./with Imagination

Less of me here: More of me elsewhere

Monday, March 20th, 2006

Expect to see the post count on this blog to take a dive within the next month. Although I have a couple podcasts lined up with some great people, I’m afraid my commitment to putting up solid reference articles and tutorials is going to be put on the backburner.

And here’s why

Too many times have I agreed to write something for some other publication and have failed to meet those deadlines (even when I’m the one who’s getting paid). Anyone who’s personally worked with me in that respect knows that I am often hit and miss. With all apologies, I am truly sorry. But I’d like to change that starting now.

Part of the reason I struggle with this concept of writing ‘elsewhere’ is that I get this feeling of but it would be so much cooler if it was on my site. Yes, egoism kicks in as we’d all like to become the next Super Hero. One thing I learned however coming back from SxSW is that we indeed need to get out of our own box. Ironically as I was preparing a presentation that I’ll be giving here at YahoO! about doing just that, it occurred to me that I’m really bad at it as well.

While I’m at it, I’ll make this a real post

A few months ago I used the word develosphere in an article which I thought was pretty cool at the time since I’d never heard it before and figured I had just made up a cool new word… it turns out there’s a website called Develosphere.com. Anyway, the develosphere is all of us techies that live in our own little world of code… whether that be JavaScript, PHP, or CSS and HTML - even Photoshop junkies - and this little world of ours isn’t necessarily all that bad; it’s cozy and has its perks, but we tend to define users as people out there as if they’re animals in the jungle. One thing I always thought was entertaining is the fact that we bring in people for usability testing like people are lab rats. In one sense, it’s makes for a great excuse not to leave the lair from which we develop - after all, we can do everything from our office, right?

That Super Hero presentation by the Andys’…

For most folks who were there (which was a relatively large amount considering they had half of the “big room” filled up), the impression that I got afterward was that it was a cute little presentation and there was no real value gained. Throw up a few names of some famous first generation developers like Shea and Holzschlag and everyone gets excited. Well, I thought it was more than that, and I don’t think people got what they were really talking about. It was indeed a bit more than just becoming the next big thing with some new piece of JavaScript or a good idea for a web app, it was about process and life style.

I will be the first to admit that I’m far from being a Web Design Super Hero and I have much to learn in the disciplines of commitment. In my own utopian world I would love for it to be all about me, me, me. But the fact of that matter is, the meek shall inherit the earth (contrary to what a panelist said). I’ve decided if I want to spread the good news in an effective manner I need to get outside my lair and onto other websites… and perhaps other mediums…. one of those mediums will be a book (will you buy it?).

Anyway

Heroisms, lairs, and getting sidetracked aside; look out for my name to pop up in places you haven’t seen. Wish me luck.