi Hendrix - An essay, selected links, and photos of the guitar master. A completely new photo gallery (nice scripts on the photo page). And I joined a Jimi Hendrix web ring.
JavaScript - Some new stuff added - and I joined a JavaScript web ring.
Tools and Tools Online - I added some new software descriptions and links, and some online utilities and references.

More Awards!

netSperience won an Artsy Award! (12/23/02)
The Ultimate Original JavaScript ColorShow was picked for Multimedia Site of the Week (12/22/02) by Bald Guy at WorldVillage.
Most of the awards sites have been on hiatus for the holidays.

Also:

I simplified the Magic Return device, and added display of the title of the page which generated the return window (but I haven't documented it all yet).

12/20/02

I just want to update this page before I take a break for Christmas and the New Year. I have almost completed the first page of JavaScript @ netSperience - it has some basic info and cute little demos. (My favorites are "Stupid JavaScript Tricks," which are generally quite useless but entertaining in an annoying way.) Also, netSperience has won some awards (I only started applying in November,
when I finally felt I had started to achieve my goals here: unique content, easy navigation, original JavaScripts, lotsa color... Alas, netSperience was disqualified from some awards because it's not hosted on a top-level server (ie http://www.netsperience.com), and because some people are vehemently opposed to pop-up ads, even when I have no control over them.
The Ultimate Original JavaScript ColorShow was featured at the The JavaScript Source -
but I'm still trying to figure out how to make it more Netscape friendly.
I overhauled my "Magic Return" doohickey, and at last it seems to work all the time.
I also reworked the form handler script for a more seamless experience.

During the course of the overhaul, I found a lot of "dated" content from circa 1997, including some screen shots of WinZip, Paint Shop Pro, etc. I decided to preserve them, rather than discard them,
as a bit of personal WWW history.

11/06/02

Well, it's been a long time. I am putting the finishing "touches" on the new and improved netSperience.
Since 1998, I've been basically struggling to survive the roller coaster of life... I lost a lot of images, and an entire website I hosted at Xoom.com, since I didn't get the notice it was closing - one drawback of using "free" servers.

02/07/98

By popular demand, I have written an internet primer - real basic stuff, targeted for public-access Netscape users at the NYPL.

01/17/98

Just added - an online tools and references page, including a form to add more entries!

12/29/97

I have been following the discussion of GeoCities pop-ups and interstitial pages in Link Exchange Digest - I sent in some of my own observations and suggestions - and I've been getting more traffic here than I have since I opened up shop!!?

Not that I recommending spamming mailing lists - but it's nice to get noticed for a change.

Finally have COOL/FOOL entries (well, one).

12/13/97

JavaScript (entered in the Silicon Valley Programmer's Pavillion)

This script creates a floating window when the viewer follows a link away from your website.
On the floater is a button or graphic which takes the viewer back to your website.

Try the demo

12/12/97

I admit it - I have been neglecting my GeoCities website - yes, there's another website -

check out Virtual Varmints - my online keychain pet store!

Actually, it's been good to tackle new design problems - and I've been really getting into JavaScript ...

SO WHAT IS NEW HERE? AT THE netSperience?
I finally got off my duff and tracked down the "missing links"
on my tools page. Plus a few other changes too subtle or boring to mention.

If you got this far into my site, please sign my guestbook .. it's so lonely in cyberspace....

11/10/97

Hallelujah! I collected my first guestbook entry today!
I was feeling so invisible, like nobody looked at the netsperience.

However, the signer seemed confused by the Cool/Fool entries, which prompted some redesign of the guestbook entry form.
NOTE: Old guestbook was replaced with a newer utility.

10/20/97

Added a new form to collect information from prospective website design clients.

10/16/97

OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO GEOCITIES MEMBERS ...

Eliminate the static page returned by GeoCities form handling script,
and send your visitor back to the page they were viewing
BEFORE they filled out your form!

HOW TO DO THIS (with JavaScript)

10/13/97

Added new FEEDBACK PAGE and FORM

09/19/97

I am in the middle of metamorphosing this site into - you guessed it -
the LADNAR OGG netsperience.
I added a sneak preview of my Jimi Hendrix page.
How do you like the new navigation banners? I made them online -
"how to" soon to be added to TOOLS.
I've been working on the Giga Pets Digital Doggie page - it'll be ready soon!
I finally got my guestbook working - did you sign it?
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to update this page -

Send me your comments, suggestions etc.

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