Web Directions

object(WP_Query)#69 (47) { ["query_vars"]=> array(55) { ["year"]=> int(2008) ["monthnum"]=> int(3) ["error"]=> string(0) "" ["m"]=> int(0) ["p"]=> int(0) ["post_parent"]=> string(0) "" ["subpost"]=> string(0) "" ["subpost_id"]=> string(0) "" ["attachment"]=> string(0) "" ["attachment_id"]=> int(0) ["name"]=> string(0) "" ["static"]=> string(0) "" ["pagename"]=> string(0) "" ["page_id"]=> int(0) ["second"]=> string(0) "" ["minute"]=> string(0) "" ["hour"]=> string(0) "" ["day"]=> int(0) ["w"]=> int(0) ["category_name"]=> string(0) "" ["tag"]=> string(0) "" ["cat"]=> string(0) "" ["tag_id"]=> string(0) "" ["author_name"]=> string(0) "" ["feed"]=> string(0) "" ["tb"]=> string(0) "" ["paged"]=> int(0) ["comments_popup"]=> string(0) "" ["meta_key"]=> string(0) "" ["meta_value"]=> string(0) "" ["preview"]=> string(0) "" ["s"]=> string(0) "" ["sentence"]=> string(0) "" ["fields"]=> string(0) "" ["category__in"]=> array(0) { } ["category__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["category__and"]=> array(0) { } ["post__in"]=> array(0) { } ["post__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag__in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag__and"]=> array(0) { } ["tag_slug__in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag_slug__and"]=> array(0) { } ["ignore_sticky_posts"]=> bool(false) ["suppress_filters"]=> bool(false) ["cache_results"]=> bool(false) ["update_post_term_cache"]=> bool(true) ["update_post_meta_cache"]=> bool(true) ["post_type"]=> string(0) "" ["posts_per_page"]=> int(15) ["nopaging"]=> bool(false) ["comments_per_page"]=> string(2) "50" ["no_found_rows"]=> bool(false) ["order"]=> string(4) "DESC" } ["tax_query"]=> object(WP_Tax_Query)#90 (2) { ["queries"]=> array(0) { } ["relation"]=> string(3) "AND" } ["meta_query"]=> object(WP_Meta_Query)#89 (2) { ["queries"]=> array(0) { } ["relation"]=> NULL } ["post_count"]=> int(15) ["current_post"]=> int(-1) ["in_the_loop"]=> bool(false) ["comment_count"]=> int(0) ["current_comment"]=> int(-1) ["found_posts"]=> string(2) "33" ["max_num_pages"]=> float(3) ["max_num_comment_pages"]=> int(0) ["is_single"]=> bool(false) ["is_preview"]=> bool(false) ["is_page"]=> bool(false) ["is_archive"]=> bool(true) ["is_date"]=> bool(true) ["is_year"]=> bool(false) ["is_month"]=> bool(true) ["is_day"]=> bool(false) ["is_time"]=> bool(false) ["is_author"]=> bool(false) ["is_category"]=> bool(false) ["is_tag"]=> bool(false) ["is_tax"]=> bool(false) ["is_search"]=> bool(false) ["is_feed"]=> bool(false) ["is_comment_feed"]=> bool(false) ["is_trackback"]=> bool(false) ["is_home"]=> bool(false) ["is_404"]=> bool(false) ["is_comments_popup"]=> bool(false) ["is_paged"]=> bool(false) ["is_admin"]=> bool(false) ["is_attachment"]=> bool(false) ["is_singular"]=> bool(false) ["is_robots"]=> bool(false) ["is_posts_page"]=> bool(false) ["is_post_type_archive"]=> bool(false) ["query_vars_hash"]=> string(32) "f27630d27acaea8e99a518c744475dd9" ["query_vars_changed"]=> bool(false) ["thumbnails_cached"]=> bool(false) ["query"]=> array(2) { ["year"]=> string(4) "2008" ["monthnum"]=> string(2) "03" } ["request"]=> string(252) " SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS wp_posts.* FROM wp_posts WHERE 1=1 AND YEAR(wp_posts.post_date)='2008' AND MONTH(wp_posts.post_date)='3' AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND (wp_posts.post_status = 'publish') ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 15" ["posts"]=> &array(15) { [0]=> object(stdClass)#114 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(407) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 18:17:41" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 23:17:41" ["post_content"]=> string(1808) "I read in smh this morning that The Powerhouse Museum is creating Australia's first public email archive in an attempt to preserve a collection of present day communications for future generations.Anyone can contribute by going to the Email Australia site and submitting emails which are funny, sad, embarassing etc etc.Having just made the change to a new laptop, and whimped out on this opportunity to declare true email bankruptcy, preservation of email is on my mind. Of course, I understand the need to preserve business communications, but dearer to my heart, and harder to let go, is all the ephemera I store in a folder simply called "People". It's rare (though not unknown) for me to to sit there and flick through all the funny, sad, embarassing emails my friends have sent me over the years. But still, just like that box of old letters at the back of my wardrobe, I cannot embrace the lightness of letting it go.And then, I wonder, if this archive was to be preserved in some way, what will it tell of my milieu? An example, expletives deleted:

