I like clean interfaces, and I’ve attempted to extend this to my mobile device. With iOS 8, Apple’s mobile search features (via Spotlight) have improved greatly. What I’ve done is leverage Spotlight to get my homescreen down to one page. Here’s how I have my apps organized on that single screen: The overall concept is that there are…
This is Why Google+ Failed
Many thought Google+ was going to curbstomp Facebook. I took one look at the interface and knew it had limited life. Google just doesn’t get how to build a compelling interface for most of its products. Here’s a great example: Hangouts.
Butterick’s Typography Book is a Thing of Beauty
I’m going through Butterick’s Typography Book again, and I’m noticing a feeling that’s similar to admiring a perfect workspace, or even doing amateur astronomy. It’s about an effort towards perfection, with keen focus on the experience of all involved. I think it’s an Apple thing as well, now that I think about it. The typography in the book,…
The Power of Good Design
Man, this is a stunning site. Very few things make me as happy as strong typography—especially when done in a simple style. It honestly makes me want to associate with that thing, whatever it is. It feels as if it makes me a better person. I think that it’s a simple matter of association. Being in a bookstore,…
Left vs. Right-side Navigation: Which Big Sites Use Which?
I’m thinking about redesigning my theme again and I’m considering a few key design options: single vs. dual sidebars, and, if I go with a single, which side to put it on. First I started reading about the prominent opinions on the matter but quickly realized that I preferred the “what are people actually using” approach. One of…
The iPhone vs. Google Phones
The image below is my attempt to capture how the iPhone 4 makes me feel about Google’s phone offerings. It’s not that Google phone’s aren’t awesome…they clearly are…my groin just doesn’t ache for one like it does the new iPhone. That’s the result of focusing on design vs. features, which I’ve been saying all along. My point, which…
Fun With CSS’s list-style-type
In continuing with ongoing efforts to improve the site, I’ve modified the look of the lists in my sidebars. Among the changes are some differentiation within the list properties for the content I have there. I stumbled upon an interesting little piece of fun the list-style-type option for unordered lists within CSS. I’ve used it in my “Discovered…
Web Design: The Most Important Usability Change You Haven’t Made Yet
I have a new design philosophy. It’s called 100% Easy to Read. Here are the highlights: Don’t tell us to adjust the font size Don’t tell us busy pages look better Don’t tell us scrolling is bad Don’t tell us text isn’t important (95% of “web design” is typography) Don’t tell us to get glasses (use a font-size…
Security Is Not A Technology Problem: Why Companies Need To Be Looking At Organizational Issues Instead Of Products
As a consultant I constantly come across organizations that are more than willing to throw millions of dollars at their information security problems. Almost invariably this money is spent on technology: elaborate IDS/IPS deployments, expensive SEM solutions, etc. All this, but I seldom see any real security improvement as a result of adding high-end security products. Too often…