[See this YouTube clip if this doesn't ring a bell]
The above is me testing out Rajbot’s Chatbubble tool, which endeavors to make it easier to display chat logs in HTML that look like iChat sessions. The tool consists of a CSS file, an icons directory, and a Python script you feed message text through. If you’re using it on WordPress, you also need to use Alex King’s WP-Unformatted to stop WordPress from adding unnecessary p tags to blog entries that use Chatbubble.
I used to love the pre-AOL partnership Progressive Boink “Dugout” feature (hat tip to Matt Hunt for introducing me to it) and I could see using Chatbubble for similar antics, or just as a new format for explaining things comic-style.
It doesn’t yet work right on all browsers, and it appears to need a light background because of the aliasing tricks.
I want to do what I can to help move this project along, so if anyone thinks they would benefit from a full “how-to” on using it, let me know and I’ll whip one up.
8 Comments
south represent!
Don’t forget that the dugout is now on aol fanhouse@
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/category/the-dugout/.
They got ‘em/I need ‘em!
Thanks for the offer for a how-to for ChatBubble!
If you need background information for your how-to,
there is a description of how CB works here: http://www.tikirobot.net/wp/2007/12/17/how-to-style-a-div-to-look-like-an-ichat-speech-balloon-using-css/
Here is information about the Even More Rounded Corners technique that we use: http://www.schillmania.com/projects/dialog2/
That technique seems to work on all web browsers, so I must have done something to stop it from working in IE. It seems to be working on Firefox, Safari, and Opera. I’ll work on IE support when I get a hold of a windows machine..
Looks like Google Reader doesn’t know what to make of it. The text just shows up as text, instead of word bubbles.
Yeah it’s not quite ready for RSS yet. I guess you clicked on thru and saw it?
Yessir. Looks very nice in person.
Mont-gum-ry.
Flea Market.
(is really hard to find.)
Looks great in safari nightly. Thank you for brining that video to memory again.