Rules?

Ever tried to construct a website? There are two ways broadly to do this. Firstly you can use a template e.g. MySpace, and within constraints you can drag and drop text and pictures to where you want them. You have little control over the style of the page however. Alternatively you could start with a completely blank page as I do and use code and design software, Creative Suite 3 in my case, and let yourself and your imagination go wild. It’s that simple, except that it isn’t. Once you’ve mastered the software and learned code, no mean achievement in itself, you can create a beautiful web page on your screen. Things start to go wrong however, when you upload it to the web and it doesn’t look quite the same as before on you computer. It gets worse. You then look at it on someone else’s computer and depending on which browser, screen resolution and text size setting they are using, your once beautiful and complicated web design looks more like something the cat might have produced whilst walking across your keyboard!
Basically there are rules. They’re not written down but they exist. They help explain why the best web pages are simple, why text fonts are often on the small side and why there is a lot of “white space” on many modern websites.
I think I’ve hit upon a design for the new website that I’m happy with. But with the above in mind expect simplicity where there is currently clutter. Expect white where there is black, but expect rotating Flash slide shows where there are currently stills.
It was good to hear from Joe Leech yesterday. Jo left to study in Bangor North Wales, a few months ago and is having a great time. He seems to have migrated from sea paddling to Grade 5 river running and has some content for the new website. I look forward to paddling with him and Butler again in the near future. Judging by past experiences this paddle should be right at the extreme end of “extreme”.