Michael Shivers + mdshivers Creative Media » Blog

Well as you can see, I've been using Twitter more lately to update my website on what I've been up too. It's just so easy! I have it on my iPhone or computer. I probably use the iPhone the most- just because I can Tweet while I'm rendering or waiting at a red light or in an elevator. Blogging software is a little more laborious to say the least. But blogging does have it's purpose and it still has it's purpose on my website. Speaking of purpose and my website.... I've been trying to update it a little the past few days. It's really about to get overhauled- through what pages I have and what sections I have. The structure for me needs a little revamp, because I am not using certain sections like I use too. When I first made the "links" page in 2001, there was no software that let you bookmark your web browsing favorites and then have it sync to multiple computers. You either had to email the link, or export your entire bookmarks and then email that attachment to yourself. Well- I just started making links on my website that I went to a lot. I was traveling all over Europe and the States and this is was the best way. Now- I've got Mobile Me for Safari and Xmarks for Firefox. And when I don't have either, I go to iGoogle and save links there. So the link page the way I have it now will be disappearing.
Also going to just do a general clean up of other things as well. I've been so busy working on client stuff that I've failed to keep my site the way I want it. So here's a heads up. :)

Also you will notice that I finally have a real print store up and running. You can now order prints directly from my website and have them professionally printed and shipped right to your home. I plan to add a lot more of my prints on there, so keep a look out.

I'll write a separate post about the print store soon. But in the mean while, take care and thanks for stopping by.

Posted by Michael Shivers at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With great joy, I would like to announce the complete new redesign of the labri.org website.

After going through 4 different models, and many pieces of paper, I created one that I think will help L'Abri Fellowship's online presence through functionality, usability, design and ease of use.
I have had to recreate every single page from code to graphic and have made a model that will be easily updated and easily refreshed. It's about 100 pages and it was a fair amount of work. But now using CSS and some other technologies, I'll be able to update to update the site with much more ease.

Please have a look and enjoy the new site!!
http://www.labri.org

Posted by Michael Shivers at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not that I am old or anything :) , but video on the web just a short while ago use to be a joke. In college Real Media was the only way to watch streaming video online. There was Quicktime of course but you had to download the file before it played and that was fine to do. But just a reminder (late '90's and early 00's) high speed internet was just hitting the dorm rooms and Wi-Fi was still "magical". So Real Media was the only way to watch media when you clicked the button to play. Quicktime just was really there yet (many years before the streaming protocol and h.264 codec). Real Media's quality back then was pretty good, but when you look back on it now, it's pretty worthless. Plus if you try to reencode a .RM file back to Quicktime or something, it's even worse.

Then of course came Youtube. It brought video to the masses. But Youtube's quality hasn't been the greatest and it has really specialized in clips of copyrighted TV shows and funny stupid little videos. You sometimes see some ground breaking stuff- but it's hard to come by. And the comments on videos are really pretty bad. It's usually some irate 16yo who doesn't have a clue how to write a sentence with out cursing profusely.

I have recently been spending time at Vimeo- a website that is all about good design and quality video. They have there own "HD" section that has HD video. It's using the latest version of Flash player and the video comes out amazing. There is a full screen button if you want to watch it that way. I prefer the smaller size because you get the high quality video without the distraction of video taking up all of your screen.

Vimeo has actually been very inspiring lately, with a lot of really good content and tips and comments. When I go there I basically look for what is "recommended" and start browsing from there, or I'll find a Vimeo link from some video forum. Go and check it out!

Posted by Michael Shivers at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Apple Safari on a PC, originally uploaded by mdshivers.

click for larger
I can't believe it. Apple just a few minutes ago has released their web surfing application on for XP/Vista. I've installed it on a XP box. Looks great and pretty snappy. I have noticed when you customize the toolbar, it crashes. I've surfed a few sites and it really does go fast.

The new brush metal finish looks great.

I remember when I-Tunes came out for PC, it was a strange world to see Mac software on a PC. It was awesome... like a family member that you haven't seen forever all of a sudden appears out of no where.

Posted by Michael Shivers at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well you've probably already heard this, but Apple is coming out with some big stuff today. Last week the introduced the 24inch I-Mac (haven't seen it yet) and today they have a special announcement. Well I just checked out I-Tunes and its completly black the the text "It's showtime- The I-tunes store is being updated"

SO here are my predictions:

Full Length Movies
New Wide screen I-Pod
Streaming device from computer to TV so you can watch your downloaded movies
I-Tunes 7.0
I am going to want to spend a lot of money by the end of the day
Burnable Movies

Well- it starts at 1pm est time- and they already took down the music store. Wow. let the fun begin!

Posted by Michael Shivers at 07:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week Google and Sun have started a partnership. Then Autodesk (3Dsmax) bought Alias (Maya). Wow. Both of those are big news. Hopefully Autodesk won't stop supporting OSX.
Next week Apple is to make another big anouncement. Rumors are flying. Video -IPod? New Powermacs and PowerBooks?

As for my world- its going good. Completed a slew of projects and ready for a bit of down time for some creative growth. Working on some 3D work right now and then composting it. Fun.

Posted by Michael Shivers at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

well lots on my plate recently. This past week i have been working full force on labri.org's website. Swiss L'Abri wanted to implement a new "resource" page that would have a huge list of labri authors and other authors. took a bit of back-end work and some usability work- but its done and up and running now. so check it out at
http://www.labri.org/swiss/resources.html

my personal site needs a bit of work- planned on doing that a while back, but time can be your biggest foe. Working on two wedding videos and they are coming out very nicely. i will post some of the finished product soon. also about to start a small documentary on a legendary doctor here in town and that should be a lot of fun and educational.

expect to see some new updates on the my site and some other fun stuff in the works down the road.

Posted by Michael Shivers at 10:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well- as i go to launch the new site- the power goes down because of Hurricanne Dennis. Humm. And we lost power from Sunday night till Tuesday morning. Amazing how much we depend on power. I was more worried about the food in the fridge - more than anything. mumm salmon.
well hopfully I can get everything working this evening.

Posted by Michael Shivers at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well- 80 million things going on right now- but trying to revamp my website. I am liking it so far. This is actually the furtherest i have gone with a design in a while. The all start and then i get distracted or busy or holiday or marry and it just stops.
ha
anyway contining in the evenings and mornings!
mds

Posted by Michael Shivers at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)