In Writing
Welcome to the beta of the new saila.com. Send in your bugs.
Main Page Rants
While it won’t get the prize for most original title, this column’s title describes the contents to a tee: rants first posted on the main page of saila.com.
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Canada Day Rant
Living in the U.S. puts into context how important it is not to become complacent about Canada’s national perception. -
The year that was
A decade ago, the Web was in a boom that would lead to a bubble — now, it’s in a boom that will lead to… -
The False Idol: Technology
Technology seems to offer a lifeline to the hypochondria afflicting the journalism industry, but the real cure may be something simpler. -
Add a comment at The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail becomes the first mainstream media outlet in Canada to allow its regular readers to comment directly on the news presented on its Web site. -
Primus sets it right
The fourth in a series reveals that Primus may let me get VoIP while keeping my current local number. -
VoIP with Primus — so close
This third rant in a series on my attempts to get VoIP details how close to success I came before being stopped in mid-stride. -
Getting dry DSL hassle-free
The seconnd in a series of rants about VoIP and dry DSL explains how easy it can be to get both — if you look at it the right way. -
Going dry with DSL
The first in a what I hope will be a series detailing my experience trying to set-up VoIP on with a Sympatico DSL service tied to my phone number. -
Pumping up the praise
Canada is without a feedback loop when it comes to online developments and this is an attempt to adjust that. -
Free Radio 3
CBC is still trying to catch a younger audience, and a full-scale revamp of CBC Radio 3 is underway -
The year that was
The Internet turned 35 this year yet somehow 2004 managed to create an air of excitement about the medium’s potential. The sense of possibility is almost as rich as it was a decade ago. In fact, some of this year’s trends harken back to then, too. -
Google and you
Google unveils the next front in its advance to ubiquity: the desktop search. -
The value of a protest
Responding to another writer’s complaints against public protests. -
Registration pro and con
Registration is a buzzworthy topic these days, and there’s some fresh evidence for and against it. -
Registering your voice
As more and more new sites move toward registration, who really benefits? -
It bleeds, but doesn’t lead
A North Korean disaster gets buried by online news sites. -
Shutting the gates
Online newspapers are rushing to set-up registration systems, but at what cost? -
Dayparting
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer divides the day up just right. -
Wearing sheep’s clothing
Groups are starting to exploit journalists as both a means and an end for accomplishing their goals. -
The year that was
A year-end review, without the predictions, of the Internet in 2003. -
Web design generations
Talking about the Web generation(s of designers and design developments). -
Invalid mayors
Testing to see if any of the Web site’s for Toronto's 2003 mayoral candidates validate. -
The Great Blackout of ’03
A description of the 2003 blackout, excerpted from an email sent to a friend travelling in Australia. -
Mutual funds get CSS layouts
A second Canadian financial services company converts its mutual fund profiles to CSS layouts. -
From Web to print
Just as one of Canada's national papers is on its deathbed, another begins online with its eye on a paper product -
Ending the upgrades
Marking the end of the upgrade campaign for saila.com -
Where I stand
A brief explanation of the editorial guidelines for this site during the war (hint: this site has always been about Web building and online journalism). -
Google: any way left but down?
Google has risen to the top, but now faces a troubleseome balancing act. -
All quiet on the Bell Globemedia front
Layoffs at Bell Globemedia—s former interactive unit stir up old memories -
The year that was
A year-end review, without the predictions, of the Internet in 2002 -
Growing Google
Looking at some of the newest offerings and experiments from the search engine with the funny name. -
The WaSP’s new target
With the browsers behaving, the WaSP tries to change the developers behaviour. -
Final days for CANOE?
Quebecor reportedly plans to restructure CANOE by eliminating original editorial content and almost half the staff. -
The year that was
A year-end review, without the predictions, of the Internet in 2001 -
CANOE Money: R.I.P.
CANOE decides to replace its established business brand, the result? A truly Canadian effort. -
First impressions
A reminder as to how meanigful first impressions can be. -
Subscriptions might just work
If the right kind of sites adopt them. -
Devolution of blogging
The events of September 11 has brought on the worst in some weblogs. -
Hackers threaten news sites’ integrity
Online news sites face risks with Web site defacements. -
There’s hype in tech journalism!
A rant inspired by Steve Gilliard’s NetSlave rant about technology journalism. -
A tale of two redesigns
A look at the redesigns of the latimes.com and The Globe and Mail. -
CRTC decision handicaps journalists
A CRTC decision prevents journalists from freely sharing information. -
A picture is worth just a keyword
Trying out the image search engine at Google. -
The day my Web died
The collapse of Automatic Media, Suck, Feed and Plastic, once three of the best sites online. -
Exit ads are just bad
Why its a bad idea to advertise to users when they leave the site. -
The fun with titles
Why it’s worth moving away from using titles for just usability aids. -
The New Yorker finally goes online
Commentary on The New Yorker magazine's long absent Web presence. -
More changes for CANOE
What Quebecor’s merger of CANOE and Netgraphe means. -
Election results (or how the big sites fared)
How Canadian news sites fared during the night of a federal election. -
Dot-what?!
A less-than-postive reaction to the domains ICANN approved. -
With a whimper
The underwhelming relase of the much-delayed Netscape 6. -
Make a change
What to do with your “Taxpayer Dividend” -
Give students their own Web site
hat if journalism students were given the oppurtunity to create their own online portfolio that was hosted by the school? This piece looks at how that might be possible. -
Current state of online journalism
An analysis of the state of online journalism in Canada and the United States at the beginning of 2000. -
Macs, frames, and usablility
The problems inherit in designing a usable site, especially with frames. -
One more Internet bubble: MP3.com
Looking at the astounding IPO of the music portal, MP3.com. -
After the Event has landed
Reflecting on the Event’s impact. -
The next Event
A personal perspective on what has been one of the biggest cultural events in the past 20 years, Star Wars. -
Canuck Portals
The portal wars begin in Canada. -
Taxes
The joy of taxes. -
Looks like another is needed…
The updates continue. -
An Apology of Sorts…
For the lack of updates and poor browser support of the Web standards. -
Any hope for online journalists?
Thoughts on the future of Canadian online journalism. -
The Odyssey
A sentimental piece written the day before I leave for momentous trip. -
Technorealism
Filtering the signal from the noise of Digital Hype. -
Another redesign?!
The column introducing one one of the site’s longest designs. -
It begins…
The first of the many, occasional main page rants.