Why I {heart} Flash and a Smart Point for Adobe

nytimes example of adobe ad Checking out an interesting article about Diaspora (back the project and the cause if you can) on NYTimes and then I noticed the words adobe and Apple in the same space. The ad reads “We Love Apple” and is followed by the Adobe logo. What a joke I thought, it takes a lot of gumption for Adobe to say they love Apple right now, but I’m sure they really do. Despite all the negative things Apple has been doing and saying towards Flash and Adobe in general. I admit I’m biased, but…

I {heart} flash

I would rather stop using Apple than stop using Adobe. I agree with the openness and empowering software that Adobe provides. True, it’s expensive and true it’s not perfect, but I’ve found Adobe to be a great company that cares about the web and progress. During the whole Flash/iPhone debate I’ve been bothered by the lack of response from Adobe. It was nice that they were above the name calling and flat out lying that Steve Jobs and Apple have turned to, but to be honest- a little disheartening that they had nothing to say. Then the ‘Thoughts on Flash’ came out and I was amazed at the silence from Adobe. This is the perfect and genius response to the unprofessional lashes from Apple. From the 3.3.1 iPhone developer clause to the sheer CLOSEDness of Apple in general. I used to be a big fan of Apple because they made a great product. Perhaps I gave them a little boost because who doesn’t like an underdog. But they have proven to me at least to be more closed and more evil than even Microsoft when they packaged IE with their OS. (Although Apple has done that too with Safari and iTunes, but I digress).

What we don’t love is anybody taking away your freedom to choose what you create, how you create it, and what you experience on the web.

I give props to Adobe. They were surely disturbed when Apple declared war on flash, but rather than stooping to the level of Steve Jobs, they thought it out and made an honorable move. I know it’s not the end, but if things continue a check-mate/game-point-match may be in order by the end of the decade…

Learn more at adobe. We love choice and the Truth about Flash.
ADOBE LOVES CHOICE
Flash Truth Stats

Cornerstone Media Group | Atlanta Web Design

csmediagroup redesignI’ve joined Cornerstone Media Group of Atlanta as the Senior Web Designer and Front-End coder! A bit stale as far as news goes, I’m going on 6 months already. The reason I bring it up now is that we’ve just relaunched our website. This new look is not just about new appearances and aesthetics, it is about a new approach. The redesigned website has new features that make the user experience easier and more intuitive. There is a dynamic portfolio and the company blog is tied more into the site and more into the business. Most employees are signed on as an author on the blog. We’ll do our best to flood the inter-web with good content related to what we do and our expertise. Three of our most popular business solutions now are highlighted buttons that can take you straight to landing pages with more in depth information on each solution; SEO, Web Design and E-Commerce. The redesigned website offers a freshness that comes with change. We hope you enjoy your new experience at cornerstone. If you’re in need of any web services chances are we’ll have a solution at CSMediaGroup.

StomperNet Going Natural 3 Web Design

gn3_1Site built for Going Natural 3, free series of videos to promote the re-opening of StomperNet. Includes flash video and html template design in drupal all styled with custom made themes and css. Users were prompted to subscribe with email address and then allowed to view the premium video content and comment. Site discontinued, but video content still available at stomperblog.gn3_2

New Circle Cube Logo

Here’s the new circlecube logo! I’ve had it for a while, but hadn’t uploaded it.

I still have to update my theme to incorporate it. I like the green transparent circlecube graphic in the header now but it’s gotta go… and plus it’s a little too green.

Circle Cube Logo Dec 2007

The common 2d © symbol and a 3d cube.
I’ll have to figure out a way to make it interactive… hm…

Any ideas?

Yankee Submarine Textures

I did all the textures for this submarine created for the A&E Documentary “The Russian Navy”. Here is the turnaround of the submarine. Texturing done in Maya and Photoshop.
DVD on sale at A&E

Documentary description from the History Channel
During the Cold War, Soviet Russia appeared vast, mysterious and threatening to many westerners. With its enormous reserves of manpower, it fielded a powerful army. Although historians and filmmakers have expended endless ink and celluloid discussing the vicissitudes of the Russian Army, the role of the navy in Russia’s history has been frequently overlooked.

In this groundbreaking documentary, we trace Russian naval history back to the seventeenth century. The regular Russian Navy was created at the behest of Tsar Peter the Great. At the end of the century, Russia began to deploy battleships and fire-ships during its campaign against Turkey. The Russian Parliament then passed a decree in October 1696 calling for the rapid construction of the navy.

We explain how the new force allowed Russia to triumph over Sweden in the Great Northern War of 1700 to 1721. It was during the course of this conflict that Russia began to construct its formidable Baltic fleet. We then explore the Russo-Turkish Wars, which occurred under Catherine the Great. The sea-bound skirmishes with Turkey resulted in the establishment of the Black Sea Fleet, which was based in Sevastapol and Kherson. In 1770, the Russian Navy managed to destroy the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesma.

Next, we address the Russian Navy’s activities during the twentieth century. The doomed 1905 Russo-Japanese War resulted in complete catastrophe for the Navy. At the Battle of Port Arthur, the Japanese used mines for offensive purposes for the first time in history. In the wake of the defeat, the country devoted an enlarged portion of its military spending to an ambitious shipbuilding programme.

During the First World War, the Black Sea Fleet succeeded in mining the Bosporus, thus preventing the Ottoman Fleet from entering the Black Sea. When the country withdrew from the war following the Russian Revolution, the fleet was evacuated from Helsinki and Tallinn to Kronstadt, in what became known as the ‘Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet.’

We also address the important role played by the navy in Russia’s 1917 Revolution. Russian sailors generally welcomed the Bolshevik Revolution. In 1905, sailors of the Imperial Russian battleship Potemkin had revolted against their oppressive officers. Their uprising would be immortalised in Sergei Eisenstein’s iconic 1925 silent film. In the following year, rebellious soldiers gained control of some Helsinki coastal fortifications during the Viapori Rebellion. Indeed, it was a blank shot from the Imperial Russian cruiser ‘Aurora’ which signalled the beginning of the October Revolution.

The Soviet Navy was formed from the ashes of the Imperial Navy. In the 1930s, as Russia underwent rapid and massive industrialisation, plans were also made to update and expand the Navy. We look at the role played by Soviet ships during the Second World War. We also outline the Russian challenge to western naval hegemony which took place during the Cold War. In the 1960’s and 70’s, the forceful and innovative commander in chief, Admiral Sergi Gorshkov, oversaw a massive naval build-up of aircraft carriers and submarines. This documentary outlines Russia’s tragic naval defeats and stunning, revolutionary victories in an accessible, dramatic and extremely comprehensive manner.