8 Ways to Sunday

“A camel is a horse designed by a committee.”

– Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the Austin Mini

About a week ago, I launched a new weblog on the Zenscope Studio site. There are a lot of other Web developers and graphic designers with blogs, but most of them are writing posts that only interest other developers and designers. This is a great way to share knowledge and find collaborators, but it shuts out the client.

With Zenlog, I’m aiming for both audiences. There’s advanced tips and design analysis for fellow pros. There are also beginner tutorials and business-oriented articles for potential clients.

Client communication and education is sorely lacking in this field. Too many design professionals seem to look at their customers as a necessary evil. I’m doing my small part to change things.

Risky Business?

I’m not sure how this approach will work out. Business owners may not be interested enough to tune in, and I wouldn’t be surprised to get some blow-back from other developers and designers. My latest article — stating that the Web industry should “get over itself” when it comes to client relations — will probably raise some eyebrows (and tempers). But how else should I respond when the latest issue of A List Apart refers to clients as “schmucks with money” and “the well dressed nemesis”?

Sound Off

Love it or hate it, I’d like to know what you think. So check out Zenlog, and leave some comments telling me where you stand.

Be sure to subscribe to the new blog, and stay tuned for “How to Find and Hire a Great Designer” — coming soon.

I’ve been preparing to upgrade WordPress — the software that powers this blog — by upgrading all the WP plugins that I have installed. Somewhere along the way, the form that allows people to subscribe and unsubscribe to e-mail notifications of new posts stopped working.

I’ve taken the form down until I can fix whatever has gone wrong. If you have an urgent need to change your e-mail subscription status for this blog, you can send me a request using the contact form and I’ll make it happen.

This site has been short on substantial updates for quite awhile, and with good reason. I’ve been busy both wrapping things up at my long-time day job and getting things started at my new web development and graphic design company, Zenscope Studio. Here’s the story. (more…)

Opera Software’s famously fast and standards-compliant web browser will be performing surfing duties for the users of Wii, Nintendo’s oddly-named next-generation game console. As far as I know, this will make Wii the first console with a “real” web browser built in.

With the Xbox 360 currently retailing at $300 and $400* — and the PlayStation 3 set to sell for $500 and $600* — the $250 Wii is sure to be a hit with cost-conscious gamers and cash-strapped parents. One more reason for web developers to test pages in Opera.

(Props: Digital Trends)

Updates

• 6/4/2006 @ 2:40 AM — More details on Opera’s Wii browser from WiiSpot.com
• 6/6/2006 @ 12:32 PM — Cubed3.com interviews Scott Hedrick, Opera Software’s Executive Vice President in charge of Opera for Devices, about the Wii browser. Opera’s web site has the press release about the Opera–Nintendo venture.