[Sigia-l] Web patterns & web semantics

[Austin Govella]

On 11/30/05, Listera <listera at rcn.com> wrote:
> Donna Maurer:
>
> > John Allsop (a very smart Australian web standards dude) has written
> > an article...
>
> ...which would greatly benefit from separation into at least two parts: the
> notion patterns (for those new to it) and semantics (in the context of HTML
> markup). And I wish it would declare unambiguously just what the
> problem/issue/objective is.

I'm a fan of patterns. We need an organic, global resource that
changes and grows as patterns emerge, iterate, and change as our
understanding evolves. However, the current pursuit of "web" patterns
misdirects our focus.

Ziya, I'm not sure I can unambiguously declare the problem, but I'm
sure "web" isn't part of it.

In most cases, we're discussing visual interaction patterns. Very
little limits these patterns to the web, and only a few constraints
limit their application in print. Many of the patterns emerged in
print.

And all of the basic tenets evolved with human communication.

I'm not trying to expand patterns to include *all* human interaction
(even though that's the scope), and I'm not trying to dismiss the
effort as unscopable. My real motive is to ensure patterns recognize
the basic interaction context in which they occur.

I'm not sure that's very clear, but I do believe that's the real issue.



--
Austin Govella
Thinking & Making: IA, UX, and IxD
http://thinkingandmaking.com
austin.govella at gmail.com