Editorials
*D* Renaissance!
°° content and meaning are two different things1
°° forget hard- and software, think with your own mind.2
°° brainware, intellectual capital and other intangibles.
In recent months, we have seen the dominance of the Ds all over what I call the core internet community.
D as in discussions, decisions, debates, direction... circling like a band of bird of preys around code, standards, compliancy, accessibility, ia, form over content or the other way around, etc... where has the most important *D* gone? You know, *D* as in design?
Is it the return of D as in the days gone by, circa '95, where sites were pretty dull and primitive?
Perhaps you do not know, I review upwards of 350 sites a month... sometimes more... and it's as if a huge cloud of clorophorm has draped the web... Has creativity gone asleep? Has the drive to push forward disappeared?
There is so much similarly designed sites... that it's hard to come by with uniqueness, originality, and interface advance. Keep in mind, that the number of sites have reached the hundreds of millions. So, with this increase should not the rate of high quality, innovative sites increased too?
Though I am sure of having but scratch the surface of what is out there... after 7.5 years... I'm just wondering if technology side preoccupations and programming are engulfing the mind of designers? I have seen really interesting sites either go to etherland and disappear... or worst, be redesigned but in a regressive way.
It is not fair. It shouldn't be that way. I encourage you to renew your inspiration and grab the new constraints and prove that design is the most important aspect of web design. That *D* in new media is about using a communication platform. That *D* requires the support of a stimulating and interesting visual environment in order to capture attention.
There is so much to do; still so much to conquer; still so much to see; still so much to accomplish. Don't let the tenacious schackles of technology limitations bind you to blandness.
I think it's time for a renaissance. *D* renaissance! Bring it on!
Bibliography
1 "Everybody is a designer. Manifest for a design economy" - ISBN90-72007-697
2 Ibid.