Hi love,
... only just got around to watching the barnsey clip... *&^%... he was hot.
Trust you're busy wif the conference looming & all... shall we get together for a cold one once it's all over?
b x.

With that in mind, get along to Email Australia and make your contribution to our online cultural heritage." ["post_title"]=> string(43) "Want to preserve your emails for posterity?" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(42) "want-to-preserve-your-emails-for-posterity" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 18:17:41" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 23:17:41" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(77) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/want-to-preserve-your-emails-for-posterity/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "1" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(stdClass)#115 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(406) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 00:09:33" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 05:09:33" ["post_content"]=> string(1757) "Sometimes I find it hard to tell the difference between a good idea badly executed and a plain old bad idea. This is one of those times.Reputation HQ is a "socialprise web application that bridges the gap between Social Media and enterprise ORM".Yes, I had to look up ORM as well - it stands for "Online Reputation Management". Which hints at the "badly executed" part. While the site looks relatively slick and Web 2.0 compliant, the copy has been written by folks who don't travel to work on the Cluetrain. Or use a spell checker.But is the tool itself a good idea? I'll admit to being a bit slack with reading my own press, even though I know that getting out there and spending a little bit of time on it everyday, even if you only pick up on a tiny percentage of what is being said, is a very useful past time. I just never get round to setting up all those Google Alerts*, or reading them when I have done. A tool that could help me with this, by gathering everything together into one place, might just get me over the line with doing it.And then add in the capability to share the responsibility across your enterprise, and I genuinely do see somethng neat.Someone smart should go out there and build this though, as this implementation is not the one that an organisation like Hill & Knowlton is one day going to license from you for millions of dollars a year.* In an aside, I was interested (scared even!) to see Google (presumably) eating their own dogfood here and keeping track of my off the cuff comments about my experiences with using the forms feature of Google spreadsheet." ["post_title"]=> string(13) "Reputation HQ" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(13) "reputation-hq" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(79) " http://www.webdirections.org/blog/best-tool-for-discussing-the-survey-results/" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 00:09:33" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 05:09:33" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(48) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/reputation-hq/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "2" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [2]=> object(stdClass)#116 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(492) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "8" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-27 20:20:21" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-28 01:20:21" ["post_content"]=> string(1754) "

A presentation given at at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

• MP3 of presentation
• Session description
• About Lisa Herrod

Session description

Web Usability is far more complex than user testing and interaction design alone. And while interface design is an important consideration, there’s more to a usable site than what’s on the surface.

We all know the importance of accessibility and web standards, so let’s take that knowledge one step further and into the realm of usability. In this session Lisa Herrod will redefine the common definition of usability by introducing a greater focus on accessibility and web standards. By taking a more holistic approach you will soon see why usability is more than skin deep.

About Lisa Herrod

" ["post_title"]=> string(44) "Lisa Herrod - Usability: more than skin deep" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(834) "

A presentation given at at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

Web Usability is far more complex than user testing and interaction design alone. And while interface design is an important consideration, there’s more to a usable site than what’s on the surface.

We all know the importance of accessibility and web standards, so let’s take that knowledge one step further and into the realm of usability. In this session Lisa Herrod will redefine the common definition of usability by introducing a greater focus on accessibility and web standards. By taking a more holistic approach you will soon see why usability is more than skin deep.

" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(41) "lisa-herrod-usability-more-than-skin-deep" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-07-21 01:26:27" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-07-21 06:26:27" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "http://www.webdirections.org/?p=492" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "2" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [3]=> object(stdClass)#117 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(405) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 22:51:26" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-27 03:51:26" ["post_content"]=> string(2021) "I decided to go with the forms feature of Google Spreadsheets for our Have Your Say in the Web Directions South 2008 Program survey. Only 24 hours in I'm largely happy with the choice, apart from

• I'd love to be able to limit which cells of the spreadsheet I share (so as to not have to share the email addresses of those who submit them)
• It'd be great to have a bit of branding on the form - even just our logo
• There are some incredibly bad interaction design choices in the whole application
• It never works properly at all in Safari for me, so I have to use it in clunky old slow old Firefox.

But apart from that, for something which is free, and took me 10 minutes to set up, it's a very good option and I would recommend it.It was especially great watching all the names appear on the "Discuss" tab of the survey results spreadsheet in the hour or so after I sent the email out and blogged about it. It made me feel quite chuffed to think that I had helped you in some way to while away the long afternoon hours by looking at my spreadsheet. But yes, take heed other conference organisers who swing by for a bit of a look see: I am watching you while you are watching me :)One thing I'm not going to be able to work with is the online chat facility though. As mentioned, on April 11 we're going to be discussing the results with anyone who'd like to join in, but I'm afraid the "Chat about this spreadsheet" feature just isn't ready for this kind of prime time.I don't think it would be that big a deal to have the discussion in another window than where the spreadsheet is, especially if in doing so

• We could have a transcript
• "It just worked"

But: what to use? Campfire with Guest Access turned on is the first thing that comes to my mind. I'm just wondering if anyone out there has any experience with using Campfire in this way, or indeed, has any other suggestions?" ["post_title"]=> string(44) "Best tool for discussing the survey results?" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(43) "best-tool-for-discussing-the-survey-results" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 22:51:26" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-27 03:51:26" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(78) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/best-tool-for-discussing-the-survey-results/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "3" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [4]=> object(stdClass)#118 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(404) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 19:51:58" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-27 00:51:58" ["post_content"]=> string(2419) "

A presentation given at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

• MP3 of presentation
• Presentation slides
• Session description
• About David Hayward

Presentation slides

Session description

Government has huge amounts of information but how can this be effectively managed and delivered through the web? This session will ‘lift the lid’ on web mapping technology and identify some of the key issues that must be addressed to achieve a successful outcome.

The NSW government SIX Viewer web mapping portal will be used as a case study to demonstrate how terabytes of data can be integrated and delivered via the Internet.

About David Hayward

" ["post_title"]=> string(23) "David Hayward - Mapping" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(723) "

A presentation given at Web Directions Government, Old Parliament House, Canberra, May 19 2008.

Government has huge amounts of information but how can this be effectively managed and delivered through the web? This session will ‘lift the lid’ on web mapping technology and identify some of the key issues that must be addressed to achieve a successful outcome.

The NSW government SIX Viewer web mapping portal will be used as a case study to demonstrate how terabytes of data can be integrated and delivered via the Internet.

" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(13) "david-hayward" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-06-22 22:30:38" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-06-23 03:30:38" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(53) "http://www.webdirections.org/resources/david-hayward/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [5]=> object(stdClass)#119 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(403) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 18:41:50" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 23:41:50" ["post_content"]=> string(796) "I liked this, which I saw the other day (Hat Tip: Virginia Murdoch). It's a story in the "hard-boiled" genre, told in bite sized chunks with each chunk connected to its location on Google Maps. As I said, I liked it, but it didn't really hold my attention I don't think because I'm not familiar with the location it connected the story to in this intimate way.Now: how cool would it be if there was a tool so we could all tell stories like this? I know there are already tools out there that make use of the Google Maps API and let people plot things out, but this would be something much more dedicated, and perhaps simpler: just a set of tools specially designed for story telling." ["post_title"]=> string(33) "Integrating stories and geography" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(33) "integrating-stories-and-geography" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 18:41:50" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 23:41:50" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(68) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/integrating-stories-and-geography/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "4" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [6]=> object(stdClass)#120 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(402) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 23:58:35" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 04:58:35" ["post_content"]=> string(1112) "Every year the Web Directions conference brings together a group of expert speakers who have been working on interesting projects and finding ingenious and practical solutions to those same challenges the attendees face in their own work.This year we'd love your help with finding out who those experts are.If you can spare 5 minutes to fill in our survey with who and what you'd like to see at Web Directions South in Sydney this September we're really keen to incorporate your ideas into the program. And yes, we certainly want to hear about it if you would like to present something yourself!The survey will close on April 9.

