Friday Varia and Quick Thoughts...

I've been thinking a good bit about the web site for our proposed Working Group in Digital and New Media.  I can remember when it was pretty easy to set up a website -- throw up some links, perhaps frames or a nice stable menu bar, add a photo or a bit of music (if you were flash-y). 

Now things are different.  First, the number of applications, add-on, languages, style sheets, and the like have proliferated.  It's hard to figure out exactly how to combine various forms of java, flash, shockwave, php, CSS, et c. to make an appealing and manageable interface.  And we have to contend with multiple browsers. 

It's also hard to figure out what kind of devices the page will appear on.  A page will look great on my 17 inch Macbook Pro, but not so good on my 9 inch Dell Mini and damn near illegible on my iPod touch or Samsung Omnia (running Opera Mobile).  So, do we create multiple pages for multiple devices?

How often do we change our looks?  Do we run the page as a blog with that allows up to update easily into a new theme to keep the page fresh.  Do we strip the page down and run it as a wiki which could be changed collaboratively, impulsively, and tracked historically?  Or do we combine multiple options to capture the dynamism of the web in it's various facets?

Some other little hits:

• I like this and impressed with the interface that Tumblr provides.  I am going on a little road trip and want to create a small blog to document my travels.  Perhaps Tumblr is the solution?
• Here's another in the growing list of Digital Humanities White Papers.  It would be cool to produce an index of these.
• Keep an eye on the Grand Forks Herald's flood headlines and keep the folks in Fargo-Moorhead in your thought and prayers.
• It sure would be fun to hear about the Corinthia Archaeology conference in Loutraki!  Can anyone send along a copy of the program?

Have a good weekend and stay dry.

Comments

[Dallas]

Info (program, abstracts) here:

http://www.corintharchconf.gr/indexen.html

Quite the gathering...

[Chuck]

A thought on using Tumblr, it really is a mid-way point between Twitter and a blog. They infact encourage you to make multiple "tumblogs." The ease of updating sounds, pictures, quotes, links, etc. really is nice and allows you to quickly do it. With a blog you don't want to post just a quote or photo - with tumblr they want you to. Perfect for trips or just a gathering of thoughts not worthy a blog.