evolt.org - Commentary & Society

Facebook Doesn't Make You Smarter, Rigorous Research Does

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:25:41 -0500

Yesterday Mashable.com posted an article titled "Psychologist: Facebook Makes You Smarter, Twitter Makes You Dumber." It was originally from an article in the Telegraph titled "Facebook 'enhances intelligence' but Twitter 'diminishes it', claims psychologist." This morning I heard the story referenced on a couple morning news programs and I've seen it picked up one other news sites and blogs. It was also Mashable's most re-tweeted article yesterday. And it's also completely wrong.

Do You Really Need a Website?

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:21:14 -0500

With so much user-generated content around these days, do businesses really need their own websites to establish an online presence? Erika asks some tough questions.

De top-10 leugens die klanten vertellen

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:43:17 -0600

Oorspronkelijke titel/original title: Top 10 Lies told by Clients

Als je commercieel aan de slag gaat, dan is zorgen dat je je werk goed doet maar een klein deel van je taak. Regelmatig zie ik treurige voorbeelden van mensen die met goede bedoelingen aan een opdracht beginnen, en vervolgens verschrikkelijk voor de gek worden gehouden, omdat wat zij zien als een uitdaging en als iets dat ze met liefde doen, door de tegenpartij wordt gezien als iets heel anders, helemaal niet romantisch of geïdealiseerd, maar rauw en simpel.

The List Tip Tradition

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 02:01:23 -0600

Tipping is an evolt.org discussion list tradition; the way a list member voluntarily "pays" for an off-topic, chatty, or high noise-to-signal post.

CMS Trench Warfare: An Introduction

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:07:08 -0600

I have been working with large organizations to create or move web and intranet sites from static HTML pages to the company's chosen CMS. My role is that of liaison between the IT department (or whoever manages the project) and end user. By default, my clients tend to be in clerical roles: the folks in the trenches. My job is to evangelize the product, explain the process, present, instruct, coach, and guide clients in web architecture basics and design best-practices, and in use of the chosen software.

Design for iPhone: a device that thinks different

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:02:55 -0500

One Saturday afternoon, I agreed to take my daughter to the AT&T store, just to LOOK at an iPhone... touch one... explore a little. MISTAKE. I should have duct-taped myself to the mast — and my wallet to my ass — because next thing I knew (after daughter demoed it as expertly as if she'd been using it all her life) we were walking out of the store with a brand new iPhone 3G. You'll love our coverage, the AT&T salesman assured as he packed the phone into a bag, only for us to discover upon arriving home that we had no reception within a quarter mile of our house.

Dang! I thought, now we have to move.

How to Get Listed in the DMOZ Directory

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 08:35:54 -0500

I'm a little confused. As an internet consultant specializing in search engine optimization, I believe that it is a good idea to submit your site to DMOZ (a.k.a. ODP or the Open Directory Project) --in fact, Google even encourages you to do so! However, being an ODP editor myself, I can tell you from personal experience that perhaps only 10-20% of all the site suggestions we receive actually follow our guidelines...

Top 10 Lies told by Clients

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:47:25 -0600

When you're working commercially, being great at what you do is about 25% of the task. Too many times I see the sad example of someone walking in to a situation with noble intentions and then getting royally screwed, because what they see as an opportunity and a labor of love, the other party sees as something else entirely, not at all romantic or idealized, but raw and simple.

You are going to be dealing with people who are unlike yourself. Their motivations are their own and their attitudes are probably different than yours. When you're in education, you may have tough teachers and think that it can't be worse, but wait until a business person has a hundred grand riding on your work! Then you will know what demanding means.

This list wasn't meant to make anyone crazy or paranoid, but is designed to inject some reality into the fantasy.

Can WCAG 2.0 be simpler?

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 05:44:32 -0600

The new WCAG 2.0 standard draft sparked a hot discussion around web accessibility and the standard direction. The main issue is how to make it simpler and easier to understand for web developer community. The author investigates some WCAG 2.0 success criteria and explains, why they should be solved by improving technology of user agents.

Agent vs. Agent

Fri, 28 Oct 2005 11:42:05 -0500

A brief article on the topic of user-agents. An introduction to the term, some examples of agents that perhaps developers haven't thought of as being agents, and a discussion of malicious agents.

RoI: How Hard is Your Web Site Working?

Wed, 31 Aug 2005 03:45:51 -0500

Accountability is a good thing — as long as it's based on sound objectives. ROI objectives can represent tangible things such as cost savings and intangible tings such as the projected impact your Web site will have on customer perception and behavior. They identify how you plan to use the Internet recover your financial investment and to achieve some specific communication goals and marketing efforts.

Your Customer Is A Search Engine

Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:14:23 -0600

While consumer confidence in advertising is at an all-time low their confidence in search engines is growing.

Of Web Sites and Pinball Machines

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 09:50:38 -0500

Instead of thinking of your web site in terms of flowcharts and site maps, consider these five reasons your web site is like a pinball game.

Seeking Intelligence: Online Competitive Research

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 19:52:36 -0500

Finding online information about your competitors is easy - The difficult part is finding meaning. When researching the competition, you can avoid pitfalls by seeking 'intelligence' instead of 'information'.

Communication And Technology In The Workplace

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 19:43:11 -0500

A common dilemma facing businesses large and small alike is how best to equip their staff to deliver the largest amount of productivity, weighed against the increasing costs of the technology necessary to deliver that productivity. Here are some pointers to help you build a case for the most useful options.