“Indeed, from the first line of [Lotus Notes workgroup software] code written in 1984 until the hockey-stick part of the curve where things really started to turn up, about 11 years passed. During this time Ray Ozzie and his crew weren’t drinking piña coladas in St Barts. They were writing code. The reason I’m telling you this story is that it’s not unusual for a serious software application. The Oracle RDBMS has been around for 22 years now. Windows NT development started 12 years ago.”

“Simplicity and rigor are the essential qualities of a durable web namespace: As I was writing last week’s column, I checked my homepage for a reference to an earlier column, but the link was broken. Say what? I soon found, as some of you have also found, that a planned migration of Byte.com (from TechWeb’s content management system to Dr. Dobb’s CMS) had altered the former namespace…”

“Welcome to the wonderful world of Cornfield Maize Mazes, be prepared to be puzzled beyond belief. Our Maize Mazes will give the whole family a real fun day out with puzzles, quizzes and Courtyard activities not forgetting the mind-bending, brain-straining Maize Maze its self.”

“But the problem is that the term ‘information architect’ just isn’t a good description for this broad practice of work. And as Mark Twain said, the difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between ‘lightning’ and ‘lightning bug.’ In fact, I’d argue it’s becoming a jargony term that’s in some ways preventing clients and co-workers from understanding what we do.”

“But the problem is that the term ‘information architect’ just isn’t a good description for this broad practice of work. And as Mark Twain said, the difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between ‘lightning’ and ‘lightning bug.’ In fact, I’d argue it’s becoming a jargony term that’s in some ways preventing clients and co-workers from understanding what we do.”

“When Paul Grimes, the originator of the Practical Traveler column, turned it over to me 14 years ago, he said the most important task was to read the fine print on everything — tickets, insurance fliers, tour brochures, guarantees. In the big type, he said, everyone fibs. Typical is the ‘nine night’ tour that the small type clearly shows includes one night in an airline seat. It’s a good first principle. And now that it is time for me to yield this space, I thought to compress into the allotted 1,200 words other nuggets I have derived from 613 weeks — I did take vacations — of sometimes furious research. So here goes.”

“Simplicity and rigor are the essential qualities of a durable web namespace: As I was writing last week’s column, I checked my homepage for a reference to an earlier column, but the link was broken. Say what? I soon found, as some of you have also found, that a planned migration of Byte.com (from TechWeb’s content management system to Dr. Dobb’s CMS) had altered the former namespace…”

“Appearance matters. As the tag line says, ‘Sometimes it’s not just what you say but how you say it.’ Welcome to the esthetic economy. Technology and competition are driving down the cost of beauty, from four-color printing to cosmetic surgery to mass-market furniture. Meanwhile, we’re getting richer and demanding a more esthetically pleasing environment. More beauty is a natural product of increased affluence. Good design is an important source of economic value and competitive advantage.” Get more information here: Look and Feel.

“Appearance matters. As the tag line says, ‘Sometimes it’s not just what you say but how you say it.’ Welcome to the esthetic economy. Technology and competition are driving down the cost of beauty, from four-color printing to cosmetic surgery to mass-market furniture. Meanwhile, we’re getting richer and demanding a more esthetically pleasing environment. More beauty is a natural product of increased affluence. Good design is an important source of economic value and competitive advantage.” Get more information here: Look and Feel.

“Are there two information architectures? One influenced by presentation and one influenced by structure? Is the presentation-based IA better served by the name ‘information design?’ Does the medium really matter? Is print IA/ID different from web-based IA/ID in meaningful ways? For its April 2001 issue, Design Matters contacted several people and asked them to respond to these questions informally…”

“Are there two information architectures? One influenced by presentation and one influenced by structure? Is the presentation-based IA better served by the name ‘information design?’ Does the medium really matter? Is print IA/ID different from web-based IA/ID in meaningful ways? For its April 2001 issue, Design Matters contacted several people and asked them to respond to these questions informally…”

“There are two extremely common myths about Macintosh Web development software: *That with the demise of many of the early Web tools (PageMill, SiteMill, FrontPage, VisualPage, HomePage, etc.), the only applications left are too expensive for anyone but already-successful developers and designers; *That in order to be a professional Web developer or designer, you need to use professional (i.e., expensive) tools. The goal of this site is to show that, not only do these products exist, but that lots of these products exist. While there’s no doubt that some of them may not even be worth their small fee, this category is large enough that something here should scratch your itch. To be listed on this site, products must be: *Not a beta release *$50 or less; *Released within the last two years (with the exception of online applications).”

“For the blind child who once asked, ‘What is the sky?’ educator Benning Wentworth now has an answer: a tactile book called Touch the Universe, based on the cosmic images made by the Hubble Space Telescope. The book features some of the most famous Hubble pictures of planets, galaxies and other cosmic objects, in color, but with plastic overlays that have raised lines, bumps and other touchable textures to allow those with vision problems to feel what they cannot see.”

“We’re living in the stone age when it comes to software for information architects. The products are crude and so is our understanding of what we really need. When people get together to discuss experiences with enterprise-wide applications to support web sites and intranets, pain and suffering are dominant themes. Many organizations become so distracted and discouraged by their first web application, they fail to explore the products in related categories. This will change.”

“If you are fascinated by words and language, then you might want to indulge in the ultimate word-play: invent your own language! An invented language, often called a model language, can be anything from a simple set of words made up for your private amusement to a complex system of interrelated languages designed to provide background to a public work. J.R.R. Tolkien invented Quenya, Sindarin and related languages to add verisimilitude to The Lord Of The Rings, while Anthony Burgess invented Nadsat for A Clockwork Orange. People around the world learn model languages for communication (Esperanto) and for fun (Klingon).”