Hans Cathcart’s Homepage

In the past decade, Web design has evolved significantly. This article “70 New, Useful AJAX And JavaScript Techniques” goes on to discuss some of the new functions that have been developed. It’s boring, but the improved calendar pop-up date selectors are my favorite useful feature improvement. Unfortunately, while Web design has evolved the ‘proper use’ of URL/URIs has not. Sir Tim wrote an article over a decade ago suggesting how to build good URIs.  It’s still a good read.

The BBC is producing a fascinating series called “Britain from Above” that combines GPS tracking, data collection and sophisticated computer visualizations to give viewers a view of the UK that no one has ever seen.  It’s absolutely captivating to watch the planes entering and exiting British airspace, or seeing the nation’s telephone network come to life.  The Daily Mail wrote an article about the series that includes some images.

I’ve now been ‘online’ in one way or the other for nearly 20 years, starting the first time I connected to a bulletin board system in Dec. of 1988. I’ve played, chatted, searched, published, expressed options, made friends, argued, campaigned for office, experimented, learned, even entered the truly bizarre world of online dating. What’s it all leading to? Well, if you recall the battle-cry of the Borg on STTNG you’ll already know ‘you will be assimilated.’ We Fell Fine is just about the only proof you’ll ever need. As far as interesting Internet experiments go it’s not completely lame. And I want you to want me is slightly surreal. Jonathan Harris & Sep Kamvar are sickly creative.

As anyone who’s talked with me about design will know, I’m a huge fan of Edward Tufte. This diagram produced during an investigative story about suicides is both graphically interesting and somewhat beautiful despite the morbid reality behind the data.