December 22, 2005
Newsflash: Effective typography = Ugly
Ah. How nice. A plus even. It's been a while since a post caused my hackles to raise, but this one happened to do it. And while I'd like to write a rant about this one, I'm just going to sit and simmer for a while.
Maybe I'm missing something.
Yes, yes. I'm admittedly a total fanboy suckup when it comes to the folks shown here. I think they have a definite eye for page composition that makes me green with envy. How they can get create compelling designs with a simple but effective use of type sometimes boggles my rather feeble brain. So, like a fanboy, I have my ire invoked by posts such as this.
Here's what I learned: the effective use of typography is ugly. Silly me. Now, I can go back to irreverently slapping graphics all over my site. I thought I was going to have to think about design for a second. (I'm not going to insult your intelligence by commenting on the irony of the situation, given the site on which this was posted, gentle reader. I respect you too much for that.)
Not much to read, but here it is: Ugly is trendy?
A plus, to be sure. Thanks for the guidance. Now, I can start off the new year on the right foot.
(via Whitespace, over which I've drooled before in "Skip hypocritical today; discover Whitespace")
Technorati tags: Typography, Whitespace
Newsflash: Effective typography = Ugly
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December 21, 2005
At Sunrise sitting around the Campfire at Basecamp with my Backpack
UPDATE (2/12/2007): New news on 37signals Sunrise. Given that Campfire launched in February, I'm wondering if Highrise (the new name for Sunrise) could be closer than we think.UPDATE (2/16/2006): Campfire has officially launched. Campfire now, won't you?
ORIGINAL POST
Hot on the heels of the Campfire announcement... Hoo boy those puns slay me. (See "Sitting around the Campfire at Basecamp with your Backpack") Oh, I'm sorry where was I? Oh yes... Another announcement hints at big plans for customer relationship management (CRM) software from the team over at 37signals. To wit:
Sunrise: 37signals' CRM tool for small business is coming soon
More as the story unfolds.
Technorati tags: 37signals, Sunrise, Campfire, Basecamp, Backpack,
Labels: 37signals, Backpack, Basecamp, Campfire, sunrise
At Sunrise sitting around the Campfire at Basecamp with my Backpack
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December 20, 2005
Yes, Virginia, there is a Web 2.0
Not much to say here, except "Genius." Well, that and "I still have so much to learn." And maybe "Someday, maybe I'll get mentioned on Good Morning Silicon Valley."Do yourself a favor and go read.
Technorati tags: Web2.0, Web2, Web20
Yes, Virginia, there is a Web 2.0
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December 17, 2005
Apple's err... Nokia's latest ad campaign
Ad Exec: So it's like the Apple "Switch" campaign...Nokia Exec: I really liked that Apple "Switch" campaign.
Yes people: Yeah, me too!
Ad Exec: Yeah. It was so... so... real.
Nokia Exec: Yeah, but they were too... too white.
Yes people: Yeah, too white.
Nokia Exec: Yeah. Well, any way, I wish we could do something like that. Just not as stark. Maybe with furniture.
Ad Exec: Well, you know, those aren't really posted on the Apple site any more, so we can actually do better than "like that."
Nokia Exec: What do you mean?
Ad Exec: NOKIA - It's your life in there.
Technorati tags: Nokia, Apple, Switch, Ripoff
Apple's err... Nokia's latest ad campaign
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Museum of Modern BETAs: Top 10 BETAs for 2005
Our friends over at Museum of Modern BETAs decided to launch a little survey, asking for submissions to the "Top 10 BETAs of the Year."Good idea, I thought. Everybody seems to love them there lists. I mean, some folks can't get enough of them.
But, unfortunately, the ol' MoMB must have been hurting for entries, because they came a knocking at my door, asking for my submission. Ack. You guys are kind of dragging the bottom of the barrel when you personally ask me to submit my entries. But, I appreciate a good ego stroke as much as the next blogger, so I quickly coalesced. Oh well, their loss.
