I especially like the architect/construction worker analogy. We use that a lot internally to talk about phases of the project. We are of course happy to do both, but when the phases start mixing together it’s like having a jackhammer at a drafting table.

“As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive greater condemnation.’

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them. ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’ ” Mark 12: 38-44 (New Revised Standard Version)

According to the article linked above Web 3.0 is the semantic web, that is a web with more meaning. Well if your a client of Silas Partners you’ll be happy to know that you are 3.0.

We do all our coding by hand using semantic markup the best way we can right now. This Thursday I’m leading a Silas U (our internal education sessions) on Microformats which, I guess is very Web 3.0.

So if your site is currently 1.0, maybe with Silas you can skip this Web 2.0 fad.

The department of US Department of Health and Human Services recently released the 2006 edition of Researched-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines, a booklet (294 pages) outlining best practices for producing a website.  Aimed at helping anyone consider what a good website should contain in order to aid the visually impaired (think Section 508), it includes an exhaustive list of best practices, and even ranks them based on the strength of the supporting arguments.

“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’ ”
John 11: 33-37 (NIV)

I believe this is going to be the future for charitable organizations. As donors get more and more discerning about the organizations they support, an organization who is confident enough in their internal structure and dealings to post that online will be very attractive.

Getty is currently holding a really fun contest (it involves inkblots and you’re own visual skills). I think it’s a cool, interactive way that they are creating buzz for one of their photo collections & it’s pretty fun to play. As an added bonus, there are some very nice prizes you’re entered to win. enjoy!

As web technologies have advanced, so has NaNoWriMo’s experience, rising from 21 participants its first year to over 59,000 just a year ago.  The founders have also expanded their original scope, as the website is the primary vehicle driving efforts including fundraising, founding libraries overseas, and starting a young writer’s program.

API stands for Application Programing Interface and it is a fancy way of saying a standard set of commands to interact with an application. In the online world it often means third parties can write applications that interact with a database.

Still wondering why you should care? Think of it this way, as more online players create APIs it means less pain points for you. Don’t like the way a form works, no problem we have the API so we can create a custom form. Want to have a closer to real time data exchange with an offline system, that becomes much more doable.

Now don’t start dialing up your Account Executive asking them for an API. Most large vendors don’t offer them, and Blackbaud’s announcement is just an announcement. However, it does mean that large groups like Blackbaud are taking steps in the right direction. Hopefully this moves the industry to supporting Open API’s and that will make everyones day just a bit brighter.

Designing with patterns bascially involves defining bits of information that need to be included in your layout, grouping those bits into chunks, prioritizing those chunks, and then making them look good. It also involves breaking old habits. This puts it very simply. I recommend you read the article to be truely enlightened.