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Simon Game: I Didn’t Have One in the 80s!

simon — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:22:14 +0000

When I was a kid I always kinda wanted a Simon game. I rememeber playing a friends i think, and it was clearly an obvious choice of present for me.

The game released in 1978 (when I was 3) by MB games is a lasting image of the 80s. It flashed and beeped and you had to repeat what it did. Kind of a multimedia version of the old classic “I went to market and bought…” parlour game.

So, I need to fix my need to have one! I want one! Does anyone have an original MB Simon game kicking around under the stairs or in a loft?

Let me know!

For an instant fix, you can play here:

Simon made by Neave Games

The Importance of http://

simon — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:58:44 +0000

People quote URLs all the time on social media, but oh so often they forget to put the http:// on them. I often tell them, and they often thank me, but so many people just don’t realise that it’s important. If it’s not on there, it often can’t be clicked on.

Recognising web site address is easy these days, anything with a .com, .net, .tv, etc etc etc on the end people pretty much know there’s gonna be a web site.

Compare the following:

rclazy.com
www.rclazy.com
http://rclazy.com
http://www.rclazy.com

1 is fine for use in print, in logos, aurally etc, people know what a domain name is.

2 is perhaps prettier, and more obvious that it’s a website, but the www. is essentially redundant nowadays

3 is ideal when quoting a web site in an email, on a social media site, in an article, on Facebook, Twitter, MSN, YouTube etc, etc.

It’s VERY important to include the http:// in those cases, as software often converts the link into a clickable link if there is an http:// on the front of it. If you miss it off, people can’t click, and are often not going to bother to cut and paste it, or type it in.

4 – see 2.

So folks, keep it simple using these two rules:

PRINT, SPOKEN, LOGOS, T-SHIRTS

rcLazy.com – keep it simple, short, and (optionally) use capitals to make it more readable

ANY ONLINE USE

http://rcLazy.com – include the http:// but again keep it short, readable and consistent

Make sure your sites get the visits they deserve – don’t waste the opportunities.

iPhone Keyboard Hints and Tips Video

simon — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:13:18 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ve only just got an iPhone, I’m a bit late to the party, and was a bit confused by the keyboard.

I did some searching around and found some hints and tips for improving productivity.

1.) Let it correct your typos, when you hit space (or punctuation) it will substitute the word displayed. If you don’t want it, hit the x, or correct the word for what you really wanted.

2.) Allow it to apostrophise for you. Just type Id and it will make it I’d.

3.) Allow it to uppercase I for you, it will just make it uppercase if it’s on it’s own.

4.) Double tap spacebar for fullstop and a space.

5.) The best tip, to use punctuation, hit the 123 button, but KEEP YOUR FINGER ON IT, now slide to the number or punctuation and then release. This saves a whole tap, and after using it a while becomes a lot more intuitive.

Those tips are basically saying just type and get it wrong, and don’t worry about it, and a lot of the time it’ll sort it out. And yes, it learns what words you use often too.

Just bang away on the keyboard and see what happens.

Is this useful? Do you know any other iPhone keyboard tips not included here?

I heart WordPress

simon — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:56:58 +0000

Over the years I’ve used numerous methods to build web sites (I’ve worked in the online industry since 1995) including hand coding, in-house applications, high-end commercial CMS systems, and most recently I’ve been dabbling with Open Source CMSs.

I tried Joomla, and quite liked it, I put up a few sites with it. I found though, that I wasn’t updating the sites, and wasn’t relishing building new sites with it, as I knew it was quite a task.

I’ve recently tried WordPress and it’s just brilliant. My record is just over an hour to install, configure, theme and post a 4 page mini-site. I’m almost addicted to building WP sites now, and this blog is the latest.

I heart WordPress – t-shirt please.

Vandal with a Stutter

simon — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:51:52 +0000

My camper van was vandalised outside Sainsbury’s the other day.

Someone scratched the side with a key.

They started with an F, and then realised it was too big to provide good artistic clarity, so started again, with a second F.

Their thoughtful contribution to the aesthtics of the vehicle: FFUCKER

Nice, thanks.