So, without further ado, my submissions for the Top 10 BETAs of 2005...
- BorrowMe
I often wonder if there is anything more sad than an application that claims to be in BETA, not because they are testing the functionality, but because they keep slipping their release date. And then I decide that no, there is nothing more sad than that. Not even a velvet painting of a crying clown holding a puppy. An unreleased product is not a BETA. It isn't an ALPHA. It's a Web site. - MetaWishlist
There's nothing I like better than the completely unnecessary application of technology to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Especially when these folks probably make Amazon Associate fees on the whole deal. Bravo. - Yahoo! My Web 2.0
We all know how the true sign of a concept gaining general acceptance is when one of the big corporations starts using it. I mean, who could forget the unheralded success of WebTV? Web 2.0, you've come a long way baby. - Gradient Image Maker
Now, even the most incompetent Web designers can slap gradients all over their site. Viva la Web 2.0! - Remember the Milk
If I can't remember the milk, how, pray tell, am I going to remember the URL to the site that's going to help me remember the milk? - MashUpcoming
Gradients, reflections, glassy. Nuff said. - Dumbfind
Dumber Web 2.0 application. And ugly to boot. Tsk tsk. Please hit the Web 2.0 design checklist for some design tips. - PodDater
Um. Hmm. What's that? Yeah, me neither. Next! - AllYourWords
Does everything need a point? Clearly not. But if there's no point, why BETA? Just release, because no one will know if your application is broken or not. Repeat after me, "It's not a bug; it's a feature." Clearly, even they don't know why they came up with this concept. Can versus should, kids. Can versus should. - Web 2.0 Validator
Joke or not, any site that ranks hypocritical as more Web 2.0 than 37signals clearly needs to remain in BETA ad infinitum.
Technorati tags: Web2.0, Web2, Web20, MoMB, Museum of Modern BETAs, BETAs, AllYourWords, PodDater, Dumbfind, MashUpcoming, Remember the Milk, MetaWishlist, BorrowMe, 37signals
Museum of Modern BETAs: Top 10 BETAs for 2005
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December 14, 2005
Almost the Web 2.0 trifecta
Web 2.0, bad PowerPoint, and gradients. If only there were a "BETA" or two thrown in there, I would consider my Christmas wish list fulfilled.
I can't wait for some of the designers building Web 2.0 apps to design Web 2.0 a diagram that looks as pretty as their apps. Of course, they're busy building, so there you go.
Technorati tags: Web2.0, Web2, Web20, PowerPoint
Almost the Web 2.0 trifecta
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Fingers crossed, knocking on wood
Interland errors appear to have been resolved. Or at the very least, they have subsided. Please return to your regularly scheduled scoffing and head-shaking at this supposedly "valuable" marketing food-for-thought and "expert" insight.Fingers crossed, knocking on wood
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Interland gives me a HTTP 500 Internal server error for Christmas
My friends at Interland seem to be having problems with their servers. Yet, again. My apologies for this continued trouble.Again, you can likely access the RSS feed, provided by the extremely reliable folks at FeedBurner, but the Web pages may be unavailable.
Technorati tags: Interland, Error, FeedBurner
Interland gives me a HTTP 500 Internal server error for Christmas
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Adobe + Macromedia = ?
It's official. The deed is done and the acquisition is now complete. It will be interesting to see how these two, former competitors, join forces. Having been long in the Macromedia camp, I'm a bit sad to see the end, but intrigued by the new beginning. And the potential of the combined world of print and Web design.
For more information on the acquisition, straight from the Adobe mouth, see Adobe completes acquisition of Macromedia. Also, see the company formerly known as Macromedia.
Technorati tags: Adobe, Macromedia, Acquisition
Adobe + Macromedia = ?
