This blog is no longer being updated. Last post was “Farewell”.
About four months ago, I realized that I had a problem: I hadn’t been updating my blog. I also realized that that’s bad. So, being the problem solver that I am, I decided to do something about it. The obvious solution, of course, was to write a post and publish it. But where’s the fun in that, I asked. So instead of writing a new post, I started writing something else. A new theme.
To be honest, it’s not completely a new theme, but rather an evolution of the previous one. The Ulta Seedha logo has changed, but the message is still the same. The apples picture is still up there, though its dimensions have decreased. (I really felt sorry while doing that, but the new design asked for it). The color palette is again the same, with some minor differences (I like to think of these differences as “improvements”). I have rearranged almost all of the elements and changed their visual representation (for example, the way categories and other meta information of a post are being shown). I have also tried to experiment with typography — hanging bullets, bumped up type size, serif fonts for main text, and an attempt to improve the vertical motion (I say “attempt” because I know that it’s far from being perfect). And, of course, webfonts.
Webfonts are font files embedded in websites. See the title of this post above? It’s very likely that the font used to style that title is not installed in your computer. So in order to use that font, your web browser first downloaded it from my blog’s server and then styled the title accordingly. No need for you to mess around trying to install a font, and no need for me to worry about my new design not working. Technology rocks, doesn’t it?
The same webfont mojo is now being used to render the text in my Urdu posts. All of you who had previously wanted nastaleeq: you now have it. (Update: Google Chrome does not yet understand the required shaping tables of our nastaleeq font, so it won’t show it. Dang!)
Oh, and if you are wondering, the font used for titles is Nevis, and the nastaleeq font used for Urdu posts is Nafees Nastaleeq. Go ahead and download them if you want: they’re free!
Stop using it!
You see, here’s the thing. This new design will look all fine and dandy if you’re using Firefox, Chrome, Opera, or Safari. I wrote it in accordance with the web standards, and all these four browsers show it as I wrote it, because they all (more or less) follow the standards. Internet Explorer (IE), however, likes to construct its own mosque of one and a half bricks (to literally translate an Urdu idiom). Yes, IE 8 shows the new design as I wrote it (except a few things that are bearable), but if you are using a version of IE less than 8 (specially IE 6 *shudder*), then be prepared for looking at a mess.
By the way, it’s not just because IE 6 or IE 7 messes up my blog’s new design that I want you to stop using it. It’s also because that these versions of IE (specially IE 6) are full of security holes and other problems that make web designers and developers pull out their hair in frustration.
And which is why if someone using IE 6 or 7 stumbles upon this Ulta Seedha corner, they’ll see the following message at the top.
You’re using Internet Explorer 6 or 7, which is doing 3 things: keeping you insecure on the web, destroying the design of this blog, & making me sad. Please use a better browser.
Seriously, it’s not my fault that versions of IE make a mess out of web standards. (I might, just might write some hacks for IE 7, but IE 6 needs to die).
Well, just let me know what you think about the new look.
Since I am human, there might be some things that I’ve broken while doing the theme update, so do inform me if you come to know of any such thing.
Meanwhile, I’ll go back to the obvious solution of the problem of not updating my blog: a new, proper post.
12 comments
humaira
Jul 6, 2010 at 12:06 pm
You’re right, this doesnt count as an update! I like the new logo though
farooqk
Jul 8, 2010 at 8:50 am
oye hoye, new theme!! no need to go technical on us though genius! :@
farooqk
Jul 8, 2010 at 8:50 am
abey yaar, mera comment kha gaya tumara blog! :@
Saadat
Jul 9, 2010 at 9:26 am
Humaira,
Thanks.
Farooq,
I wasn’t going technical, fellow genius; I was merely telling about some usability details.
Danial Shah
Jul 11, 2010 at 11:23 pm
I loved the Name, concept as well as the theme of your blog. Keep Blogging
Specs
Jul 13, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I… reserve comments.
Oh wait, this IS a comment.
Oh well….
Saadat
Jul 15, 2010 at 11:28 am
Danial Shah,
Thank you, and welcome.
Specs,
Your comment was insightful; it made me realize that reserving a comment is still a comment. I love it when things go cyclic this way.
احمد عرفان شفقت
Jul 22, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Oh no…the old layout was better. I loved that one. This one looks strange. And kind of hard to navigate too.
But still, we will get used to this new theme with the passage of time. Old designs are bound to be changed no matter how classy they are. Like W126 in the S class Mercedes was one great automobile. But still they changed it…
chalo kher hay…change is the only thing that does not change.
Saadat
Jul 22, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Ahmed,
Ouch. I can live with “strange”, but the “hard to navigate” bit disturbs me. Is it the way posts are being shown on the main and category/tag pages?
احمد عرفان شفقت
Jul 22, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Yes.
But like I said, we will get used to it
Hina
Jul 27, 2010 at 2:54 am
I can’t help but admire just how well-designed your website is in terms of usability & aesthetics.
Saadat
Jul 27, 2010 at 9:14 pm
Ahmed,
Right.
Hina,
Thank you! You are so kind.