I understand that you’re a UX / Web / Graphic designer. Would you care to share your opinion on why most people prefer to browse the web most of their time? In my opinion, the web is an open and ever expanding community. People not only use the web as a tool (e-mail, finding out news, learning fun facts), but they use it in a larger sense to stay connected and communicate with other people (though Bowling Alone says that we don’t interact as much as previous generations, I disagree in many ways because I believe that it’s shifted online). I’m a particularly active Tumblr user because I love the community and inspiration I get out of it every day. If I think about what I do with my internet access, I don’t particularly “browse”, I have my google reader, my tumblr, facebook and twitter, and beyond that I don’t need to play follow the links to find anything interesting at hand. I recently read an article in Fast Company which stated that your oxytocin levels actually spike when you tweet about yourself, this may not be totally relevant to your question - but I think it reflects that societally, we very much enjoy being online and sharing things about ourselves. 

Why “the web” is always associated with fun and leisure activity that people like. But the desktop is not? (besides games or iPhone apps) Besides the applications or programs that you download for leisure purposes, what services does your desktop actually perform for you? There are some Adobe Air applications which I really enjoy as a tool, and of course I use a lot of it to perform my work (I can’t work on my Illustrator or Photoshop files on just any computer). I think this, and the existing “cubicle farm” office environment, really turns off a lot of people to the concept of the desktop, where the best thing you can do in your downtime is play some Solitare or a fierce round of minesweeper. The cloud is a brilliant thing, the idea of having to download everything you want onto the desktop just seems silly to me.

Why there’s a “dotcom” era ? Why the web reach larger amount of people than the desktop apps (which could also access the internet). Why there are far larger amount of business to invest on web things? I don’t know if I fully understand this question, as it seems that to this point we’ve been comparing the desktop and the web. I mean, for something as simple as e-mail, I don’t use a desktop application simply because I can access it at any computer I go to (and as someone who commutes between school, work, and home, that happens a lot). The only use of a desktop application for me would be that a) I’m traveling a lot, so I need to respond to e-mails on the go, and b) it provides me with functionality and features not available already in my GMail account. Business invest in web-based things because I think that it’s easier for them to reach a broader audience. Though you could build applications that are useful to the user for them to download, I personally think that it is much harder to create software and encourage people to pay and download it. I use a lot of free software (except the creative suite), but the Creative Suite I could also easily get on a torrent site without paying the pay-check eating full price. 

What’s the major problem with desktop apps? In your point of view. Is it only because it’s a lot harder to find native apps that’s directly usable? Like finding things in the App Store? I just don’t download more than 20 applications to my computer. Just nosing around in my applications folder you’d see that I have three chat clients (Colloquy, Adium, Skype) all of which are free. Work related programs such as Keynote, iWork, and Adobe Stuff. Beyond that there’s not much, a dvd ripping program for when I’m travelling, Quicksilver, and some video converters. I know that there’s the option for me to get desktop feed readers, news sites, digg and the like, I can even use tools like Kuhler and TweetDeck as adobe air applications.  But I like the fact that I can get them all from three tabs in my Chrome browser, that there’s ColourLovers for my palette choices and with Twitter’s “Lists” feature - why do I need to have columns? It’s not that it’s “hard” to find native apps that are directly usable - it’s that most of them already exist online.

For more information about the <6 project, visit sixitemsorless.com/ -- my first entry has been copied below. 

Now I think I have it a little easier than some of the folks around here – I’m not a young professional, I don’t have a job where my appearance matters every day. I’m just a student, wrapping up some classes this summer. Being the veritable tom-boy I’ve never really had much of an interest in fashion and as my college career progressed my wardrobe devolved from cute jean and top combos (having a school uniform in high school highly incentivized my interest in “cute clothes) to raggety jeans and worn out t-shirts. Recently, I had a minor crisis of self – I’d just scored a new job at an awesome agency, and suddenly found myself surrounded by twenty-something-fashionistas who magically were able to look fabulous every day. Quickly my paltry dress wardrobe wore out, and I worried if they noticed – it seemed that each individual was very much like Paris Hilton (who famously only wears each outfit once). I ended up quitting the job, not because of the fashion pressures but mostly because I’m a college student who tries to do approximately 10 million things at once – so many in fact that I believe that I could put your average soccer mom to shame.

