July 12, 2001

6:14 PM

Design site K10Kand and design discussion site Dreamless to take a summer vacation. "KALIBER10000 is closing its doors for the summer on Monday, July 15th (which, incidentally, is the same date that community discussion board Dreamless.org also shuts down)." As Zeldman said, "Lately we feel like Smokey the Bear—and the forest fires are winning." Has the F----d Weblog virus struck the design portals?
posted by timothompson (23 comments total)

What is so hard to understand about a summer vacation?
posted by john at 6:20 PM on July 12, 2001

I know that they'll be back, but as they say, three is a trend. I love K10K and can't wait until they come back refreshed and renewed. They do do a great job.
posted by timothompson at 6:23 PM on July 12, 2001

k10k is and has always been a stand-out site. From issue 1, it has been original, inspiring, and fun. I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with next-- it's obviously time for change, in keeping with their original ideas and attitude.
posted by chaz at 6:46 PM on July 12, 2001

The thing I find weird when stuff like this comes up (and it came up in the assembler.org thread, but Tim, it's not you, I'm sorta pre-emptively mentioning this because I know it will come up) is that people seem to have a strange sense of entitlement with regards to free web content.

When it's a company that offers free services that goes out of business, everyone mourns, but it's fine in the end. But if it's a personal project, somehow everyone feels cheated and treated unfairly, and somehow they think they "own" part of the work since they've read it and enjoyed it, and it's the "duty" of the site owner to keep it all online.

k10k and dreamless don't owe anyone anything, and it's good that they will be taking breaks when they feel they need to. They'll be better on the other side of this break and I think everyone that's been riding the web treadmill for the last few years feels like it's time to stop, take stock of what works and what really matters to you, before getting back on the treadmill.
posted by mathowie at 6:51 PM on July 12, 2001

if it's a personal project, somehow everyone feels cheated and treated unfairly, and somehow they think they "own" part of the work since they've read it and enjoyed it, and it's the "duty" of the site owner to keep it all online.

not trying to justify that, but it's because personal sites "mean" a lot more to us. if it's something that we have developed an attachment to (and personal sites accomplish this more so than corporate ones.), then we're naturally going to feel like more has been lost as opposed to a site where it didn't "feel" as if it was our hangout or where it/they motivated us to return over and over again. we don't want that taken away from us, even if it does only play a small part in our lives.
posted by lotsofno at 7:11 PM on July 12, 2001

very well put matt.

i think that mike, toke and josh take way more shit than anyone realizes. unfortunately, it's the poopy few who's voices ring loudest and that can get tiring. the past few months have been very difficult for everyone. let's all pull the plug until labour day.
posted by heather at 7:20 PM on July 12, 2001

this too shall pass...

honestly, to agree with most people here, if metafilter went down, or k10k died forever, or any of the umpteen other sites i visit and appreciate (mirrorproject, loobylu, waferbaby, zeldman, lindkvist, naho, all personal sites) were given up...

i would mourn and be thankful all at the same time.

thank you for the gift. you owe me nothing, and you inspired to give as well. you gave because you wanted to give. i give because i want to give.

this too shall pass...
posted by o2b at 7:39 PM on July 12, 2001

Isn't loobylu still dead?
posted by rodii at 8:19 PM on July 12, 2001

Weltschmerz: Not good for rehab.
Rx:
There is nothing intrinsically important about participating in the web. Just as there is nothing intrinsically important about making movies, or novels, or poetry, or photographs, or music, or art, or whatever.

I really think the sudden realization that simply putting something snazzy or experimental up on the web does not automatically elicit cosmic woohoos is what is at the root of the relatively sudden gloom in the design community. A whole lotta stuff that took a whole lotta time is often worth little more than a "big fukkin' deal". The fact is that though the stuff is the same, the perception of that stuff's importance has changed.

Suddenly, we all need a "reason". Just being there is not enough. And, somebody, very soon, had better figure out a way for the web to validate and fulfill its own heroes in its own unique way, or they will all desert to a more appreciative venue, if they have the talent and motivation to do so.

