Meebo Me

I thought I'd try out Meebo, which you'll now see on the right-hand side of my blog.

It would be interesting to see visitors as they come to my site in real time, if nothing else, but maybe someone will strike up a conversation with me too.

The only thing that irks me is that they won't use a common protocol so I could stay logged in via AOL or MSN. Instead I have to login to their website.

We'll see how it goes.

 

Flickr Killed the Blogebrity Star

Well, not just Flickr -- between that, del.icio.us, Digg and YouTube -- it seems like no one is Blogging anymore.

It's just too easy not to. Now that these services have made it easier to post links, pictures and video, there's not much elso to write about.

This is a Good Thing. I've written before about how link repetition without meaningful editorial was adding to the overall noise of the web.

Now, it seems, people are blogging when they have something unique to say -- something that stems from their own immediate experience and point-of-view.

 

Buy this book!

DVD Art features some work by little-old-me.

After 10 years in the digital world, I finally get published as a package designer -- go figure.

I'll post the scans when I get a chance.

 

What Would Sugar Say?

In this line of work, it's important to be precise, detail-oriented, and -- let's face it -- downright anal. At other times, however, the opposite is true and simplicity is key.

It's not always easy to change gears. Yesterday afternoon, I started a document, and it felt like my language was getting increasingly overcomplicated.

This morning I scrapped what I'd written, except for the outline, and I tried a thought experiment. After writing a paragraph, I would read it back to myself, imagining it in the voice of Alan Sugar (UK's Donald Trump).

Sounds silly, but it worked. It prevents you from writing sentences like "this will enable users to utilize the system in an optimal manner," instead writing, "this makes it easier for people to use."