Photo Blogs & Portfolios

Comments

tim

12/21/2006 2:28:20 PM

check out www.timmelideo.com too :)

Herman Goering

12/22/2006 8:13:44 AM

Still the same. This portal/showcase has a clear agenda. Design Meltdown posts sites that conform to what they like, regardless of the category. 75% of it is chromey, gradients, reflected logos in more chrome, XHTML/CSS, etc.

Would DM post work by Hi-Res!(http://www.hi-res.net)? Not a chance. That´s the issue: not that DM wouldn´t post work by Hi-Res!, but that this showcase is filled with the same layouts, over and over and over and over. If you don´t think so, you haven´t been coming here long enough.

"Design Meltdown" is not the right title for this. Design is a process. It´s not about making backgrounds blue and grey, it´s not about using pixel fonts, it´s not about CSS. It´s about solving a problem. It´s about a brief. It´s about function.

This is disappointing.

Patrick

12/22/2006 8:23:34 AM

Herman, I know that many of the sites listed on DMD start to look similar. But that is bound to happen when you link to thousands of sites. The reason for the focus on HTML/CSS sites and less on Flash is because that is the area I work in, so I am just far more in tune to the happenings in that area. I leave it to folks like FWA to cover the flash sites in depth because that is just an area I will never sufficiently monitor.

It is weird to hear you say that I (not we) have a clear agenda. I just catalog sites as I find them and list those findings. Why would I not list Hi-Res or their work? My goal is to find beautiful work and showcase it in ways that help us to find inspiration for our own work.

Yeah, there is a lot more to design then looking at sites with the color blue. I don´t think I ever claimed to have all the answers. The purpose of this site is to inspire, not to teach design. I try to mix as much advice or reasonable commentary to help challenge our thinking as designers, but this is one mans opinion.

My idea is that if you are about to make a site that relies heavily on blue, you will easily find samples of what others have done. etc etc.

If you find it so disappointing, why do you return enough to know what I post? I am confused.

Herman Goeirng

12/22/2006 10:10:59 AM

I´ve been coming to DM for a long time, and over time, the "agenda" became more clear with the repetition of post styles.

If it´s "Design" Meltdown, then you´d think there would be more than the average CSS layout. Of course there are a few hear and there, but like I said, a huge % of the posts are CSS/XHTML, and look the same.

Computerlove is a true "design" portal. They post it all.

Hi-Res! work would never be posted herewould you post the site for the Dreamers? Doubt it.

Regardless of platform choiceposting on design should be about just that: design. The fact that it´s Flash-based, or CSS-based should be transparent.

Patrick

12/22/2006 10:23:57 AM

Indeed the medium used to build a site is not relevant. but the fact remains that I work alone ( at least 99% of the time) at generating all this content and as such the links will generally reflect what I look at and use.

I think I match well with what the type of work a lot of web designers and developers are doing. Not so much with the flash, big media world. But that is ok. I realized long ago I couldn´t cover every topic or aspect of design. So I stick to what I know well.

I think my objection to the term "agenda" is just that it sounds so political, or like I have some secret motive for the site.

I looked through the Hi-Res site. The only reason some of those sites wouldn´t get listed is I don´t see how to categorize them. Again, perhaps if I was looking at more sites like this it would become clear what the trends are. I look at some of these sites with blind eyes, I don´t see them as clearly as designers in that field might.

I don´t want to be a portal. Even though I link to tons of sites, it isn´t the same mind set.

Your comments are interesting. I have yet to have such strong negative reactions. Beyond the occasional complaint regarding my grammar. I get plenty of "thanks for the site, it is very helpful" but not much in the way of negative impressions.

case

12/22/2006 11:06:30 AM

Wow, some heated comments on DMD, excellent! Herman, you make some decent observations about the website collections beginning to look the same with all the gradients, reflections, etc. However, this site has been focused on "design elements and trends" since day one. You´d think that might imply that any visitor to DMD would be able to easily see a grouping of sites in a similar genre that follow similar trends. You´re going to see the same trends implemented in all the technologies available, be it CSS/XHTML, Flash, Ajax, Etc.

That said... within the grouping featured here, if you´re not inspired by site like http://www.nicnichols.com or http://www.vimawa.com or http://www.pxldlx.de or http://www.matthiasmaier.com then I´m not sure what to tell you. DMD is not a portal of random "neat-o" sites. There´s purpose and thought behind the collections. From what I gather, each article is intended to inspire, enlighten, challenge and give some grounds to compare what other people are doing in a similar category. And each article does just that.

Herman Goering

12/22/2006 3:41:30 PM

My comments might seem negative, indeed that are to a degree. But in no way do I think DM is doing a shitty job. I think DM serves a purpose, and it is evident that the people behind it work hard at keeping it fresh.

My objection is still just with what seems to be the same type of interface posted repeatedly.

If I didn´t like DM, I would come here or post comments.

Keep doing what you do, and I will keep coming.

Jim

12/27/2006 7:49:24 AM

I like http://treemeat.com

Bel Koo

12/27/2006 7:55:47 AM

DMD help me a lot in design element, colours, techniques, and etc. I get lots of inspiration through DMD.

Nic Nichols

1/25/2007 2:59:41 PM

Case- thanks for adding my site, I have visitied this site several times a month, and you do have solid, inspirational sites to choose from. I try to keep my site as simple as possible, so that the view can concentrate on the image, and not on the flash, css or other distractions. I made my site easy to update, as I update it weekly, and easy to load and navigate, so the view can quickly move from gallery to gallery. You guys are doing a great job- keep up the great work!

Sean Hennessey

6/14/2007 11:05:27 AM

I have been coming here for a long time now, and from when I started coming here up until this day, I can say it has helped my career substantially. Thank you design meltdown, for giving me perspective on design, and tweaking the fine details!

Patrick

6/14/2007 11:12:02 AM

Sean, now that is the kind of comment I love to get! I am so glad you have found value in DMD!