Archive for July, 2005

KNOCK KNOCK

Tuesday, July 26th, 2005

Knock Knock, Seth Godin's latest e-book
Seth Godin is fast becoming a compulsory reading.
He has recently released an e-book called “Seth Godin’s Incomplete Guide to Building a Web Site That Works“. I am currently reading it, and if you want to you can buy it for only $9.
Get it here.

Note: This isn’t a technical guide about Web design or development. This is written from a different point of view, one that us developers sometimes seem to forget. That is, to think beyond tags and selectors. To think for example of the “tone of voice” you use, or of what you need the site to “do”.

Posted in English, Readings, Web design | No Comments »

Amazon not a standard anymore?

Monday, July 25th, 2005

Jakob Nielsen may have a point. Read his latest Alertbox, “Amazon: No Longer the Role Model for E-Commerce Design”.

Posted in English, Usability | 2 Comments »

Fed Up

Sunday, July 24th, 2005

As I was sitting here, getting ready for a date with a nice book, I was thinking how fed up I get sometimes. I started wondering whether I should keep a blog at all, seeming that sometimes I have nothing to say worth listening to. I decided to check Molly’s blog and there it was… this isn’t the first time this has happened. Having a thought and finding out someone else (in this case a friend) is thinking on similar lines. A good friend has decided some time ago to close his blog, being so tired with some people. I really miss his online presence. If I decide to shut up for a while, will anyone miss mine?

Posted in English, Personal, Site Stuff | 4 Comments »

Democratizing innovation

Wednesday, July 20th, 2005

After reading a post about it, I decided to download the book and started reading it. You can also buy it from Amazon. “Democratizing innovation”, by Eric von Hippel is a must, if you are at all interested in technology and inovation. (via Fred who, by the way, has a fantastic site)

Posted in English, Professional, Readings | No Comments »

Web Foundations 2005 (in Spain)

Tuesday, July 19th, 2005

After @media, comes Fundamentos Web2005 – Accessibility, Usability and Web Standards International Meeting. This is great news. Finally, we’re starting to see real change. There are more and more professionals developing with Web Standards, having real care with Usability and Accessibility matters, and doing things “the right way”. And this creates the need for this kind of conferences, where a lot happens. I find these occasions great motivators, both for speakers and attendees. Things really change afterwards.
Another fact that makes me very happy is that conferences are getting closer to Portugal. I’m betting next year they’ll get here. Let’s keep going!

Posted in Accessibility, English, Professional, Travel, Usability, Web standards | No Comments »

Topo De Gama

Monday, July 18th, 2005

tenho um telemóvel topo de gama
mas ninguém me liga
mas ninguém me chama

tenho um automóvel cor azul índigo
ninguém quer boleia
ninguém vem comigo

tenho um apartamento virado para o mar
ninguém bate à porta
ninguém vem jantar

será que sou feio será que sou chato
será que vou dar em bicho do mato
será que sou giro mas giro ao contrário
será que estou preso dentro de um armário
não estás não senhor
apenas agora ficaste de fora
das contas do amor

tenho as medidas de um manequim
a beleza certa
ninguém dá por mim

tenho um bom emprego muito produtivo
até vale tirar olhos
é tão competitivo

tenho um consultório com um bom divã
onde deito a alma
e conto à mamã

será que sou feio será que sou chato
será que vou dar em bicho do mato
será que sou giro mas giro ao contrário
será que estou preso dentro de um armário
não estás não senhor
apenas agora ficaste de fora
das contas do amor

(Clã, Carlos Tê \ Hélder Gonçalves)

Posted in Music, Personal, Português | No Comments »

Release

Friday, July 15th, 2005

I was away in Belgium last week on holiday. Rented a car. Visited Holland, Germany and Luxembourg. Photos soon.
I am tired this week. I am stressed out this week. I have little patience this week.
I have come to the conclusion that one-week holidays are not enough to rest properly. The thing is, this year has been a strange one, with many changes inside and out, and what remains of it will carry even more change.
I’m just hoping for a whole week (or two) by the sea, doing NOTHING. I am hoping it’s possible.

Posted in English, Personal, Travel | 1 Comment »

Musical Week

Saturday, July 2nd, 2005

How good it was to have a good concentrated dosage of great live music last week. On Sunday, a concert by Maria João & Mário Laginha in Évora. It is always a pleasure watching them live, and chatting a bit with two of my favourite people in the world.
On Tuesday, Humanos concert at Coliseu in Lisbon. This was one of the best concerts I’ve seen recently. Never before recorded songs of António Variações, dressed up by three of today’s most renowned Portuguese singers. David Fonseca, Camané, and Manuela Azevedo delivered a fantastic show! I’m glad it was recorded on CD and DVD.
On Thursday, The Lufthansa Jazz Band, at the Goethe Institut Gardens, in Lisbon. It was a great late afternoon, with good music and lovely surroundings.
Let’s have more weeks like this one :-)

Posted in English, Music, Personal | No Comments »