1. They don’t understand the brief, but sign and return it anyway.

2. They think they have understood it but haven’t, sign and return it.

This puts me in a tricky position.  I cannot tell whether they have understood it or not unless they let something slip that betrays that fact.  When it comes down to the install not being able to proceed because of their misunderstanding, I could refer to the brief and make them correct the situation or charge them extra to remedy it for them.  That seems incredibly harsh, and feels like it could easily drive clients away.

What can be done in this situation?

Everything has an impact, no matter how eco-friendly it is trying to be.  The alternative phrase might be “greener”, but then this falls foul of nothing to compare it to.  There has to be a reference “thing” for the new “greener thing” so it can be “greener” than the reference “thing”.

This is semantic, yes.  But what else is there? The words we use are all we have to try and get our meanings across - it’s no good saying “yeah, but you know what I mean”.  That’s lazy.  So to make “green” actually mean something, there has to be a comparison. To get numbers to compare two items, the impact of designing, making, transporting, using and decommissioning the item must be taken into account.  This could well be very difficult.  Difficulty is no excuse for giving up, however.

Thoughts on a postcard, please

Nick

I rolled out a Textpattern version of FCS Websites and it all looked great. On the Mac.  It turns out that the front page layout was completely cocked in Internet Explorer 6 & 7, and so was the portfolio page.  I am looking for a smiley that can express how embarassed I am right now, but there isn’t one.

Lesson for today, kids:  “If you are a web designer, at least make sure your own site works on the dominant web browser.”

It always seems like she will never change and that things in the future are going to be impossibly difficult, but when it gets round to things it always goes ok.  I spoke to her on the phone the other day and in the few days since I had last seen her, her voice had changed.  She really is growing up now.

Her capsule review of her first big day at big school? “Boring.”

That’s my girl

I HAVE to go to one of these