Cre8tive Flow

How is it reasonable or even possible for widely different cultures to communicate on issues of bias, using the same language?

A recent post by a non-native English speaker will inspire negative reactions that have nothing to do with his intended topic. Dollars to doughnuts the writer didn’t know he was stepping into anything more controversial than correctly formed English grammar. You could even argue that posting an article like this is a form of spam, ripe for the delete button, but our moderators spotted potential for discussion and moved the post to our members-only social area. As is often the case when a post gets under someone’s skin, there are wider issues at stake.

Thread pick: Free Web Design Tools

Fave rave lists can be priceless. I open them and think, “What was the name of that cool ruler thingy? What free web site editors really work?”

In March of 2005 Graphics4Me asked, “What programs do you use?” That question kicked off a big list of dozens of goodies, paid and free, big and little.

Yesterday limey started a new thread, Free Web Design Tools. Favorite, free web design related programs are being added to this thread by members in the know.

Check out both lists. Nominate your finds and learn what others are using. Your buffet awaits.

Thread pick: With Apologies to Bragadocchio!

What motivates a lurker’s conversion to active participation? Yannis kicks off an interesting Cre8asite Forums thread by using a little positive troll power. You got it: Positrolling

From Wikipedia’s definition of Internet trolling: “Often, a person will post a sincere message about which he is emotionally sensitive. Skillful trolls know that an easy way to upset him is to falsely claim that he is a “troll.” In forums where most users are similar to each other, outsiders may be perceived as trolls simply because they do not fit into the social norms of that group. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between a user who merely has different values, views, or ideas, and a user who is intentionally trolling. This can lead to genuinely hostile behavior, including flame wars.”

Thread pick: What in the world is Contextual Usability?

Thanks to this question, my pet terms of the moment are contextual usability and experiential design. Late Spring is lush and sweet in my corner of the world, and I’m walking around seeing everything in terms of how experience is facilitated in the contextual environment. This is fun stuff for a psychology buff.

Cre8asite excels at thoughtful conversations where creative meets practical. Ya gotta love it.

Come on in and join the conversation.

Thread pick: Cre8ing Controversy

This fabulous discussion is full of good ideas and real sharing. It has a life of its own that keeps coming around to a desire to do more, to contribute beyond forum discussion.

Recently, cre8pc (Kim Krause Berg) mused, “I’m learning over time that there’s a mask people often use when they write and converse on the web. There’s an image they want to project, or a fear of trusting the reader/listener, or other various reasons for presenting ourselves. It can be as simple as wanting to remain professional or creating a character and being in that role when being online.”

Thread pick: Usability of Ads.

What is the relationship between usability and advertising effectiveness?

Usability has user-friendly written all over it. Online ads are so rant-friendly that ISPs boost branding by offering free ad blockers.

Effective ads motivate and inform. Online ads also hang on click thrus. Click thrus, not end results, are the most commonly discussed benchmark. Results for destination sites are more connected with targeted traffic, branding and usability.

Hated, in-your-face, online ad techniques can increase click-thrus. Is irritation a necessary evil?

Could advertising results be better if user experience is respected?

Cre8asiteforums member Bob Mutch first shared his Rating System for Inbound Link Quality with our community when it was hot off the presses of ABAKUS SEO Blog in late March. Now he’s released “ILQ” to the world through PRWeb:

This new rating system, called ILQ (Inbound Link Quality), is not easily manipulated or artificially inflated through purchased links…

Because of the huge increase in the buying and selling of text link ads, search engines are giving more ranking weight to trusted sites. This is why it is important for Websites to gain links from high ILQ-rated sites and makes the ILQ rating system an important gauge when considering link placements.