Earlier this month I read an excerpt (that now I cannot find) where the author was writing about how the web is increasingly becoming the content repository for all of our apps. DaringFireball.net linked to a similar article on the Verge where Jason Kottke exclaimed that the web has turned into “filters on top of filters.” Today, I ran across Stephanie Rieger’s blog where she did an experiment in the iBooks Author HTML Widget which essentially will render a web page in-place when a URL is selected. The best quote was at the end of the article, “Diversity isn’t going away. It’s about to get worse. Ignore it at your peril.”
This got me thinking. With most of the apps that we are using on our devices, laptops, phones, tablets, etc., we are seeing more “in-app” web views in every shape and size. As this reality is now starting to set in for the coming year, Stephanie also highlights an article at DesignMind, where new cheaper smart devices will be coming in multiple, shapes, size and OS configurations. Essentially what this tells us is that the content we create must be as malleable as possible. We don’t know where our content or a link to our content will end up.
I for one am still sifting through how to create the perfect Responsive Workflow, so I get the best looking site at any resolution. Clearly the challenge for all Web Developers will be to build systems that reliably work on all devices without having to customize an app for every known and unknown device. The challenge for Web Designers will be to design a flexible design and be okay with it.
This quote from my WordCamp San Diego Presentation last year pretty much sums it up, “It may be an even bigger idea than we initially realized – Jeffrey Zeldman”
There are rules all around us. Innovation happens by knowing what those rules are and then bending them or breaking them to do what we want. The surprise and kudos from friends regarding an innovation is the context from which it was achieved, i.e. “despite being a single Mom, she was able to get her degree and provide for her family.” Everyone understands that the woman’s achievements are monumental, because everyone knows what the rules are. They have a point of reference. If no one knows what the rules are there is no platform from which to start. The real question would be, because the woman was a single mom, was she aware that her achievement was so special and did that motivate her more to succeed?
The video isn’t me, but I rode this trail for the first time yesterday. It is literally up in the hills above my house and I never knew it was there. We rode from my house up the hill, about 10 miles of uphill climbing and then down, for about a 20 mile round trip. Like my buddy Jesse said, “it’s probably one of the best downhill trails you will ever ride!” It was epic.
Every day we look for inspiration for what we are doing. Are we making the right choices? Do we love our life? How do we start to make change in our life? This video helps with all of that and makes you pause and think about what might come next. The Washington Post calls this the new “Just Do It.” mantra that moved so many people to change their lives. I hope this video will do the same for you.
This is a pretty cool cargo bike documentary. What she is really doing is asking for your footage to create a “crowdsourced” cargo bike documentary. The video is well done and inspiring.
So, I’ve been bike commuting quite a bit lately and I came across this today in my email. Besides telling how “walkable” your neighborhood is, WalkScore now tells you how commuter friendly your neighborhood is. Wouldn’t you want to know? Check it out, http://www.walkscore.com/professional/neighborhood-map/commute/
So, I haven’t posted in almost a year. I don’t know why. Well I kept wanting to redesign it, so I just didn’t write anything. This blog is under a complete redesign, so there will be many changes. For right now, the new design may just be temporary, but I like the minimal design of this template. Please expect some more good stuff coming your way.
To a lot of people the desk is very symbolic. Even where their desk is located has meaning. No one wants to be in the basement, but you don’t want to be in the middle of all the commotion either. We want to be productive, yet we like that our desk reflects our personal space. It inspires us and provides security. That is My Desk!
I suppose the fondness for desks evolved out of the “corner office.” Not only was that a coveted space, but having a finely built desk with leather inlay, was another symbol of authority. To this day having your own office with a nice desk and possibly a couch is a triumphant achievement. For many, they feel they’ve made it.
The reality is that desks are disappearing and being exchanged for “work spaces.” These common areas promote the work anywhere attitude and are void of distractions such as paper, pictures and trinkets, found on many personalized desks. The computer or new tablet is the new desk, even coining the term “desktop” as your home area when you turn on your computer. These tend to be personalized by the user and are very similar in how we maintain the other desks in our lives. Some are messy, efficient and bare. They are an extension of our personality.
The mini-documentary below, by imaginary forces examines the desk as a tool for how we work and who we are. It’s fascinating. Enjoy!