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December 13, 2005
Sitting around the Campfire at Basecamp with your Backpack
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Let the next Web 2.0 hype fest begin. Fresh on the heels of the Writeboard launch (37signals & Google: A Tale of Two Launches), 37signals has cryptically announced the pending release of another product, entitled Campfire.No doubt, the tool--if it is even a tool--will be similar to the family of tools already in the stable. Those being Basecamp, Backpack, Ta-da List, and Writeboard.
Even more importantly, it's a definitive tie breaker for us interested-in-product-naming types, putting the camping-or-mountain-climbing-named products at three, with the also-rans at two.
And the best news of all? No BETA. Be careful, you wacky 37signals kids. That's a good way to get kicked out of the Web 2.0 clubhouse.
Stay tuned. I'm always sucked in to the 37signals hype and will no doubt feel compelled to join the bands of bloggers screaming like teenage girls in front of rock stars. It's their bad-boy-devil-may-care attitude, charm, and good looks. And the fact that they build a nice product and have an endearing falsetto in their rock ballads.
Technorati tags: 37signals, Campfire, Basecamp, Backpack, Writeboard, Web2.0, Web2, Web20
Sitting around the Campfire at Basecamp with your Backpack
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... and he's stalking me
This guy manages his blogs with a calendar, and I swear he's following me everywhere that I go. No matter what blog I read, there he is. With that smarmy smile and those oh-so-devilishly-hip-yet-strangely-last-season-or-a-couple-of-seasons-ago-two-tone-creative-type glasses.
Why is his hand on the back of his neck? What is with this guy? Is anyone else having this problem? Have you figured out how to make him go away? I'm open to restraining orders, threats, anything.
Oh my mistake. It's just an incredibly boring and ineffective advertisement courtesy of the folks at BlogAds. Ineffective, I mean, at getting me to click. Effective at giving me the willies.
All the more reason to use RSS feeds and a feed reader.
Technorati tags: Blogads, Advertisements, Ineffective
... and he's stalking me
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December 03, 2005
Web 2.0 interface design checklist
ORIGINAL POST (December 3, 2005)Congratulations, burgeoning Web 2.0 application developer! Your fresh or not-so-fresh-but-still-full-of-AJAX-y-Ruby-esque-goodness Web page err... Web 2.0 application is nearly ready to start collecting email addresses from potential users or interested tire-kickers or would-be media moguls. (Please note, should you actually launch a product or should your existing product ever escape the world of BETA is completely inconsequential at this point.)
Let's get to the hype! Whoa, tiger. Before you start proliferating the hype about your product throughout the wonderful world of blogs, let's take a deep breath and go through one last checklist.
Ready? Okay. Here we go...
- Are you using gradients? If yes, please continue. If not, begone vile charlatan.
- Do elements of your Web page appear to be made of glass or, at the very least, do they look like they have been coated with a high-gloss lacquer? (+30)
- Do elements of your Web page appear to have reflections as if the Web page on which they sit were a vapid pool or a slightly useless mirror?(+50)
- Are you using really big type?(+10)
- Are you using really big text boxes for submission forms (+30) and, if so, do they use really big type?(+50)
- Are you using any of the following:
- Gradient buttons (+5)
- Glassy buttons (+10)
- Glassy gradient buttons (+30)
- Glassy gradient 3D buttons (+50)
- Glassy gradient 3D buttons with reflections? (+100) (Editor: If you answer "yes" to the last item, then bravo, Michelangelo! Bravo!)
- Are you using backgrounds with monochromatic diagonal lines on them? (+10)
- Are you using backgrounds with monochromatic diagonal lines and gradients? (+30)
- Have we asked if you are using gradients? (+10)
- Do you have an obvious blog link as part of your layout (Note: It doesn't matter if you actually publish a blog)? (+20)
- Are you using gradients? (+30)
- Are you using really big type? (+30)
- Are you using CSS to call out random areas of text, as if your site had been attacked by a group of rabid undergrads wielding highlighters? (+30)
- Are your font choices serif or san serif? On second thought, nevermind that. Are they big? (+20)
- For the love of Mike, are you using gradients? (+30)
- Have you ever used the phrase "degrade gracefully"? (+10)
- Have you named your Web 2.0 application with an unintelligible eNormicom-meets-cutesy-gibberish name? (+30)
- Did you create that name by dropping a vowel or using the domain suffix? (+50)
REQUIRED:
OPTIONAL:
SCORING
- > 300: Sorry for wasting your time. Get back to beating away the venture capitalists, purchasing video iPods for your staff, and blogging about how cool you are.
