When I was interviewing at UCLICK one interviewer said to me, In the end, it’s only comics. At the time, that put me at ease. I had just been introduced to programming and was nervous that I would somehow destroy the entire company by writing some errant code. Some years, a GoComics.com rebuild, and a GoComics.com relaunch later I believe that statement is far from true.

We just relaunched GoComics.com with a significant facelift as well as some really tasty goodness under the hood. One thing we recognized in the previous release of GoComics was that people were using the comments more as a meeting place. We decided to encourage that activity by creating more opportunities for people to comment. Another thing we did was add more sharing opportunities. Somewhat to my surprise, GoComic’s Twitter traffic has skyrocketed. Both of these features are evidence that GoComics isn’t only comics, it’s a community. People show up for the comics, but they stay for the camaraderie and are compelled to share what they find across the Internet.

Internally we built a page that lists every comment in real time. It’s fascinating to see what people are talking about. Everything from the mundane – what’s on the dinner menu for the evening – to the profound – a woman’s miscarriage experience and how it affected her feelings on abortion. Of course, there are trolls and troublemakers, but that’s any community. It’s great to watch how people handle them as well. Some get flamed, as would be expected, others are given the benefit of the doubt.

I think in the development process it’s very easy for the developer to lose site of the humanity of the project. You may be developing another entertainment/commerce/management/accounting/whatever application, but the truth is you are creating something for people. Ideally, real people are going to use what you create. For me, there’s a lot of weight in that realization.

The difficulty is in balancing this reality with the ever looming deadline. Whether you are contracting or employed by a company, you’ve, no doubt, got a deadline on your current project. The struggle becomes make it work versus make it work right. There is room for both. I’ve made it my focus to learn best practices, to not be embarrassed to ask, and to learn something new, no matter how minute, everyday. My goal is that this balance will become second nature. Lofty? Perhaps, but certainly attainable.

It is a real honor when something you contributed to becomes important to someone else. I’m proud of the work we’ve done with GoComics. So much of what was done will never be noticed by anyone but those of us that did the work and that’s alright. Active participation may be the highest form of appreciation.

If you are like me, and you’re not face it, you spend a lot of time in front of your computer with your Instant Messenger client of choice distracting you on a regular basis. Often in my haste to please an IM buddy I’ll quickly type something and I’ve noticed that I make some funny typo’s. So, I’ve amassed them in a brief list. Feel free to add more in the comments section.

• fort = for - this is typically the result of a fat finger
• ti’s = it’s - not an ode to Frank McCourt
• dong = doing
• abou tit = about it
• noi = no i
• meat = me at
• pees = peace
• lame = my wife’s cat

Incidentally, any 10.5 users using Spaces frustrated by iChat’s hostile take over of your machine upon a new chat? Do. Not. Want!

I can’t wear contacts. My eyes are too dry or something. Good thing I don’t mind wearing glasses.

I had an eye exam for the first time in years – like seven, actually – and it turns out my eyes have more than doubled in suckiness. So, I took the opportunity to update my frames also.

I made the mistake of first looking for frames I would like on the Country Club Plaza at the Optical Shop of Aspen. I should have remembered the simple equation Plaza + Aspen = Unaffordable, but I didn’t. Thank the Lord for the interweb.

Enter modernglasses.com, while they won’t ever be nominated for a SXSW Web Award, they do offer a great service: boutique level and designer eye frames at great prices. I saved well over $300 on a pair of frames and lenses (with Crizal, no less).

Whilst searching for a new frame my friend !jon asked if I was getting “a pair of glasses like all the ska-kids wear?” Well, I guess so, I told him. “Oh man… those are so lame! They look like your trying to hard to be cool!” Hard to hear your trying to hard to look cool from this guy!

Trying to hard to look cool? Really? Do I come across that way? I always feel like I’m trying to hard to suppress my coolness. Seriously, I have to dial it way down all the time.

I wonder if my friend !jon feels this guy is trying to hard to be cool?

For those of you that don’t know – and if you don’t it means you don’t watch the Today show – Windows Vista came out on Tuesday.

In an effort to reach those whose souls have been enlightened by the “Get a Mac” ads M$ released a pretty funny viral, soft sell marketing campaign. Demetri Martin, a very funny comic and host of Trendspotting on the Daily Show, was tapped for the main role in this campaign.

I am still a loyal Mac user, but am willing to give credit where credit is due. Check it here (clearification.com). Pretty pretty pretty pr-et-ty clever!

I would also like to learn how to control my glands.