In accordance with my holiday tradition of publishing concise annual "best of" lists I have again decided to divide this year into five categories; The Web, Music, Books, Film and Life Experiences. Here's the first, Best of The Web. I'll publish the others over the next two weeks.
Overall:
1. Web 2.0
This year everyone was talking about what Web 2.0 is, what it isn’t and what it will be. To me web 2.0 represents the next step in web technology as web sites become active web applications. Web 2.0 sites typically use XHTML, CSS and maybe Unobtrusive Rich Application techniques like Ajax or other XML/JS combos to empower users to publish and/or interact with the application seamlessly. Almost every site on my list this year is some sort of 2.0 application and the web in general was filled with 2.0 talk so how could the #1 spot go to anything else?
2. Google Maps
I LOVE Google maps! The sweet dynamic zooming/dragging action was one of the first times I saw Ajax employed this year. When they opened the API, a slew of great applications flooded the web, my favorite being the Gmaps Pedometer. Their Katrina map was also the first place where I saw my house inundated with water.
3. Typepad
Typepad continues to offer a great blogging service at a very agreeable price. I use it to keep notes, publish my thoughts, and to log my fitness/nutrition program. It’s become an integral part of my life.
4. Flickr
I was late to the game with Flickr but I finally signed up in January. Flickr is a great way to store and share photos but my favorite feature is their tags. If you want to see what’s happening at a specific event or in any given location in the world you can enter in a relevant tag at Flickr and see images almost in real time. This was another great tool when I was evacuated during Katrina.
5. Backpack
37 Signals’ personal productivity tool is a great addition to their family of web applications. I use this tool everyday to keep track of work and to share images and notes with my colleagues.
Blogs:
1. Signal versus Noise
Jason Fried’s presentation at this year’s SXSWi on working with small teams and "getting real" was one of the best talks I saw there. This is a fantastic blog that documents the evolution of his “Getting Real” business manifesto, along with product updates and great usability & design commentary/critiques from his cohorts at 37signals.
2. New Orleans Met Blog
This is the single best source of Post-K commentary anywhere, written by regular folks who are here in the shit. This is funny, inspiring, passionate stuff and reminds me every day of why I chose to stay here.
3. Dispatches from Tanganyika
Poppy Z. Brite is a writer who has lived long enough in New Orleans to be called a native. She typically writes great daily entries about food, writing & New Orleans and her Post-K writing is hilarious and engaging. I can’t wait to see how she treats our new reality in her next novel.
4. Boingboing
Cory Doctorow & Co. produce what has become the standard index of general geekery on the web. Also, Xeni’s Katrina coverage was some of the best anywhere in the immediate weeks following the storm. There was all kinds of crazy stuff in there that I wouldn’t have seen anywhere else.
5. Kottke
This year, Jason Kottke quit his real job and solicited donations from his readership to blog full time. He thanked them in the form of great daily entries on web 2.0 developments, a ton of cultural commentary and travelogues from adventures in Europe and Asia.
Site Design:
1. A List Apart
Jason Santa Maria produced the best redesign of the year with AlA. I love the design concept and the execution; simple, usable, elegant, beautiful.
2. Coudal Partners
I can’t get over this site. I visit it every day to read the log entries and to admire its designed simplicity.
3. Weightshift
This is the beautiful portfolio site of Naz Hamid, designer, photographer and cyclist. I like the work but love the portfolio itself even more.
4. 37signals
This is simple and wonderful design at its best. Just a very elegant display of their applications with a few other links. Very usable, very efficient.
Resources:
1. Google
Where would we be without Google? I wish I had Google Implant™, so that I would have the ability to run queries anytime, anywhere.
2. NOLA.com & 3. WWLtv.com
These two news portals were my link to the city while I was evacuated. No one had more coverage. They also continue to provide the most informative coverage of the evolving Battle of New Orleans 2.0.
4. Bike Forums & 5. Calories per Hour
These two sites helped me shed 35 lbs. and become a serious cyclist. I don’t think I could have done it without either of them.
Services:
1. iTunes
I’ll just repeat what I wrote last year, “The price, quality and great selection of the iTunes Music Store compels me to buy music here instead of just downloading it for free from somewhere else. Of course, if I can't find it on here there is a 95% chance that I'm going to look for it via a P2P application. Record execs, are you listening?" I would add that Kompakt & Warp also offer fantastic music services. I supplemented many purchases through those sites this year.
2. Netflix
I love the response time and control over selection that I have with Netflix. Now, if only the Postal Service would start operating properly again down here.
3. Amazon
My wishlist beckons…
4. Basecamp / Backpack
These are the best collaborative productivity applications around. It doesn’t matter what sector you work in; if you work on a team you should be using at least one of these.
5. Gmail
I use Gmail primarily for file sharing, file dumping, backups and GTD hacks but it also works fantastically for regular old email.
