This is officially my first blog - for myself anyway. I have installed and redesigned websites with blog engines many times for my clients but never had the time or felt the need to do it for myself. As a designer I was initially reluctant to embrace the whole 2.0 thing. Most of the sites looked really crappy- like they were designed by programmers instead of designers and alas… I guess they were. Also, being a right-brained guy the CSS thing ran against my nature, But now after the 19th or 20th project (some agonizing) I think I am starting to get it.
My first 2.0 project was for the Sri Ram Orphanage in India. They needed a inexpensive and reliable content management system so I studied up on all of the various engines. It seemed like TypePad, Drupal and Wordpress were the big players. TypePad looked OK but they wanted money and didn’t seem to cater to DIY’ers like myself. I’m a full grown man web designer guy! Drupal was out of the question because they had a horrible looking brand, an even worse name and if I had to see their little raindrop logo (with sunglasses) again I might just put my eyes out with a pencil. I plunged into Wordpress and reluctantly began exploring the blogphere. I never really thought it would be right for me since I don’t need any help updating my own sites, but over the years a lot has changed including my attitude about information architecture and page design. I realize now that content really is king and clean (the cleaner the better) site design presents content in the best way possible. It’s not that I didn’t always know that, but I guess I liked making those animated little buttons and coming up with unique interfaces so much I rationalized my madness by thinking it was important to the branding/story-telling, and maybe it was at the time but this is the freaking “information age!” And I am down with the 2.0…
[kml_flashembed fversion="8.0.0" movie="super cloud!!
2.0 Lets me easily share relevant video.
Now that bandwidth has blown up and audio and video can easily stream it doesn’t make sense to have a site that doesn’t efficiently showcase all of these great content platforms. And then you have the inherent SEO (Search Engine Optimization), the ability to update from an iPhone, upgradable engine, RSS, plugins, truck loads of developer support… and the list goes on. I even like the content management system. Even though I had the ability to update my own site with new projects I seldom did (the cobbler’s children wear no shoes) because I couldn’t find the time. Truth be told, I do a MUCH better job promoting other people. Maybe now I will do a little better.
And yes I am even going to blog. I think about design all of the time why not write it down? If I get a design rant in my head it is probably best to get it out rather than hold it in so stay tuned.
By the way I forgot to tell you what happened with me and Wordpress. We fell in love.
