Author Archives: Rob

What is RSS?

Posted on by Rob

What is an RSS Feed? Robot Illustration ~ Promoting your web feed

We recently wrote a handy post for Layermade, explaining RSS in plain English; if your new to the format this simple guide to RSS and web feeds is a great start (we’ll be posting this soon). Already have a good idea what it’s all about? Take a few moments to dig a little deeper as we explain in more detail.

So, what is an RSS feed?

RSS is a format for delivering regularly changing web content, commonly known as a websites “feed”.

The old workhorse RSS comes in many guises — Real Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary, Real-time Simple Syndication, web feed, XML — as well as it’s near-identical-twin Atom. It doesn’t really matter what you call it, but I guess it’s how geeks get their kicks.

Your websites feed has two main functions: publishing a summary of your latest news throughout the web, and allowing visitors to view this content in a feed reader.

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Bitesize books: Seth Godin and the Meatball Sundae

Posted on by Rob

Set Godin ~ Meatball Sundae

This is no marketing blog, but as a creative with an idea in tow, watching out for marketing trends doesn’t have to mean selling your soul.

I have more respect for Seth Godin than well, 99.9% of marketing “gurus” out there — his books can be truly insightful — but he does occasionally stray into bullshit territory. Not to say he isn’t speaking the truth, just if I want to read a book, I’d rather not waste time on buzz words and that old habit of salesman, repackaging the obvious.

But wait. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh on Seth. He has some great projects like Squidoo, a charity raising platform allowing anyone to build a page on their favourite topic, and the Domino Project, a viral approach to publishing. So maybe when reading his 2008 book Meatball Sundae, which is old by new media standards, I was approaching from the wrong angle: little new to me, but for the uninitiated this literary kick in the pants may be needed.

This got me thinking. I’m sure there’s lots of people like me who want straight up facts, quick. Why not create bitesized versions of books with focus on essence of ideas, throwing away the chaff? The following is not a review, just my take on Meatball Sundae (obvious spoiler alert!).

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Why we won’t be supporting Internet Explorer 6

Posted on by Rob

Why we're dropping support Microsoft Internet Explorer 6

The majority of us are using modern browsers like Firefox, Chrome, or Safari, and don’t need reminding to keep up-to-date with the latest kit. To many a web designer’s despair there are a percentage of users—currently 11.4% of the world—who insist on clinging to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6 as their default browser.

If you own a site, it’s vital to know your audience and how they’re interacting with it as each browser and operating system displays your site differently. Although this post might not apply to you, it will apply to your visitors.

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Creative economy: Why it’s important to understand the bull and the bear

Posted on by Rob

Funny economics: Hayek and Keynes do battle in the video produced by John Papola for Econ Stories

I’ve been meaning to broaden my understanding of economics for some time. A designer in the creative industry for a good few years now, experiencing the highs and lows of job opportunities, funding pots, and education fees, I thought it pragmatic to get a sense of what it’s all about. So in the spirit of learning, I thought it might be a good idea to attempt to broach the subject here, too.

The economy shapes everyday life no matter what your profession. Economics is a behavioural study of wants and needs, attempts to understand how individuals and the world as a whole behave, and is the measurement of well-being. So why do so few of us take the time out to learn about it?

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Understanding image formats and dimensions for your website

Posted on by Rob
JPEG, PNG & GIF – The holy trinity of web images

Left to right – JPEG, PNG and GIF, the three image formats you'll need to know

As a creative, it’s important to have the right tools for the job. The same goes for editing your site – understanding image formats will have an impact on the way a site looks, and how fast it loads. In this guide, we’ll prepare you for every occasion, explain terminology without the jargon, and advise you on best practices.

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