In his blog Roman Mittermayr writes about Web 2.0 culture. What is Web 2.0 culture? Though it is about Web 2.0 and Ajax Roman wanted to look beyond this specific implementation technologies currently used to create web applications that utilize interconnections of webservices. This mix of Web2.0 and Ajax is what he terms 2.0 Culture. In the discussion he list some major “must-dos” as well as a couple of “do-nots”.

The major must-do list includes

• Rounded Shapes
• Shades
• Sans Serif
• Pastell v2.0
• Footers
• Buttons
• Font-Size: Oversized
• Descriptive HTML (XML style)

The major do not’s include;

• Java Applets (Script is fine though)
• Animated GIFs (the blinky ones)
• 100% Flash Websites
• Visible tables

From the must do list, here is what Roman has to say about fonts.

I remember a time when it was absolutely out and “nerdy” to use Arial for anything you wrote. Simply because geeks tried to separate themselves from the every day Word Processor user, who were choosing Arial as most easily readable, besides Times New Roman. And now, wohoo, major come back. Literally Arial (and Helvetica, and similar...) has become a rule for simple, yet great looking web design. Font-Size 8 to 10 was a cool thing to do recently. Now we talking about sizes 14 and up. Not kidding.

The blog is littered with links to demonstrate his views and provide the reader with more information on how to achieve the desired effects. Roman doesn’t offer any clues as to why he has put Applets, flash, and animated blinky GIFs on the list of must not-do. Instead he leaves that as an exercise to the reader. What is on your list of must and must not do in web design?

Bookmark-friendly (REST-style) URLs

But for me , the most important concept in Web 2.0 is social networking, not the presentation layer.

Joserra
Najaraba

Rest style requests only to retrieve information, never to store. Also never when there are persistent side-effects.

Vishal Shah

"And now, wohoo, major come back. Literally Arial (and Helvetica, and similar...) has become a rule for simple, yet great looking web design."

Here's a clue. It always was. What kind of logic makes one think using difficult to read fonts distingushes one as anything other than a bonehead? I imagine it's the same kind of logic that leads people to use all caps. 'It's more computerishy.'

Notice that Web 2 culture is builds entirely upon open specifications. This of course precludes Java, whose language specification is proprietary and explicitly warns of Sun patents. Roman puts Java in the "major don'ts" (his words) bucket.

Notice that Web 2 culture is builds entirely upon open specifications. This of course precludes Java, whose language specification is proprietary and explicitly warns of Sun patents. Roman puts Java in the "major don'ts" (his words) bucket.

No he doesn't. He puts Java Applets in the "don'ts", along with visible tables and flashing images. It is to do with appearance, not specifications.

But anyway, I am not entirely convinced of the seriousness of the blog entry. The excessive emphasis on trivia like curved shapes and the use of the cringe-worthy term "2.0Culture" leads me to think (hope, even) that this is a gentle parody of some kind?

The excessive emphasis on trivia like curved shapes and the use of the cringe-worthy term "2.0Culture" leads me to think (hope, even) that this is a gentle parody of some kind?

I'm sticking with 'bonehead'.

Or to start counting from zero ;D

Putting cools names on otherwise dull concepts, ie. blogs, folksonomy, podcasting, web 2.0.

It just seems like people have to call out everything that's being done on the internet, like if they call attention to it, people will know that they are cool.

I don't get it.

...break all the rules he laid down. One is a 100% Flash site.

Web 2.0 is just another catchphrase to sell more widgets.

From the must do list, here is what Roman has to say about fonts.

I remember a time when it was absolutely out and “nerdy” to use Arial for anything you wrote. Simply because geeks tried to separate themselves from the every day Word Processor user, who were choosing Arial as most easily readable, besides Times New Roman. And now, wohoo, major come back. Literally Arial (and Helvetica, and similar...) has become a rule for simple, yet great looking web design. Font-Size 8 to 10 was a cool thing to do recently. Now we talking about sizes 14 and up. Not kidding.

Because those of us who have been doing this Web stuff for a decade plus are slowly going blind! :-)