So, I’ve decided to participate in this experiment. I have to admit my wardrobe hasn’t been this restricted since my high school glory days where plaid skirts, white button ups, and knee-highs were the requirement. I have to admit that I don’t really mind, I’m a little nervous about the increased amount of laundry that I’ll have to do, and potentially the judgement of my fellow classmates and professors should they notice the trend; but I suppose that’s the entire point of the experiment, isn’t it?

I’ve whittled down my wardrobe and settled on some items that I feel relatively comfortable with:

• Knee-length shorts, Brown (1)
• Quick-Dry Convertible Pants, Grey (1)
• Scoop Neck t-shirt, Green (1)
• V Neck t-shirt, Pink (1)
• V Neck t-shirt, Aqua (1)
• Dress – yet to be determined, likely black (1)

So there it is, my 6 articles of clothing that are going to last me through the next month. My biggest challenge is that I ride my bike to and from school each day (5 miles each way), and in the summertime it presents a large challenge to make sure to choose an outfit that is not only lightweight and durable, but also won’t present huge sweat stains when I finally sit down in class considering the fact that the organizers of this experiment decided to do it during what is arguably the hottest month of the year for good ol’ Boston, MA. Jeans are too hot and heavy for this weather, and I feel that the windbreaker that I wear on cold, windy, or rainy days is considered an “accessory” in this case. I needed to reserve the dress because I do, after all, have a swell guy who typically takes me out on fanciful dates, and I’d like to not be sporting the sweat-drenched clothes that I’ve been biking throughout the week during our weekend rendez-vous. In any case, with the 3 shirt, 2 short combo I have 12 built in outfits – enough to last me for two weeks repeating. I’m not an owner of accessories (I own two necklaces, don’t wear a watch, and my previously gauged ears filled in my sophomore year of college), so dressing these items up might certainly prove to be a challenge.

So, here’s to day 1. It’s going to be 84 degrees outside, wish me luck.

The iPad is not meant to replace a laptop
Like many others have already stated, it is essentially a glorified iPhone. It's a really nice break if I don't want to lug my computer over to the couch just to check a couple of e-mails, read some latest news stories, or browse the web for a bit. For me, it can never perform all of the tasks that my laptop does - as a designer I need to have a dedicated machine to run Photoshop and Illustrator and all that jazz. Would it be nice to have it in a tablet format? Yes. Do we have it yet? No. This, coupled with the lack of flash support - make it unable to serve as a suitable replacement for a dedicated machine. 

The lack of Flash support really does suck
I'm not just saying this because Hulu doesn't play on it (as someone who exclusively consumes their television content online, this is a big deal). It gets to be quite prohibitive when you decide to visit some sites that happen to have Flash (there's a lot of them). This was especially a pain in the ass the other day when I decided to leave my 10lb laptop at home and instead take my iPad to school instead. I was sitting out in the quad, enjoying some sunny weather, some fresh fruit, and reading a few articles. When the time came for me to do some Math Homework (using CourseCompass - the ubiquitous college math program), I was denied access due to the implementation of Flash. As a result, I was forced to run about to find some publicly available computers just to get it done. Way to leave me high and dry, Apple. 

