Tags: copy

Bruce Lawson’s personal site  : Structured data and Google

Bruce wonders why Google seems to prefer separate chunks of JSON-LD in web pages instead of interwoven microdata attributes:

I strongly feel that metadata that is separated from the user-visible data associated with it highly susceptible to metadata partial copy-paste necrosis. User-visible text is also developer-visible text. When devs copy/ paste that, it’s very easy to forget to copy any associated metadata that’s not interleaved, leading to errors.

HTML Symbols, Entities, Characters and Codes

For all your copying and pasting needs:

A delightful reference for HTML Symbols, Entities and ASCII Character Codes

“Designer + Developer Workflow,” an article by Dan Mall

Dan compares the relationship between a designer and developer in the web world to the relationship between an art director and a copywriter in the ad world. He and Brad made a video to demonstrate how they collaborate.

Nick Jones - Interface Prototyper / Designer

A really interesting and well-executed portfolio site, utterly let down by the tone of this demeaning and insulting piece of copy:

WARNING: Do not proceed if you suffer from vertigo or if you find experimental interfaces offensive.

(Pssst: copy is also interface.)

Joe Coleman

Joe’s site is very clever …but is it as clever as Jon’s?

Fullstopnewparagraph — Freelance copywriter | London

Jon’s site is very clever …but is it as clever as Joe’s?

Functional Minimalism for Web Design

According to this, the forthcoming Clearleft redesign will be totally on fleek.

Life plus Linux: Look before you paste from a website to terminal

The (literally) hidden dangers of copying code snippets from the web and pasting them into the command line.

This cautionary tale backs up a small tip I heard for getting to understand how found code works: deliberately type it out instead of copying and pasting.

Let them paste passwords - NCSC Site

Ever been on one of those websites that doesn’t allow you to paste into the password field? Frustrating, isn’t it? (Especially if you use a password manager.)

It turns out that nobody knows how this ever started. It’s like a cargo cult without any cargo.

First Time User Experiences

Krystal’s excellent annotated collection of onboarding examples.

Everything is a Remix: The Force Awakens on Vimeo

The newest Kirby Ferguson video looks at remixing through the lens of the newest Star Wars film.

Use the words normal people use

When you’re struggling to write something that sounds clear and sounds human (two of the essential basics of a good blog post, I’d argue), just use the words normal people would use. The best way to find out what those words are is to try talking the thing through to someone who doesn’t know anything about it. Remember what you just said, then write that.

Nicole Fenton | Interface Writing: Code for Humans

The text of Nicole’s excellent talk on writing helpful, human microcopy.

Writing for everyone.

Slides of really great practical advice on writing clearly.

The Hole in Our Collective Memory: How Copyright Made Mid-Century Books Vanish by Rebecca J. Rosen in The Atlantic

Copyright correlates significantly with the disappearance of works rather than with their availability.

Screenshots of Despair

The existential angst of unfeeling feedback.

What’s the deal with copyright and 3D printing? by Michael Weinberg

Michael Weinberg’s follow-up whitepaper to “It will be awesome if they don’t screw it up.”

Guardian Truncation Team

Celebrating the work of the tireless men and women who shorten headlines so they’ll fit on your iPhone.

Copywriting: a life-saving kit.

This is so good. On father’s day, Harry asks his father, an award-winning copywriter, for advice on writing. The result is an knowledge bomb of excellent advice.

Screenshots of Despair

Existential ennui delivered through interface copy.