What’s the future of Flash?

I have been a Flash designer for many years. I found it to be a good offshoot of Macromedia’s Director, which I had learned to use to make CD-ROMs. What I’ve always loved about Flash is that it’s as big as you need it to be, both dimensionally and the amount of memory it needs (after the initial base.)

Up until the time that Adobe bought Macromedia I felt that flash would become the platform that would replace the normal browser, and make rich experiences the norm on the Web. Flash can grab movies, text, data and present them on screen without the constraining window that has become the norm for the browser. I was envisioning the use of Websites becoming so integrated into the computer itself that it would be less about using the Web and just become a part of owning a computer. I was sure that most of the operations of the computer would be through mini-apps, like Dashboard widgets, with 24bit transparent interfaces designed by professionals to make it intuitive to find what you need.

Then Adobe bought Macromedia.

I’ve been disappointed by the lack of innovation and evangelism that Adobe has provided for Flash. I find it aggravating that I can’t design flash for a Website that will play on and iPhone or iPad. Now not only do I not think that Flash will become the platform, but I’m afraid it’s not going to make it into the next set of standards. Now with HTML5 and javascript, Flash is becoming a niche program. Sure you can now design iPhone apps with flash, and that’s easier, and I think that’s good, but it’s not a pervasive as I would like it to be. And I think that’s a shame.

The rumor is that it will be pervasive again by 2012 or so, but what will come in the meantime? Maybe the other standards will become better than flash. Maybe Flash is not the future. Maybe it will merge into something else.

I was always a big fan of PDF, too. That also never made it to what I had hoped. Maybe now with the iPad it is the time of PDF. Maybe PDF and Flash will make owning an iPad even better. I hope so.

Why we need health care reform: a personal experience

When I was 13, my dad lost his job. He had been a lobbyist for the cities of the state of Colorado. We lived comfortably in a brand new house in a quiet bedroom community outside of Denver. On my thirteenth birthday was the day that he was fired.

Beginning on that day was the slow, humiliating fall of my family. Due to the nature of my dad’s illness, he never really understood that intellectually, he was not the genius that he used to be. He didn’t understand why people wouldn’t hire him with all of his experience. But everyone who knew him knew that he was just not the same person he had been.

I would hate to think what would have happened if we had not had family in Iowa. Once our bank accounts were dried up by medical bills after his insurance was gone we moved back to my grandmother’s farm house in Ogden, where we basically took over her life in the remaining years of her life. My uncle gave my dad a job in the tractor store which he could not do, but it allowed us to get by.

We soaked up all the inheritance that was coming to us just to try and live and get my dad the health care he needed. We garnered debt that made us the target of bill collectors from the city, state and nation. We went from upper middle class to white trash in the space of a couple of years.

I guess you would have to say that we were lucky. During those times it was a lot more difficult to get along. We had no COBRA. There was very little safety net, and that was just 30 years ago. But when I hear people complaining about the government becoming socialist, it pisses me off.

There is a level of care below which we should not fall. I am a capitalist, and I’ve started my own business. I’m hoping that it will be a success. But if it fails, and I lose all of my money, I’m afraid that I will end up on the streets begging for change, dying of some preventable disease. Right now I have insurance, and it’s pretty good insurance, but I’ve seen how easily it can be taken away. If I lose my ability to reason, like my father did, will anyone take care of me? It scares me to death.

Insurers are in business to make money, like we all are. But making money on other’s pain and suffering is immoral.

Please don’t let the the people peddling in fear and hatred ruin this opportunity to reform health care.

Cat litter blues

Over the years I’ve had many litterboxes. But I’m not happy with any of them. I’m currently on my third LitterMaid electric cat-box. I hate them! But they’re the best litterbox I’ve come across. The first two lasted for years, except for the sensor which blew almost immediately. I’m waiting for the third one to go. Then I have to attach a timer to it and tell it to clean every other hour or so.

The latest Littermaid seems weaker than the other ones, and it won’t scoop. It tries three times then just sits there. I’ve tried different litters suggested by the pet store, but the problem persists. So I clean it manually after a couple of days and get pissed when I spill litter.

