Some Random Dude

Some Random Dude is a blog by P.J. Onori that covers design & technology in the broadest sense possible.

Archive for March, 2006

Click on one of the items below to go to the post

Differentiating Between Web Craft and Web Design

I do not think it will be argued against too much if I contend that most of the web design blogosphere spends the majority of its articles on how to put websites together. We have a plethora of CSS, HTML and Javascript tutorials on the internet, but, as Andy Rutledge points out, the same cannot be said about design topics. Granted, both facets are very important, but we cannot begin to mistake one for the other. There is web design and there is web craft; two equally important pieces to the end goal, but nonetheless separate pieces. Read On…

Web Designer – No Experience Needed

My next few articles will be discussing my thoughts on the current trends and state of design on the web. I hold no illusion that my opinions on this topic should be taken as absolute. However, my feeling is, the more discourse, the better.

I stumbled upon this site via Firewheel that seemed to be a great prelude to my near-future writings. Indeed, the get-rich-quick scheme has laid its larva into the unsuspecting gut of graphic design. Or to use their own words:

Make $1,000 A Day In The “Hidden” Desktop Design Market

Yes, now everyone can be a graphic designer and make a hell of a lot more money than the people who actually do it for a living. This is one of the quintessential problems of design on the internet; everyone is a web designer – therefore no one is. In my opinion, this open, all-inclusive vocation needs a small dose of intellectual elitism. It is true that anyone can design a site, but not everyone can do it well. Read On…

RSS vs. RSS – A Tale of Two Icons

This article is somewhat belated and could be considered much ado about nothing, but nonetheless I think this is a relevant topic to discuss. Microsoft recently announced that they would be using the RSS icon introduced by the Firefox browser. This was considered a very wise choice by many, including myself at first as it was a victory (albeit small) for standardization. Soon afterward, Matt Brett started a micro-site to help propagate this icon for use by the public. I commend Matt’s efforts and fully back him on the notion that a standard icon needs to be established for syndication. My argument is that we are not backing the right icon…
Read On…