I like to announce things, because then I forget about them, or feel pressure to do them. So, here is my new project summary.
A website. GASP!
Specifically, a website that will live as part of the applications that make up my interi complex. The thing is, I pretty much want to put everything I know into a database. When you get information in tables, you can do all kinds of neat stuff with it. Sometimes I get paid to do these neat things, and during those times I do a lot of experimentation to figure out the best way to present the data. This is an extension of that experimentation, a fun way to document my methods and to try out new ideas.
This particular database and website combo will have a few things going for it, so I will list out the key points.
- Drupal 7 - D7 just went beta, which means it is good enough for me. I make my living by Drupal now, so to be cutting edge, and to take advantage of the new features, I am going to use it for this sub-site.
- HTML5 - Whenever possible, I am going to use the latest features allowed from HTML5. That means using the video and audio elements, maybe a little canvas action. Additionally, I am not going out of my way to make it "back-compatible". This is a personal project, so IE9 users are not my target audience.
- CSS3 - I am going to be a little bit more careful with this, but I am still going to push the envelope. Rounded corners aren't my cup of tea, but the multi-column features are pretty neat.
- Visualization - I've had an increasing interest in data visualization (no doubt do to a certain sword-swallowing academic). Using the above technologies and standards, I want to do some creative work in this area.
- Libre - I am on the fence as to whether I will license it under Share-Alike, or just Attribution, but of course everything I do is released under a Creative Commons license.
- Portability - It is no fun to create something and keep it to myself, so in addition to the data being licensed, the code will be available as well. This is also an exercise in really internalizing Features.
- Design - I want something to actually design, since I am out of practice of designing from the beginning (I often come into a design project to polish it for delivery). I expect to do a lot with the HTML5 and CSS3, and I've had my eye on a few typefaces and other designs for a while. It should be rather expressive.
So, there it is in a nutshell. A few ideas for data that I want to collect are things like my media consumption, or the different teas I drink. I think it would be great to chart these things, as well as provide an easy index of information for people with similar interest.
I will, of course, be gabbing about it as it develops. Stay tuned. 