I’ve been researching this time period’s printmaking on archive.org through the lens of web design
I’ve reached a conclusion the modern web is far too Modernist/Minimalist for its own good. Ornaments raise the barrier to entry in publishing. I think moving towards appropriate ornamentation in web design from high end brands/enthusiasts online may give non-technical users a visual reinforcement into sources which are more trustworthy or at least genuinely invested in their topic than the drivel found on the first page of Google
As I currently see it, it is far too easy for disinterested parties to fart out SEO driven pages produced in Canva, Shopify and Squarespace based sites that are disproportionately aesthetically pleasing for the garbage-grade content they provide
I’m worried that the internet outside of the titan’s walled gardens will forever be in this current state of “local advertising section” of a cheap local tabloid that we currently find itself in
If we have to make the internet less “democratised” and raise the barrier to entry in publishing a website worth reading then so be it in my eyes. Where are the secular, digital equivalents of illuminated sacred texts? Users are more than happy to devote thousands of hours to their interests as Reddit mods or Wikipedia contributors, but why can’t we organise efforts towards a web that we’re actually proud of?
The internet is a beautiful array of technologies, perhaps the greatest accomplishment of our species so far. How can we raise the standards of the web whilst thwarting off the ever-looming corruption of commercial interests of the SV titans of our species’ one universal platform?
I think that many websites need to focus on the local context first. Modernism was founded on the ideals of an international literacy which is why it can be so plain.
The internet’s global reach may distort the real world practicalities of a website’s function.
I hope we are soon hit by a wave of “narrowcasting” vs. “broadcasting”. The distinguishing feature between the 2 is the sustainability of the publishing apparatus.
Broadcasting requires large audience acceptance to be sustainable and narrowcasting requires at least 1 avid publisher/producer.
I'm working on a fun project creating just the kind of websites you're talking about. Reach out to me (addr in profile) if you'd like to be notified when it is ready.
I’ve reached a conclusion the modern web is far too Modernist/Minimalist for its own good. Ornaments raise the barrier to entry in publishing. I think moving towards appropriate ornamentation in web design from high end brands/enthusiasts online may give non-technical users a visual reinforcement into sources which are more trustworthy or at least genuinely invested in their topic than the drivel found on the first page of Google
As I currently see it, it is far too easy for disinterested parties to fart out SEO driven pages produced in Canva, Shopify and Squarespace based sites that are disproportionately aesthetically pleasing for the garbage-grade content they provide
I’m worried that the internet outside of the titan’s walled gardens will forever be in this current state of “local advertising section” of a cheap local tabloid that we currently find itself in
If we have to make the internet less “democratised” and raise the barrier to entry in publishing a website worth reading then so be it in my eyes. Where are the secular, digital equivalents of illuminated sacred texts? Users are more than happy to devote thousands of hours to their interests as Reddit mods or Wikipedia contributors, but why can’t we organise efforts towards a web that we’re actually proud of?
The internet is a beautiful array of technologies, perhaps the greatest accomplishment of our species so far. How can we raise the standards of the web whilst thwarting off the ever-looming corruption of commercial interests of the SV titans of our species’ one universal platform?