I have this strange notion that web sites should improve ones life. The possibilities for making this happen are endless.
I'm confident that our current attempts are hindered by bad design and poor organization. If we can overcome those two barriers, we may be one step closer to being able to live with technology instead of living for it.
You'll understand this best if you have spent hours trying to get any computer, web site, or piece of software to perform what in theory (and according to marketing) should be an easy task.
Ponder that, and then comment... ...please. 8o)
For those of you with Lord of the Rings experience:
MINAS TIRITH (Gondor News Network)
Thousands of peace activists took to the streets of Minas Tirith and other cities of Middle Earth today to protest what they termed a rush to war with Mordor.
"We need more time for diplomacy," said a key member of the Middle-Earth Security Council, Saruman the White. "I am not convinced by the evidence presented by my esteemed colleague, Gandalf the Grey, or that the Dark Lord Sauron presents an imminent danger to the peoples of the West."
Many of the people protesting war in Mordor agreed with Saruman's remarks. "Sauron says he's destroyed his Rings of Mass Destruction (RMD) and that's good enough for me," said one fellow carrying a sign that said "Elrond is a Balrog." Another demonstrator urged, "Give the RMD inspectors more time. There's no reason to rush to any judgment just because Mount Doom is belching lava, the Dark Tower is rebuilt, and Osgiliath has been decimated." A third protester piped up, "I haven't heard a single bit of convincing evidence connecting the Nazgul with Sauron. I think they destroyed Osgiliath on their own initiative without any support from Sauron. Besides, it's understandable they're angry with Gondor. We haven't done nearly as much for the Orcs and Goblins and Easterlings as the Nazgul and Sauron have. It's understandable they throw their support to them. It's our own fault really."
As the protesters continued their march through the city, they chanted, "No blood for Mount Doom," voicing a common sentiment that the leaders of the Western peoples are really seeking to get their hands on the powerful Mount Doom, where the One Ring of Power was allegedly forged.
Gandalf the Grey was unavailable for comment. A spokesman said he was in an undisclosed underground location, which sources have revealed is codenamed "Moria."
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original source unknown
It's occuring to me (as I chat, work on a documentation site, and write this blog) how much we actually write these days. It has become an integral part of our lives to the point that very few of us notice it.
Writing is like an interface (here comes the philosophical thoughts). 8o) Maybe that's been obvious to everyone else, but it's really just now starting to sink in. I'm constantly working on interface design and information organization projects. Little did I know that all this time I've been doing those very things with what and how I write.
Pretty amazing stuff when you stop and think about it. 8o)
...on Information Architecture.
The Definition of Information Architecture by Semantic Studios
The Asilomar Institute for Information Architecture has a list of 25 theses of information architecture. It's pretty concise and hopefully will help many of you understand my passion for information a little better. 8o)
Some of my favorite theses are 3, 6, 11, 15, and 17.
18 describes a problem I have that many of you have noted in the past. "You can't just be happy with the way something is designed can you? (said in Love of course)" 8o)
Consider this little blog to be an implementation of number 25. 8o) I hope all of this helps you understand me a little better. 8o)
When you take a test and you succeed you can expect there to be another test. When you play a game and you beat a level you move onto a harder level not an easier one. Why, then, do we expect things in life to get easier with each problem solved or lessoned learned? Perhaps we just forget that the tests get harder from here. If everything got easier instead of harder, we'd become weaker not stronger.
In a recent conversation I've been having on a Cocoon developer's mailing list I was describing some of the troubles I've been running into with the site I'm currently building at work.
Jeff Turner's reply to my frustration:
"Humans, there's your problem. Upgrade to a species more tolerant of complexity, and everything will be fine."
This would most assuradly solve the problem. 8o) I suppose, though, that one this earth I'll have to be content with trying to make life as easy and managable for frail humanity as possible.
Now back to attempting to do just that. 8o)