First notes from my Moleskin notebook (Project Charles – Volume 1), 5/10/2009 entry
First sketch of new information model (same date)
New information model (current view, comparing with previous model) – Basis for “The Information Layer” essay
After two years this month, I have decided to end Project Charles in April. This will also mark the 10th anniversary of The Wilson Project.
Mar 14 (Twitter)
Depending on the ever changing schedule, Project Charles will be ending this year, if not sooner. After a long two years, I should be happy.
I'm exhausted.
I've carried this thing around, weathering all the stuff that gets thrown at me in the course of human life. This project became the internal motor of change, reflection, and experimentation. And a number of people have really benefitted from the results.
The basis of Project Charles was redesigning The Wilson Project with the state of the art techniques in front-end development. No, we are not talking about the dazzling canvas experiments and all the fireworks. It was about learning all this new stuff to be able, like an experienced chef, to use this wider pallette to improve their work. Well, I'm still doing that. But Project Charles brought about an urgency to the process.
Well, that urgency has come full circle. It's at a point where this project needs to end in order to go further on with other things. And since The Wilson Project Site is a working blog (and soon-to-be) portfolio site, I needed to end this thing to start doing new projects. And basically, I just need this monkey off my back. So why am I writing this blog entry?
Because I feel that the need to apologize [to myself].
This project was started with the idea of using XSLT via Symphony CMS. It's a very interesting application that I am sure will grow and improve. The cast of characters over there are currently working on the third version as I am writing this.
Now, I'm in a time crunch. I cannot, at this time, learn XSLT and learn a new CMS without some focused time and effort. Unfortunately, considering the numerous hiatus periods in this project, that will never happen. So I took the hard choice and decided to move the project back to WordPress to speed up completion. I'm relieved at be removed of this burden. But I also feel sad, as I made some sort of bad compromised to complete this project. I know I shouldn't, but I'll live. I may feel bad for not completing the project in the way that I wanted fully but I have to move on.
The other reason for Project Charles was conceptual. The "residue" of studying and observing the work around me of interaction design and front-end development. Yes, I have a few ideas that I've squirrel away.
It's called The Information Layer.
Ideally, Charles would have been the best demo, especially with Symphony/XSLT. But with the external changes of the last two years, there is a real need to share something now and not wait further down the road for an actual demo model.
So, I'm shipping now. Everything can wait.
I need my life back.
[in a whisper] Unbeknown to the client, we’ve replaced their old Cufón font replacement with new CSS font-face licensed fonts, now with WOFF *twinkle, twinkle*. I wonder if they’ll notice the difference? #webfonts
Yes, the limit is really annoying. But that’s why you need blogs.
After months of delay, progress is finally speeding along. The graphic comps now becoming full-fledged X/HTML5 templates.
Presenting initial set of templates – http://www.deltatwp.com/plymouth/
Note: these have not been sufficently tested on IE8-6 browsers. Hopefully, these templates will be finalized by next month.
Currently attending the Future of Web Apps conference here in London, UK. The first time that I have gone outside the Americas in my life. Got off to a bad start by missing the first day due to the Tube strike (thanks for a memorable start, guys…) and mobile phone problems.
Hopefully, things will get better. Even as a write this, planning to do a few new things and the next two days will still hold some importance with regard to the work that I will be doing for the rest of the year.
And then, two free days in the city…yes!
Later.
Next week, I am going to move this site to Linux server.
Not a hard process – its just a little more complex in my case since it will involve domain(s) names, file transfers, and dealing with Linux/Window server (well if you dealt with both you know what I mean). But since I am here and I made an important decisions two weeks ago, I might as well talk about it.
The “it” being…what’s up with the name “Charles”?
Click here – Table/Site Versions
The name Charles refers to Charles Darwin, whose bicentennial was in 2009, the same year the project started in March. It also added some inspiration because of the introduction of new ideas and concepts that slowly gestated and altered during the course of the project.
But the best thing about working on these projects is that it is sort of like my own research lab. It is where I get to try out new ideas before doing in the real world.
One part research scientist, one part Olympic athlete.
As for this version, I decided two weeks ago to name this version “Regent” because of its transitory nature. Unlike “H3”, it was never meant to be a final version and was always going to be more of a functional placeholder for the upcoming Charles.
And there it is.
In the fall, I will be attending two conferences within a span of a month.
First, on September 16-18, attending the DC edition of An Event Apart conference, led by Jeffery Zeldman and et. al.
Then two weeks later, on October 4-6, attending the Future of Web Apps conference in London, UK.
Lots to see and learn.
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