Discuss the results

But that's not where it ends. You'll be able to keep an eye on the survey results as they come in, though you will need a Google Account to get into this page.And then on Friday April 11, between 9am and 3pm AEST John and I will be around to discuss the survey results via the "Discuss" tab on that page. Swing by some time, we'd love to hear from you." ["post_title"]=> string(54) "Have your say in the Web Directions South 2008 program" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(54) "have-your-say-in-the-web-directions-south-2008-program" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 23:58:35" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-26 04:58:35" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(89) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/have-your-say-in-the-web-directions-south-2008-program/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [7]=> object(stdClass)#121 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(401) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 00:56:50" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 05:56:50" ["post_content"]=> string(1688) "John and I have been thinking about ways of drawing on the great ideas for speakers and topics from the people who come to the conference ever since the closing keynote of Web Directions South 2007. Who better to tell you about what content should be there than the people who are going to experience it right?We really wanted to keep it simple and use ready rolled tools as much as possible, so the addition a while back of forms linked in to Google Spreadsheets caught my eye.OK, it's not the prettiest thing on the planet, and there's very little customisation available, so you can't brand it at all. And some of the UX is just plain bad, but, having said all that it looked like the best thing out there to provide a quick and easy solution to a simple problem.So: anyone on my mailing list can expect an email tomorrow asking just a few quick questions with a view to finding out who and what you want to hear at Web Directions in Sydney in 2008. And yes, I want you to put up your hand if you think you've been working on something interesting this year and you'd like to speak about it - no more shrinking Australian violets please!But that won't be the end of it, and this is where the true beauty of using Google Docs for this will kick in. Once as many answers as possible are in - I'll leave it open for two weeks - I'm going to make the survey available for everyone to see and open it up for a 6 hour discussion on April 11 between 9am and 3pm AEST. Watch this space and be there or be square!" ["post_title"]=> string(41) "Get ready for the crowdsourced conference" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(41) "get-ready-for-the-crowdsourced-conference" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(105) "http://www.webdirections.org/uncategorized/mark-pesce/ http://www.webdirections.org/resources/mark-pesce/" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-04-30 22:25:08" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-05-01 03:25:08" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(76) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/get-ready-for-the-crowdsourced-conference/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [8]=> object(stdClass)#122 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(400) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 00:10:32" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 05:10:32" ["post_content"]=> string(894) "I always find it the most tiresome of conversation stoppers whenever anyone says "Twitter/Facebook/MySpace/Flickr/[insert name of social networking application here] is stupid. I don't care what you had for breakfast. I don't want to find out what my friends are up to over the web etc etc etc." Boring!In a nice quote from his summary of his SXSW 2008 Keynote, Henry Jenkins' words are so much more eloquent and polite than mine:

Humans do not engage in activities that are meaningless. If you think you see people doing things you find meaningless, look again and try to understand what the activities mean for them.