It's an awesome media player
Though I complain about the lack of flash support, awesome features such as the Netflix Streaming Application (and really, who nowadays doesn't have a Netflix account?) streams your instant queue right to your device. ABC also has a similar program, and if you're the kind of person who keeps up week-to-week then it's perfect for you, because they have the last 5 episodes of every show available to watch for free. The picture quality is awesome, it's great to be able to sit comfortably in bed and not have to deal with a clunky laptop, or have to sit at my desk in order to watch something on the monitor. I know that for sure this is something I'd take on roadtrips, or even on the plane - without having to worry about lugging that 10 pound laptop around. This, combined with the power of the store, allows for a lot of flexibility as an owner.

As a carry-everywhere reading device
I can't say that as of yet, I'm convinced that this can completely replace the Kindle as a simple book-reading device. For that I feel that the Kindle is still far more lightweight and versatile. One big downfall for the iPad is that for 3G access (with unlimited) it's a practically prohibitive $30 a month. If you're the kind of person (like myself) that is glued to their Google Reader or Instapaper, internet access is completely necessary to make this really work for you. The weight also comes in at just a little heavier than an object that you can comfortably hold with one hand. However, there is one place where I feel that the iPad is the perfect reading device. I've been using it to read comics lately using the Comixology application - and I have to say, I've finally found the way that Comics are MEANT to be read (like seriously, this is what Scott McCloud has been talking about for all of these years). I really love the immersive experience, being able to appreciate each frame of the artwork as you're moving through it, moving from text bubble to text bubble. The application is free for iPhone and iPad - with a ton of free comics for you to try it out with. I seriously may switch over to this medium for all of my comic-purchases. I'm at a point where I can't imagine  reading them any other way.

So, in conclusion I feel that the iPad is an awesome media and reading device. Will it replace your iPhone or your laptop? Not really. As a gaming platform there's a lot of potential, and the comic book reading experience is phenomenal. Is it a necessary purchase? Certainly not (unless you don't own a smart phone). But is it awesome? Oh yeah. 

(This is part of the weekly television column I write over at Input/Outcast. You can find the original post here.)

Now when I say "feel-good" TV, I'm not talking about your traditional situational comedy and variety shows meant to entertain and make you laugh. Recently, I've been noticing an increased number of television shows that are trying leave the viewer  with a warm and fuzzy feeling when the credits roll. This is something that we frequently see in the movie business, all the little strings of the storyline are pulled together to make a nice, pretty little package for the contented viewers to go home with. Television has started to pick up on this, and shows like Modern Family and Glee reflect the fact that , hey now, they've started to pay attention.

Glee speaks to people that, like the rest of us, can recall the awkward state that was high school. Sure, the nerdy ones of us were able to get the hell out and fly the hell out of that town with our middle fingers raised high in the air. But many of us (who weren't the members of that 5% social elite) can certainly relate to these events. We were down in the dumps, ostracized by everyone else -- but wait, here in this show we're presented not only with a smidgen of hope, but it's coupled with song, dance, and pep! Though Glee presents some similar dramas to those that we initially encountered in high school, each episode closes with a clean and clear messages -- I have friends, I have people who support me, social status doesn't matter -- it's your friends who count.

Modern family similarly presents this idea. Many of us can easily relate to the narrative of the show because of the awkwardness and actual reality that it presents (for me, this was encapsulated in the scene where the quirky son gets his head stuck in between the banisters of the stairs). Much like Glee, each episode closes with a heartwarming message. Characters talking directly to the camera, stating reasons why their family works, and why they love them. In the end, it shows you that despite how infuriating or aggravating you find your family to be, they're still the best friends that you'll ever had. 

I find this transition in television to be interesting, and in some ways more stimulating than the traditional narrative of television. Maybe this is because I've never found the traditional sitcom to be thoroughly entertaining (I've always been more attracted to Sci-fi storylines), and perhaps I tend to be more attracted to these "warm and fuzzy" storylines because I'm of the (oft quoted as) "more sensitive" gender. Who knows? What are your opinions on the advent of these kinds of shows? Will we re-enter a sterile period like the 50's and 60's? Will more shows move in this way? Will it not last because the lack of drama will fail to attract our interests?