January 07, 2008
Like a few other people, I’ve found myself into 2008 already and not posted my ‘end of year’ post. I don’t think it’s laziness, although it could be. I’m pretty sure I’ve not run out of things to say. Is it a lack of time? Probably. I certainly don’t have as much time as I did twelve months ago. But, that’s like everyone right? Why has blogging slowed right down then? Sorry, let me rephrase that, why has web design blogging slowed right down? Specifically, why has mine slowed to a crawl?
Molly thinks Twitter did it. Well, I’m the only person who doesn’t use Twitter. I used Pownce for a while, but then that bored me. I dip in and out of Facebook, but I’m tired of all the pokes, headbutts and slamdunks. So, who’s the culprit?
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December 14, 2007
The BBC have redesigned their homepage.
I used to work for the BBC. So, I have a good understanding how difficult it is to work there and get anything complete and out of the door to a high, exacting design standard. So, today, when I was told the BBC has opened up the new homepage beta for feedback, and also prompted by Jeremy’s post on the subject, I wanted shove my oar in.
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December 07, 2007
I was thrilled to be asked by Drew a few weeks ago to pen something for this years 24ways. I’ve mentioned typesetting tables in a couple of presentations recently, notably, @media and the Web 2.0 Expo in Berlin. However, due to time constraints and the breadth of material I intended to cover, it hasn’t been possible to cover typesetting tables in the depth I wanted to. Until now.
As I say in the article, typesetting tables is often overlooked for a number of reasons, although it’s mostly because it can be tedious, time-consuming and, therefore, dull. But the devil really is in the details, especially for information and data in tables. Tables are not read like sentences. They’re scanned horizontally and vertically and have to be designed to help the reader do this. It’s not a time for eye candy. I tried to explain some simple rules that I apply when designing tables. I’m not saying this is the only way to do it, it’s just my way.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the article.
November 09, 2007
Here’s the thing. The Wife and I are getting an iPhone each. Apart from turning them on and seeing which background image is on there, how can you instantly tell them apart. I thought that engraving might be the best way to go for this. So, I’m planning on getting mine engraved with an odd saying or something (rather than my name or something like that). I recently heard an interesting statement: Goldfish don’t bounce. That’s the best I can come up with.
Any other amusing ideas?
UPDATE: It seems Apple don’t offer engraving options for the iPhone. At least not at the moment in the UK.
November 07, 2007
Since Sunday evening, I’ve been in Berlin attending—and speaking at—the Web 2.0 Expo. I presented earlier today on the very ‘un-web 2.0’ topic of Typography. I think it may have surprised a few people as to how relevant typography is to designing UI—even to applications. As usual, I talked about type as being more than just choosing typefaces, which is where most designers, unfortunately, see typography begin and end.
On closing, I gave a URL which would link to a section of this site with the slides, notes etc. You can download the slides here.
Apologies for the delay, but the up-speed of the conference wifi was incredibly poor, so I’ve only just got around to doing it.
I’ve also decided to embed the slides here from Slideshare. I don’t normally do this, so apologies if Slideshare clogs things up, but I thought it might be nice to have the slides here whilst I break-down the topics I presented.
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October 26, 2007
In a couple of weeks, I’ll be heading off to the Web 2.0 Expo in Berlin to talk about the role of typography in the Web 2.0. I don’t mind telling you I’ve had a hell of a job researching this one. I feel the topic is standing alone in a track dedicated to a variety of topics related to user experience and implementation. I started off thinking that I couldn’t do this. Designers who are looking to work with social networking applications or rich media applications, are rightly concerned with social connectivity, a ‘web a data’, and other such blue-sky thinking.
This is a brave new world and surely it’s no place for a stuffy old practice such as typography.
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October 08, 2007
Last week, Andy Clarke announced a new CSS group I’m thrilled to be part of: CSS Eleven.
I’m going to leave the detailed explanation to Andy, but in a nutshell, the group is going to help the ‘W3C’s CSS Working Group to better deliver the tools needed for tomorrow’s web’. I’m particularly interested in having the opportunity to be involved in the several layout modules which have thus far been proposed.
Andy’s rounded up a fantastic bunch of designers and developers here. Hopefully we’ll have the collective clout to influence things in a positive way in the months to come.
October 02, 2007
Stephen Fry has a new blog. To date, there has been two posts: one about Device and Desires, and the latest about fame. To call them blog posts is an understatement really, they’re essays, or blessays as he calls them. It’s an absolute pleasure to read a blog post by someone who can write this well. It’s so inspirational and entertaining, I just had to mention it.
The latest post includes a wonderful paragraph I’m calling ‘what’s it like?’
Is it fun? [re. being famous] Or, as student journalists always ask, what’s it like? ‘What’s it like working with Natalie Portman, what’s it like doing QI, what’s it like being famous?’ I don’t know what it is like. What is being English like? What is wearing a hat like? What’s eating Thai red curry like? I don’t believe that I can answer any question formulated that way. So, student journalists, tyro profilers and rooky reporters out there, seriously, quite seriously never ask a ‘what’s it like’ question, it instantly reveals your crapness. I used to try getting surreal when asked the question and say things like ‘being famous is like wearing blue pyjamas at the opera. It’s like kissing Neil Young, but only on Wednesdays. It’s like a silver disc gummed to the ear of a wolverine. It’s like licking crumbs from the belly of a waitress called Eileen. It’s like lemon polenta cake but slightly wider. It’s like moonrise on the planet Posker.’ I mean honestly. What’s it like?? Stop it at once.
See? Genius.
I'm a graphic designer from near Cardiff in the UK. I've been a designer for over ten years now and primarily work on the web. I'm still partial to a bit of print every now and then though. I used to work for