mylifeonthenet.com

I didn’t see the need to redesign until very recently.  This site, in the past few years, has changed distinctly as my skills changed but the content hasn’t.  Well, maybe I should reiterate that.  As I have grown as a designer, the design for my websites has changed–but the content for those times hasn’t.  It shows no visible progress in my skills.

There is another issue. Each time we change a website design it’s almost as if we’re burning books and erasing part of our history as well as the story it may tell. I am done burning books and ready to preserve what I create for the web from now on.

That’s why I needed something else.  I call it Article.

The Experiment

Now I have a very simple setup for fast design and art direction around content much like Jason Santa Maria, Dustin Curtis & Gregory Wood.  The content will obviously be different for this medium–but the design will be even more unique, giving me the control to alter page design for each post. Only some visual elements will remain similar on each.  Typeface, colour, images, background, you name it–they can all be easily manipulated to whatever the art direction calls for.  Feel free to call it a blogazine if the fancy takes you.

The Living Portfolio

If you’ve seen my work portfolio you will notice that despite my years on the web it’s fairly sparce. That’s because most of what I do personally I don’t add to that site; my brain just doesn’t think it fits.

By having a library of not only evolving content, but also design, these issues change. Now my blog is my portfolio, albeit not including all of my client-specific content.

Supporting the Masses

I am told as a web designer to think of those less fortunate than myself; Internet Explorer users. My tether for this browser is getting short, so I will only be supporting Internet Explorer 8 from now on.

Truth is, if you’re following the blog of a web worker–you should be working with something a lot better than Internet Explorer. 30% of my visitors come using IE; 20% using 8, 10.2% using 7 and a tiny 3.4% using 6.

I am aware that some people are stuck using Internet Explorer. Most of those people are visiting from libraries, their workplace or other facilities where they cannot choose their browser. I suggest you try using Google Chrome Frame if at all possible, or grab yourself a copy of Mozilla Firefox – Portable Edition. You’ll thank me, I’m sure.

Sharing is Nice

For quite a long time I have wished to release WordPress themes & plugins but I just haven’t made my way to it yet. However, with the fact that this theme is so customisable, I see no reason why others wanting to do similarly can’t have access to what I have.

I don’t think it’s ready for others yet though, but will soon have this theme available in approximately a month’s time for anybody who wants it.

A little housekeeping

Over the next few days & weeks I’m sure I’ll get around to a little bit of tweaking here and there. Things like search, sorting out some new categories and a few other things.

Most of all I’d love to hear what you think of this change. Anything seemingly broken or something you’d alter? Feel free to share. I’m interested.