Outrage or not, creation has never been enough. Validation, respect, ego, and a way to measure one's contribution (MONEY?) have always been necessary fuels for the fire in the belly.

Lately, a lot of it seems small-time, dreary, and intellectually drab. Perhaps it always was, but for a while, those rose-colored 3d glasses that came with every modem seemed to work...
posted by Opus Dark at 8:20 PM on July 12, 2001

Outrage or not, creation has never been enough. Validation, respect, ego, and a way to measure one's contribution (MONEY?) have always been necessary fuels for the fire in the belly.

actually, employee studies (re: american society for training and devlopment") show that employees rate "interesting work" as their prime motivation for enjoying and being more efficient at work. appreciation of work done was second. good wages and promotion were somewhere around fifth and six.
posted by lotsofno at 8:33 PM on July 12, 2001

They'll be better on the other side of this break and I think everyone that's been riding the web treadmill for the last few years feels like it's time to stop, take stock of what works and what really matters to you, before getting back on the treadmill.

This is very, very true. I think if you've been working the web for a long while and polishing those skills and keeping up with trends and making yourself employable and lobbying for standards and coding and participating in communities and putting yourself out there that this downturn is... well, very hard to take. Exhausting. And sad.

Taking stock is exactly what is happening right now. I think things will be more introspective and quiet for awhile.
posted by amanda at 9:21 PM on July 12, 2001

Which is worse, design sites going on voluntary hiatus or being smugly told to sit down, shut up, and stop complaining about it?
posted by joeclark at 9:40 PM on July 12, 2001

I think it's a toss-up, Joeclark.
posted by amanda at 9:44 PM on July 12, 2001

What is so hard to understand about a summer vacation?
Exactly. Go outside and breathe some fresh air (if you have any where you live).
posted by cmacleod at 10:15 PM on July 12, 2001

They been at this for two years, no pay, awesome work, lots of yammering pro and con. They rock out (some of them without hair!) in many ways we don’t even understand. Many good nights and meatspace discussions came from the kaliber krew. No ill will, I hope they come back, but understand if they don’t.

Love to these master pixel pushers, they deserve no less.

I’m falling in love with Opus Dark, too.
posted by capt.crackpipe at 10:24 PM on July 12, 2001

er, ah, the digital avatar known as Opus Dark.
posted by capt.crackpipe at 10:44 PM on July 12, 2001

capt.crackpipe writes:
I’m falling in love with Opus Dark, too.
[--]er, ah, the digital avatar known as Opus Dark.

Heh...wanna sing tenor in Pomo's Transhuman Band featuring the vocal stylings of Nihls Existench and Opus Dark on banjo?
posted by Opus Dark at 11:06 PM on July 12, 2001

I’m on triangle. Or trim.
posted by capt.crackpipe at 11:40 PM on July 12, 2001

*ultra-pedantic*

Um, the 15th of July is Sunday, not Monday.
posted by metaxa at 3:10 AM on July 13, 2001

oops :) sunday the 15th it is, then
posted by mschmidt at 3:33 AM on July 13, 2001

Geez... when we people get it. It's SMOKEY BEAR, not Smokey THE Bear. Smokey Bear. Smokey Bear.
posted by fluxcreative at 6:11 AM on July 13, 2001

appreciation of work done was second. good wages and promotion were somewhere around fifth and six.

I'm thinking those polls were taken during the Web boom when everyone was making enough money. It would be interesting to see where monetary compensation rates these days.
posted by goto11 at 8:33 AM on July 13, 2001

I doubt it, somehow. My engineering management textbook asserted that being appreciated and having a pleasant work environment trumped mere financial considerations; I believe their data pool consisted of industrial manufacturing jobs from the late 80's or early 90's. (The statement seems to mesh well with my firsthand experiences as well, if anecdotal evidence helps any.) I'll post a relevant link later if I stumble upon one.
posted by youhas at 11:08 AM on July 13, 2001