He's actually talking about the activities of fans, but I think it goes a long way toward explaining just about everything I ever find interesting." ["post_title"]=> string(31) "Very useful Henry Jenkins quote" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(31) "very-useful-henry-jenkins-quote" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 00:10:32" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-25 05:10:32" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(66) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/very-useful-henry-jenkins-quote/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "4" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [9]=> object(stdClass)#123 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(399) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-24 18:48:38" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-24 23:48:38" ["post_content"]=> string(1421) "Sydneysiders free around lunch time tomorrow should swing by the Powerhouse Museum and catch Sebastian Chan, who gave a much loved presentation at Web Directions South last year.As part of the Talks After Noon series, Sebastian will be speaking on the future of museums online and looking at the different ways museums are engaging with social media, mobile technologies, collections and more. If you have any interest at all in how cultural institutions can think about engaging their audiences, and increasing access to their collections via the web, then don't miss this, even if it's not complete free as in beer (you have to buy a ticket to the museum, but hey, when was the last time you did yourself and the arts a favour by taking the afternoon off and visiting a museum?).Full details here.Oh, and, if you like what you hear, Sebastian is giving a full day workshop on Social Media and Government as part of Web Directions Government 08." ["post_title"]=> string(64) "Free event: Sebastian Chan on "New web technologies and museums"" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(61) "free-event-sebastian-chan-on-new-web-technologies-and-museums" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(55) " http://www.webdirections.org/resources/sebastian-chan/" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-24 18:48:38" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-24 23:48:38" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(96) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/free-event-sebastian-chan-on-new-web-technologies-and-museums/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [10]=> object(stdClass)#124 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(398) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-24 18:26:11" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-24 23:26:11" ["post_content"]=> string(898) "By now, I suspect all of our readers will be familiar with the idea of a barcamp - "unconferences" which have no agenda, no invited speakers, little or no cost, and which encourage everyone who turns up to participate.Australia has seen a number of these events in the last year or so, and April sees two events, one in Sydney on April 5th and 6th at the Roundhouse at UNSW, and the first ever in Canberra, at the CSIT building at ANU on April 19th.Web Directions is sponsoring both events, and there'll be some doorprizes in Canberra (no prizes for guessing what they might be).Barcamps are a fantastic way of picking up new ideas, and sharing your know how and experience with others - all for free! You can't do better than that!" ["post_title"]=> string(31) "Aussie Barcamps galore in April" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(31) "aussie-barcamps-galore-in-april" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-30 21:51:13" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 02:51:13" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(66) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/aussie-barcamps-galore-in-april/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "2" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [11]=> object(stdClass)#125 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(397) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-19 19:35:46" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-20 00:35:46" ["post_content"]=> string(1636) "OK, off the cuff I'm troubled by all the references to girls and fairies in this interview with Chris Heatherly, Disney's VP of Technology and Innovation, but there is mention of an innovative solution to a real problem. That problem being risks to personal security of children brought about by the connections they make in virtual worlds.

My recent favorite innovation is a new technology called Clickables that we are launching in connection to our new Disney Fairies virtual world. It's a way for kids to take their online world experience into the real world. The core of it is a magical bracelet. By simply clicking their bracelets together, girls become friends in the online environment.

(and what do boys get to do? bump spanners or something? but I digress ... )I'm thinking about how this kind of idea can transfer to the adult world, specifically the world of adults at a certain web development conference. Obviously, we're not going to make you all wear bracelets, (my preference would actually be for collars anyway:). That would be crazy in a time when we all carry around a collar disguised as a communications device. Every year I've tossed around ideas for using mobiles to help people cement connections they make at Web Directions, but never really come up with an idea engaging enough to implement. Maybe this will be the year we make it happen. " ["post_title"]=> string(25) "Shall we click bracelets?" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(24) "shall-we-click-bracelets" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-19 19:36:41" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-20 00:36:41" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(59) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/shall-we-click-bracelets/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "6" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [12]=> object(stdClass)#126 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(396) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-18 19:00:46" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-19 00:00:46" ["post_content"]=> string(1149) "Like many a young, science focussed geek growing up, science fiction as well as science fact became a very important part of my teenage years. Towering above the great names of mid century SciFi like Asimov and Robert A Henlien to my mind at least was Arthur C. Clarke. Clarke's fiction was only one half to his remarkable life - he was also an extraordinary technological visionary, and many of his SciFi ideas years later became fact - from geo-stationary communications satellites, to the moon landings.His was a remarkable life - lived through the adversity of polio (and having had some exposure to the effects of polio in my family, that raises him in my estimation an extraordinary amount), and with his passing at 90, I think all of us with a technological bent might find the time to read the New York Times obituary, and reflect on a remarkable life that has touched the lives of just about everyone in the world.Thank you Mr Clarke." ["post_title"]=> string(21) "Vale Arthur C. Clarke" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(20) "vale-arthur-c-clarke" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-30 21:51:43" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 02:51:43" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(55) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/vale-arthur-c-clarke/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [13]=> object(stdClass)#127 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(395) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-18 17:06:24" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-18 22:06:24" ["post_content"]=> string(2240) "Or should that be 37Signals takes on Donald Norman?Responding to a Wired Magazine article in which he was quoted as saying that the kind of simplicity embodied in the products of organisations like 37Signals was overrated, Donald Norman blogs

Now, I have always admired 37signals. Nice website, intelligent articles. But I've tried their products and although they have admirable qualities, they have never quite met my needs: Close is not good enough. After reading the article, I understand why: the developers are arrogant and completely unsympathetic to the people who use their products.