I tried the scoopfree litterbox for a little over a year, but the boxes would get soggy and stinky and fall apart. I put shelf paper lining on them at the end, but it was still a pain. And getting my fingers wet while I’m taking the box out to the trash really disturbed me.

Another thing that I bought was a litterlocker, where you’re supposed to put the litter, turn the dial, then throw away the bag. Well, you need to be a strong man with leverage to turn the dial, it only lasts for a couple of weeks, and the bags cost way too much. So that’s going by the curb, too.

I dream of catGeanie, the one that will attach to a faucet and drain and wash the cat litter. But I’m sure it sucks, too, and I don’t have room anywhere that I can use it. And at $400…

I’m starting to think I should get rid of the cats and get a baby!

What I miss about being an inhouse designer

For the most part, being a freelancer agrees with me. I enjoy doing what I want when I want to do it. I occassionally take naps if I’m tired. I start working at 6:00 AM if that suits me. I took 10 days and went to France, with every intention of doing work while I was there (fortunately, I didn’t have to.) But there are also drawbacks.

On a personal level, I enjoyed the interaction with co-workers, talking about news, politics, design. I miss having lunch with people in the lunchroom. I miss the ability to easily make plans to see movies, play poker, and stuff like that. I still get on IM and talk to people, but I can’t just wander into someones office and start a discussion.

On a professional level I think that not being able to talk to co-workers face-to-face about projects is a problem. As I’ve said, interaction with others is the best way to get a project done. You can email, twitter, use a service like basecamp, etc. and come close, but nothing beats being able to clarify your thoughts verbally and ask questions. Even when I’m pretty sure that I understand what someone else is thinking, I still want to make sure that I’m right before I start working. Measure twice, cut once is a great rule.

Processes for making your web site

Creating a web site is an interactive process. In my fifteen years at Stamats I always wanted to tweak the processes we used, and I was able to refine the process fairly successfully. But now that I’m out on my own, I’m looking forward to perfecting the processes. For this blog posting, I’m just going to talk about some lessons I’ve learned that have been successful in the past.

• Limited points of contact from the client. One constant problem I’ve run into is “web committees.” I think web committees can be a good thing for the person in charge to use to get opinions from different stakeholders in the project. But one person needs to take on the leadership role and make the final decisions. Web committees, at least for colleges and universities, can become soap boxes for political gamesmanship within the organizational power structure. In order for an individual to distinguish him/herself from the crowd, they need to disagree with others on the committee. And disagreement for the purpose of disagreement is never helpful.
• The process should be iterative. Using a conveyor belt is a great process if the goal is to mass produce objects that are exactly the same. But in the creative realm, it is necessary to try new things, evaluate them, and update them.
• Conflict should not be avoided. If a member of the production team believes in something, they should fight for it. Don’t be obstinate or disrespectful, and don’t close your mind to hearing what those who disagree with you say. But if you’re convinced that what you believe is correct, then make the best case you can for it. Once you have made the other team members understand what you’re saying, and if they are not convinced, then it is time to compromise.
• Communication should be in person. I believe that it is important to communicate as closely and interactively as possible. I prefer IM over email, I prefer the telephone over IM, and I prefer face-to-face meeting over the telephone. When talking to people and trying to elucidate your point-of-view it is important to be able to pick up the body language and other cues that can indicate disagreement, fear or confusion that others may not want to express overtly.

These are just some thoughts off the top of my head. I don’t believe that there is any one, true, unerring process that can cut through every barrier. But I do think that it’s important to try and make the path as smooth as possible.

And so we start…

Let me start by telling you a little bit about myself. I’m a graphic designer in my mid forties, recently of Stamats Communications, Inc., now working as a freelancer/consultant. My hope is to start a studio and hire people to work in that studio who can work with every aspect of creating web and print communications pieces.

I’m a strong believer in the team approach to creating communications. I’ve been told that I have a strong personality and I regret it when I overpower other’s points of view. I work well with others who also have a strong personality and are willing to fight for what they believe. If I can’t come up with a coherent argument for why I design something the way I do, then I consider the project to be unfinished.

My opinions tend to be strong and well considered. I’m always open to new perspectives, however, and appreciate commentary and feedback. I try not to take criticism personally. I don’t always succeed.