- 200-299: You are among the Web 2.0 elite. Please remember us when your site comes out of beta, should that ever occur.
- 1-199: Nice try, poser.
- 0: Web 1.0
UPDATE (March 12, 2007): One of the best things about this blog being called hypocritical? I can write a post like this one and then do things like hello, kumquat. I'm still tallying the final score for that one: gradients, check, big type, check...
UPDATE (August 8, 2006): Have your Web 2.0 tool all built? Finished the Web 2.0 design checklist below? Did you use really big type? Oh, wait. Now, get your pitch together by listening to a bunch of the Web 2.0 executives with whom you'll be competing.
UPDATE (December 5, 2005): Aww, with everyone in such a giving mood, it appears that the holiday spirit is alive and well! No sooner do I get through Kathy's generous helping of buzzwords than I stumble across this gem: I just read a post about 10 Tips to Better Blogging by Matthew Oliphant over at Busines Logs [sic]. Great stuff. Particularly number [insert your favourite number here]. Check it out.
UPDATE (December 5, 2005): Great minds think alike. And that's probably why there is someone else out there--right now--thinking about the same kinds of smart things that that wicked-intelligent Kathy Sierra is thinking. And writing things like "Have you updated your buzzwords?" And once I find out who that may be, I'll make sure to let you know. Until then, feel free to read my lame post, below. Or go read Kathy's better post, instead.
Technorati tags: Web2.0, Web2, Web20, e-Norimcom, Design, Gradient, Glassy, Quiz
Labels: Design, e-Norimcom, Glassy, Gradient, Quiz, Web2, Web2.0, Web20
Web 2.0 interface design checklist
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December 02, 2005
Work with me here
We depart, today, gentle reader, from the usual hustle and bustle of hypocritical to provide a public service announcement of sorts.As regular readers know, I generally try to keep a definitive separation of church-and-state, here. A separation where I don't discuss where I work or what I do in real life. Well, today, I'm taking a little departure from that. Why, you ask? Because I am in need. And, as you may have guessed from the banter here, it is always all about me.
You see, in my real life, I'm not the suave, witty enfant terrible you see here. No, no, my friend. In actuality, I am but an average working joe. In fact, for the last 6 months I have been engaged in a new role at a new company, spending my waking hours managing the marketing communications activities for Digimarc Corporation. I know, not exactly the facade I tend to proffer here. Forgive me, my hubris.
In any case, my feet now wet, the opportunity of a lifetime has arisen, not so much for me, but for you, my friend. You, or someone like you, could have the opportunity to work with... me.
Just imagine. Day-in-day-out. Here, in scenic Beaverton, Oregon. With me. The head swims at the concept, I realize. Let's just take a moment to relax, shall we?
Okay, feeling better? Let's continue.
If you, or anyone you know, fits the following description, please send a note my way, comment below, or visit the job posting to apply.
Marketing Design Specialist
Location: US - Beaverton, Oregon
Posted: 12.02.2005
Field: Print Design
Description:
Responsible for assisting in the development, production, and on-going maintenance of Digimarc Corporation marketing communications efforts, with specific focus on creating and maintaining the consistency of graphics, artwork, and corporate identity elements. This is the ideal role for a graphic designer looking to expand his/her skills into coordinating and implementing marketing communications programs while learning a broad range of strategies and tactics.
(Complete role description, requirements, and online application can be found here.)
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Technorati tags: Jobs, Job Openings, Design Jobs, Portland Jobs, Portland, Oregon
Work with me here
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