Followed by a choice quote from David Heinemeier Hansson which I'm not going to dignify by repeating here.Essentially, Donald Norman objects to the 37Signals philosophy of "Design for yourself", which on the surface at least, would tend to fly in the face of the core ideas behind user centred design.So there is the rebuttal from Jason Fried.

We figure out what we want and whether other people will want it too. This method works because our problems are common problems. Solutions to our own problems are solutions to other people’s problems too. By building products we want to use, we’re also building products that millions of other small businesses want to use. Not all businesses, not all customers, not everyone, but a healthy, sustainable, growing, and profitable segment of the market.

The key phrase in the above being "whether other people will want it too". I think this is why the guys at 37Signals get under people's skins: they don't trouble themselves too much with elaborate systems for working this out, they give the impression that they can somehow just divine it during a chat over the morning coffee. I guess that's a bit depressing for the rest of us who may not feel we have this talent so need to rely on user research instead." ["post_title"]=> string(32) "Donald Norman takes on 37Signals" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(32) "donald-norman-takes-on-37signals" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-18 17:06:24" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-18 22:06:24" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(67) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/donald-norman-takes-on-37signals/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "6" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [14]=> object(stdClass)#128 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(394) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-17 17:59:02" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-17 22:59:02" ["post_content"]=> string(789) "It's a fair bet that Andy Budd, author, web designer and developer, renowned blogger, and organiser of the d.construct conferences among many other things will be known to most people in the web industry. We are really excited to have him as our opening keynote speaker, as well as presenting a full day workshop in "guerilla usability testing" - but only in Melbourne for Web Directions UX.So if you are keen to see Andy speak for the first time in our part of the world, sign up for Web Directions UX today!" ["post_title"]=> string(32) "Andy Budd - first time downunder" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(30) "andy-budd-first-time-downunder" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(47) " http://ux08.webdirections.org/program/#post-11" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-17 17:59:02" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-17 22:59:02" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(65) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/andy-budd-first-time-downunder/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } } ["post"]=> object(stdClass)#114 (25) { ["ID"]=> int(407) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 18:17:41" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 23:17:41" ["post_content"]=> string(1808) "I read in smh this morning that The Powerhouse Museum is creating Australia's first public email archive in an attempt to preserve a collection of present day communications for future generations.Anyone can contribute by going to the Email Australia site and submitting emails which are funny, sad, embarassing etc etc.Having just made the change to a new laptop, and whimped out on this opportunity to declare true email bankruptcy, preservation of email is on my mind. Of course, I understand the need to preserve business communications, but dearer to my heart, and harder to let go, is all the ephemera I store in a folder simply called "People". It's rare (though not unknown) for me to to sit there and flick through all the funny, sad, embarassing emails my friends have sent me over the years. But still, just like that box of old letters at the back of my wardrobe, I cannot embrace the lightness of letting it go.And then, I wonder, if this archive was to be preserved in some way, what will it tell of my milieu? An example, expletives deleted:

Hi love,
... only just got around to watching the barnsey clip... *&^%... he was hot.
Trust you're busy wif the conference looming & all... shall we get together for a cold one once it's all over?
b x.

With that in mind, get along to Email Australia and make your contribution to our online cultural heritage." ["post_title"]=> string(43) "Want to preserve your emails for posterity?" ["post_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(42) "want-to-preserve-your-emails-for-posterity" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 18:17:41" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2008-03-31 23:17:41" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(77) "http://www.webdirections.org/blog/want-to-preserve-your-emails-for-posterity/" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "1" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } ["queried_object"]=> NULL ["queried_object_id"]=> int(0) }