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At 03:35 AM 10/23/2005, Damien wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Not being one who went to past
websites frequently, I think it'd be easier to<br>
comment well if old layouts were available for comparison.<br><br>
That said, it looks very... corporate. Or think tanky.
"Professional" but<br>
not in a way I'd find likely to be interesting. The fonts and
logos, and map,<br>
probably the color scheme, and the prominent ABC logo, I think those all
work<br>
together. If the goal was to look more mainstream I think you
succeeded quite<br>
well, but I think I preferred an older version with the outward spiral
of<br>
arrows.</blockquote><br>
The Board wants to emphasize the "think-tank." So, I'm
glad that this came across. The color scheme was selected for viewing
desirability, and I'm also glad that you picked up on this. And the
goal is to look more professional. The outward spiral looked to
cultist, and that something we do not want to associate with. <br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">I have a dim sense that I didn't
like the most recent website that much,<br>
instead preferring something a few generations back, but it's impossible
to be<br>
sure going only by my memory. Something that said "wacky ideas
here!" rather<br>
than "whitepapers here, and tax-deductible donations
accepted".</blockquote><br>
I like the sense of fun with something like "Mind-Spining"
ideas here. <br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">"Extro Extro Read All About
It" works against all that though, and is a<br>
cheerful breath of irreverence.</blockquote><br>
Yes, this is why I put it in - to balance out the serious with the
fun.<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Content-wise... it's late and
I'm tired, but it seems like a 'professional'<br>
site in being heavy on PR stuff -- press releases, announcement of
conferences<br>
-- and low on interesting material to browse, especially beyond the<br>
Proactionary Principle and the Transhumanist FAQ. "Why am I at
this website?"<br>
is the key question which I don't find well answered, especially
quickly.</blockquote><br>
Good points. We need to add the resources section with the articles and
essays. I'll make sure this gets done next week. Thanks for
lighting a fire under me. <br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Sorry to be so critical, but
those are my quick reactions -- probably not<br>
completely irrelevant, given that people will often glance at and stay
with or<br>
leave a site quickly.</blockquote><br>
Constructive criticism is the signage on the road to success.
Without it, we would not be able to improve.<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">More relevantly,
<a href="http://www.singinst.org/" eudora="autourl">www.singinst.org</a>
seems more both a bit catchier and much more<br>
direct: "What is the Singularity?" vs. "ExI is an ideas
exchange." followed by<br>
sentences which don't obviously distinguish ExI from the Rand
Institute.<br>
Or see the Orion's Arm page.</blockquote><br>
Yes, I think this is a smartly designed site.<br><br>
Thanks,<br><br>
Natasha<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<dl>
<dd><font size=2><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Natasha
</a><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Vita-More</a>
<dd>Cultural Strategist - Designer
<dd>Future Studies, University of Houston
<dd>President, <a href="http://www.extropy.org/">Extropy Institute</a>
<dd>Member, <a href="http://www.profuturists.com/">Association of
Professional Futurists</a>
<dd>Founder, <a href="http://www.transhumanist.biz/">Transhumanist Arts
& Culture</a>
<dd>Honorary Vice-Chair, <a href="http://transhumanism.org/">World
Transhumanist Association</a>
<dd>Senior Associate, <a href="http://foresight.org/">Foresight
Institute</a>
<dd>Advisor, <a href="http://alcor.org/">Alcor Life Extension
Foundation</a><br><br>
</font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><i>If you draw a circle in the
sand and study only what's inside the circle, then that is a
closed-system perspective. If you study what is inside the circle and
everything outside the circle, then that is an open system perspective.
</i>
<dd>Buckminster Fuller<br>
<br><br></font>
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