Category: The Essentials

  • Receipts: a brief history of the death of the web.

    Receipts: a brief history of the death of the web.

    They say AI will replace the web as we know it, and this time they mean it. Here follows a short list of previous times they also meant it, starting way back in 1997. Wired:…

  • Web typography: a refresher and history

    Web typography: a refresher and history

    A refreshing dip into what we’ve learned about web typography over the past 20+ years.

  • Valediction.

    Valediction.

    What a ride that was.

  • Of Books and Conferences Past

    Of Books and Conferences Past

    Of books and conferences past: A maker looks back on things well-made but no longer with us.

  • Ah yes, the famous “intern did it” syndrome

    Ah yes, the famous “intern did it” syndrome

    Poachers, when caught stealing content from our website, always blamed the theft on an “intern” or “freelancer.” We always pretended to believe them.

  • This Web of Ours, Revisited

    This Web of Ours, Revisited

    Why did leading designers in 2000 look down their nose at the web? And are things any better today?

  • Akismet means never having to say you’re sorry

    Akismet means never having to say you’re sorry

    The bots who shit in your sandbox are bigger, brassier, and better than ever!

  • Our Lady of Perpetual Profit

    Our Lady of Perpetual Profit

    A business world with deeply misguided priorities—exemplified by horror stories from the worlds of tech, gaming, and entertainment—accounts for much worker unhappiness and customer frustration.

  • “Where the people are”

    “Where the people are”

    Fortunately, on that day, I allowed a strong, simple idea to penetrate my big, beautiful wall of assumptions.

  • In search of a digital town square

    In search of a digital town square

    Ever since an infantile fascist billionaire (hereafter, the IFB) decided to turn Twitter over to the racially hostile anti-science set, folks who previously used that network daily to discuss and amplify topics they cared about…

  • Knowledge Management for the win

    Knowledge Management for the win

    Knowledge management (KM) is the process of organizing, creating, using, and sharing collective knowledge within an organization.  Unlock and unblock For companies, institutions, and projects struggling to become more efficient and productive—and who these days is…

  • Algorithm & Blues

    Algorithm & Blues

    Examining last week’s Verge-vs-Sullivan “Google ruined the web” debate, author Elizabeth Tai writes: I don’t know any class of user more abused by SEO and Google search than the writer. Whether they’re working for their…

  • Design Kickoff Meetings

    Design Kickoff Meetings

    Posted here for posterity: Design kickoff meetings are like first dates that prepare you for an exciting relationship with a person who doesn’t exist.

  • On Teaching (plus Monday links)

    On Teaching (plus Monday links)

    TEACHING is a great way to find out what you know, and to connect with other human beings around a shared passion. It’s an energy exchange as well as an information one, and the energy…

  • Authoritative, Readable, Branded: Report from Poynter Design Challenge, Part 2

    Authoritative, Readable, Branded: Report from Poynter Design Challenge, Part 2

    THIS year’s Poynter Digital Newspaper Design Challenge was an attempt by several designers and pundits, working and thinking in parallel, to save real news via design. In Part 1 of my report from Poynter, I discussed…