Through Hiker

Well, no not exactly, but  CNET  featured  several free applications that are close to some of the web-design heavy hitters on their Daily Download section.

Question: Why doesn’t anyone’s blog look like their websites/assignments? I keep thinking ahead to our final project and I want to build a website that is closely tied to a blog to get some “web 2.0-ish” interaction going with my web content–a quick link to a discussion may be the vehicle to get there.

This vision suggests a similar design; maybe some shared .css code between a web page and a blog. If this is an appropriate vision, what are the implications?

James was thinking about design in his blog post, and I commented that we may set the bar unrealistically high for ourselves if we’re going to hand-craft original design for every new bit of information we post This will have an impact on volume!

I was thinking of two ways to go: 1) simple/common design (mostly black and white) and shared code between the website and blog, but nice colored paintings as headers to vary the view for the reader, or:

2) more elaborate colors/design with black/white photos as headers–there are a lot of great ones in American Memory!

I’m leaning towards #1, because the ideas behind my website and blog are going to be topical and cross many centuries. How can I tailor my design of each page for such a range??

I’ve started a test blog to test out design. I’ve been doing serious blog posts there, and would love to get some feedback on the look and feel….please let me know what you think!

Check out www.oncombat.net The top line menu takes you to the blog that’s paired with my website. I’m working to get each of the top line menu items and previous posts to have different header images. Karin: the naval art collection was great help!!

Bill

Comments for week of 20 March are on my image assignment page, where I described what steps I took and things I learned working with images.

Thanks for all the helpful comments in class evaluating images. I learn a lot from your perspectives.

Bill

A New Day: It’s nice when a range of newly-developed digital skills come together to enable us to do something new. Back in December, I tried to go with my own WordPress hosting on GoDaddy. I thought I could hammer my way through it, but fell well short and quit, discouraged after a couple of days trying to work with databases and file uploads, etc.

Enabled by New Skills: The skills many of us are just learning with the CSS and type projects have come together enough to allow wider adventures in the web 2.0 world. The two critical skills needed which we’ve picked up in Clio 2 are 1) re-writing simple code (to get wordpress aimed at a mySql database) and 2) comfort and familiarity with FTP’ing files

Why? Firstly, I’ve been interested in a non-hosted blog because of all the widgets that you can’t get with a hosted site. Secondly—and here’s where we’re all going to be interested—our final project needs to display “interactivity and community building.” This suggests a hybrid web-site/blog to engage 2-way communication.

A website/blog is a long-lead item…the layout will have to be consistent across both sides, so we’re going to have to be able to do CSS for the blog to match styles with the website

What’s the neighborhood buzz?

Squeamishness with digital photo-manipulation is the big talk around the block. Ken started it out with the top blog on the left side of the page. I commented that we can spend hours looking at a picture, trying to understand it, but can’t trust it’s authenticity once it crosses the digital divide if we have a license to change at will. Steven brought up an excellent point that the photos may be staged, etc…I commented that we need to eliminate as many agendas as possible, starting with the historian’s.

When I was in charge of a set of briefings that presented a major USAF command’s face to many audiences, I was made aware of DoD’s policy that beyond adjusting lightness/contrast etc, manipulation of DoD imagery was strictly forbidden. This makes sense in so many ways…I think we should think the same as historians. There’s a short gap between good manipulation and bad:

Blogs and color (or lack of it).

I commented that I’m thinking about “bailing out on color” on James’ blog—I like the neutral POV with a mostly white blog/website. Although I mentioned Tad’s Blog needs some color…maybe a header will help? Chapati Mystery has a good mixture of minmal color in the header and mostly white content area.

Random Thoughts

I’m with Lee Ann–Horay for podcasting…I hope it stays.

For Misha, I’m glad that Dr H’s personal betrayal was exposed and that he is paying for lack of conscience.