Overview...
Welcome to the Websites page, a page where I dump anything mildly related to the process of owning a personal website. Probably.
I'll be honest, I've never really been that invested in the topic of webmastery, really. I like owning my own website, but I don't really have any deep thoughts about it, or the concept of it. To me, my site's a project, and that's about it. I don't have anything philosophical to say about creativity or artistry, and I don't really care about the current state of the internet. I'm not some web-revivalist, I'm just a bitch with a laptop and nothing better to do.
Despite that, I still do take owning this site pretty seriously, even if I don't really have much to say about the process. I don't know, it's just kind of a recreational thing for me, not something I really think about a lot.
With all of that out of the way, have fun reading my ramblings about various website-related things, I guess.
|
Overview...
Welcome to the Websites page, a page where I dump anything mildly related to the process of owning a personal website. Probably.
I'll be honest, I've never really been that invested in the topic of webmastery, really. I like owning my own website, but I don't really have any deep thoughts about it, or the concept of it. To me, my site's a project, and that's about it. I don't have anything philosophical to say about creativity or artistry, and I don't really care about the current state of the internet. I'm not some web-revivalist, I'm just a bitch with a laptop and nothing better to do.
Despite that, I still do take owning this site pretty seriously, even if I don't really have much to say about the process. I don't know, it's just kind of a recreational thing for me, not something I really think about a lot.
With all of that out of the way, have fun reading my ramblings about various website-related things, I guess.
Index V2...
The second incarnation of the index, in all of it's amateur glory. I was just starting to really find my aesthetic here, and looking back, it's honestly not that bad. There's some questionable choices here and there, but otherwise, I actually really like this layout. It's simple, but effective, in my opinion. Who knows, maybe I'll bring it back one day. Probably not, but hey, it's a thought.
I wish I had the first version of the layout to show here too, but unfortunately, I can't find any screenshots of it on Wayback. I've also long since lost the original code for it, so currently, it's lost media I guess. Nice. It feels a little surreal whenever I look back on this layout, mostly just because of how much I've grown since I built it. It's oddly nostalgic, looking at those old site assets I'll never use again, or seeing mention of those cut pages I never finished. I don't know, I think it's interesting. It's still pretty bare-bones though.
Index V3...
The index's third version, and one that's a bit closer to how it looks now. The basic structure got changed to be a little more compact, and I also started intregrating more black into the main color scheme. While this layout would serve as the basis for every layout after it, this version of it is no doubt the roughest. Honestly, I'd say it's even worse than the last version. At least it got the job done.
I'd say personally, this is also my least favorite layout. It's just not competent, or appealing to look at, in my opinion. It's way too squished together, and there's too many weird design choices that I would never commit to now. I especially hate the lack of top and bottom margins between divs. To be honest, looking back at this layout makes me feel kinda self-conscious. As if I made a bad first impression with anyone who happened to look at the site when it was still using this layout. It's a petty thing to feel, but it does make me a little embarrassed.
Index V4...
The fourth version, and it's not that different from the last, to be honest. Only notable changes are the font change, a better handling of the site's color palette, and some fun graphics at the bottom. It's much better than the last version, in my opinion. It actually looks somewhat like a competent site for once. However, there's one issue this layout had that made it's stay short-lived.
Basically, this layout had horrible formatting issues, and getting it to work was a chore. I didn't really understand how cross-browser compatability worked back then, and I was also too stubborn to get a CSS reset. As such, this layout basically looked horrible and uneven on every browser but Firefox. Even on Firefox, it was prone to bugs, or things just not displaying right. As such, I think this layout only stayed around for like, 2 weeks at most. Thank fuck I actually bothered to learn how CSS resets work.
Index V5...
The fifth revision, it's the one that stuck the longest. It had like, one small update a month after I made it, but otherwise, it stayed the same for a while. It was just a pretty solid and well-made layout, and served as the model for this site's current look. I'm pretty proud of it, it looks nice, and it holds up well in my opinion. It's like the last version, but actually good and stable. I like it.
This layout was when I finally started caring about cross-browser compatability, and it worked out pretty well. In fact, I'd say this layout sort of marks when I started caring a little more about actually learning HTML. Rather than just throwing shit together, I was actively planning things out, and experimenting a little. I guess I started to take this site more seriously once I started work on this layout. It's still rough compared to what I have now, but it was my first active attempt to straighten things up, and I respect it for that.
Personal Site Archives...
These are some old, obscure, personal websites I've found throughout my travels. A lot of them are broken and abandoned, but that's why I'm showcasing them, I guess. They're time-capsules of lives that no one would otherwise know. Their owners may have moved on, but I at least wanna show their work here, so more people can remember their stories.
nidokids.tripod.com: A Pokémon fansite, made back when the series first got big. It was ran by two friends, and perfectly shows off how magical the franchise's early years were. I really hope the owners are still friends.
Anime-ted!: A simple blog from the early 2000s, run by a girl with a love for anime. It's charming, and oddly nostalgic, somehow. It's just really sweet, seeing her perspective on everyday life. She's actually pretty inspiring to me.
AsianGoth: A site from around 2006, meant as a hub for goth culture. I think. It's pretty charming, with all of it's dark imagery and pretentiously rebellious words. It's a product of it's time, and I love it for that.
Brooke's Snazzariffic Web Site: A young pharmacy school student's simple blog, running from 1997 to 2007. I just love the sense of personality this site has, the owner is such a fun and easy-going person.
Another Thought in Time: A poetry-centered site, with a clean and pretty aesthetic. The poems here are full of passion, and are always a joy to read. Star Chaser is definitely my personal favorite, it's so bittersweet.
adirent: Just a simple introduction page, for a fun-loving woman who loves to travel. She's been everywhere from Japan to Chile. Her life is one I envy, to be honest. I wanna travel the world too, one day.
Moonlight Fantasy: While a lot of the links on this site are unfortunately lost, it's a beautiful site regardless. I just adore the aesthetic here, it's so calm, warm, and regal. The 2000s anime influence is a really nice touch, too.
margieberry2002: A poetry website, ran by a mother undergoing leukemia treatment. Her site is pretty, her poetry is beautiful, and she seems like a lovely lady. Wherever she is now, I hope she recovered, and won her battle.
All the Dogs In My Life: A site all about dogs, and the owner's life with them. I honestly can't look at it without tearing up. So many precious words and memories reside here. I don't know why, but this one hits close to me.
bet4854: The words of a mother, mourning her son. I found this site one night, completely by accident. It's stuck with me ever since. Every word breaks my heart. I wish the owner the best. I hope she was able to see him again.
|
|