Month: January 2006

The web standards project guys and gals know what they’re talking about. And when the great Drew Mclennan says it’s time to give advice and guidance to small organisations about web standards, it proves that web standards truly are that for the masses.

So said someone, I forget who. I was tempted to put “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re talking up too mushroom”, but it’s not quite as thought-provoking!

Anyway, the ever-excellent Creating Passionate Users team have turned their attention from the user to the developer. More specifically, the person in a technology company who has great ideas but management stifles them. Kathy Sierra calls it death by risk-aversion, and I know exactly what she means.

Do you have an idea? Or several? I do – all save in my Ideas Book (now important enough to me to warrant being spelled in capitals). Working for a large company the chances of any of my ideas actually becoming reality are pretty remote. Remote but not impossible; it’s happened before.

But, at least for the time being, all my wild ideas have to either fester in thought form in my Ideas Book, or be made real in the few spare moments I have. Who knows, maybe one of those ideas could one day make me a million.

There’s a collection of design guides here on Adam Polselli’s website. If you’re wanting a quick overview of some different website design styles, this is a very good introduction.

Do you want to improve your website this year? Roger Johansson links to Kirk Biglione’s advice on making your website better. He calls it “Five Steps To A Better Website In The New Year”, and that’s exactly what it is. Great advice.

I’m sure there’s a better title for this entry, but I’m darned if I can think of it.

So, you know what I mean. Using product names in ordinary conversation to denote actions or things. I “Hoover” regularly (OK, occasionally) when I should really “vacuum”. I also put Daddies on my chips, but maybe brown sauce would be better. I use MSN, rather than IM.

But maybe this is going too far, or not? Discuss.