Revisions in Progress

I've set up a new blog for my music.  You can reach that through the tab above.  The new blog is a work in progress, so you will see it changing from time to time.  I hope that doesn't put you off!  It'll all settle down again soon...

So, this component of my bloggery reverts to being general comment, grumpy old man stuff, amusing observation and all about anything and nothing.

New Layout

I fancied a change, something colourful that would brighten up our lives. I chose a different template from the many provided by Blogger and applied it to all my blogs (it would be useful if you could do that globally for all blogs in one go rather than one at a time). I hope you like it.

The image in the heading is an extract from a photograph I took one frosty day last winter. I hope you like that too. Actually, getting the image properly sized was a bit of a pain. There are some problems with Blogger if you want to do something more than use what's in the box. Even though Blogger includes the facility to place an image in the heading, I had to find the exact width by a combination of reading the page's source to get some idea of the heading width, and then use trial and error to get the measurement accurate. As it is, I think it's one pixel oversize in Internet Explorer 7, probably because Microsoft can't get the html box model right.

Anyway, it works in IE 5.5, IE 6, Opera 9, Chrome and Firefox 3. So, if you upgraded your browser to IE7, you'll just have to live with a narrow white line down the right-hand side of the border under the image. Alternatively, update your browser to something decent. Opera, Chrome and Firefox are all free.

I use Firefox 3 almost exclusively both professionally and for leisure. As well as being, in my opinion, the world's best browser in it's basic form, it has all manner of add-ons available for whatever way you want to use it. For example, I have a load of stuff added on to help with web development but, if that doesn't float your boat, there's plenty of other add-ons that may. It's also available for a wide range of operating systems, so whatever different systems you encounter you can stick with the same browser (provided that your IT department allows).

Well, what started out as a trivial announcement of the obvious change in appearance of this Bloggery (obvious to those who have been here before, at least) has become a plug for non-microsoft browsers. No apologies offered. At least it hasn't turned into a rant about web standards and Microsoft's inability to handle them properly, and having to hack my nice, standard developments just to accommodate the shortcomings of Internet Explorer. Oops! There I go...

Revised Organisation

I have decided that it is easier to put short stories on a blog than to attempt to maintain the Desmond Hilary Home Page. The latter is therefore defunct and removed from service. The short stories are now on Desmond Hilary's Shorts.

The Last Day on the Line

I have published on Desmond Hilary's Shorts a science fiction short story.

Called The Last Day on the Line, it tells the story of a the last battle on an alien world before a cease-fire is declared. You can find it under the Science Fiction category. Enjoy! Please leave any comments you may wish to make about it under this post.

The Coffin That Carries You Off

I have published on Desmond Hilary's Shorts the very first short story I ever wrote.

Called The Coffin That Carries You Off, it is a sinister tale about a man who returns home from the army to discover that his father had a very strange agreement with the local coffin maker... You can find it under Sinister category. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave any comments you may wish to make about it under this post.

Other stories will appear soon, although the Sci-fi section will remain sparse for now while I try earning a bit of cash for my efforts.

Announcement: Launch of Web Site

I have just set up a web site to hold my larger literary efforts that would not fit into the bloggery. Visit the site by clicking here or on the link listed under Other Links in the side-bar. There's nothing in it yet, but you could bookmark it for future reference. New publications will be notified on this blog.

What's it for, then?

I think the way this will go is as follows. This blog will be the top level of my bloggery. Connected to this, I will probably have a number of blogs (sub-blogs), one for each concept that I think important or of interest or both. This blog will perhaps have tasters for the main articles in the sub-blogs, and so will give you a general picture of what goes on in the 'World of Desmond Hilary'.

I fully appreciate that concepts that are important to me may be of no interest to you: but, hey, no-one has to read this. I realise that some things I think are important may turn your blood to ice or steam, depending on your temperament. Please bear in mind that I will never write anything with the intent of causing you offence. If you take offence at anything I write, I'm afraid that's your problem: this is my blog.

Should you feel the impulse to voice your opinion on anything I write, here are my ground-rules (subject to change as I think of new ones).

1. Encouragement is always welcome.
2. You may disagree but please don't rant. I have moderation turned on. Polite disagreement is much more likely to be allowed in any discussion that evolves than is 'YOU ARE AN IDIOT (or worse)'.
3. I reserve the right to stand by my opinion and will try to give a reason why you have not persuaded me.

Anyway, I hope that you find something of interest among my ramblings.