Matthias Ott

Independent user experience designer and web design engineer, teacher, speaker. Interface Prototyping at Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design. UX and web design engineering workshops. #searchable 🇪🇺🌍
Newsletter: https://matthiasott.com/newsletter
 https://matthiasott.com

Website: https://matthiasott.com
Own Your Web Newsletter: https://matthiasott.com/newsletter
GitHub: https://github.com/matthiasott/
CodePen: https://www.codepen.io/matthiasott

Public Key

npub1sptsv3p0grpwpxl68cj8jj8jvnjurrlczakq5zlx0kjgeqm0fejqjtwwgs

NIP-05 Address

matthiasott_at_mastodon.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsgq4cxgsh5pshqn0arufrefrexfewp3lupwmq2p0n8mfyvsdh5ueqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dst7cflr

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1sptsv3p0grpwpxl68cj8jj8jvnjurrlczakq5zlx0kjgeqm0fejqjtwwgs

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Last Notes

2026-03-30 10:59:33 UTC

Quick reminder, especially if you’re a freelancer or developer using Free/Pro/Pro+ plans for client work: Opt out of GitHub using your data for AI model training before April 24 (seriously, wtf that this isn’t opt-in!).
https://github.com/settings/copilot/features#copilot-telemetry-policy
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/317/090/040/638/535/original/1893da3ad891142a.png

2026-03-21 12:55:34 UTC

Hello migraine with aura my old friend… 😘
Could be fun to try to visualize that. The patterns are different every time and a mix of blank spots, blurry areas, and rainbow stars or rather twinkling chrystal patterns slowly growing and wandering around my field of vision. ✨

2026-03-21 11:07:27 UTC

✍️ New post: The Shape of Friction
I wrote a short blog post reply to @npub12kp…xvml’s recent post (👏) about generative AI, friction, and people.
https://matthiasott.com/notes/the-shape-of-friction

2026-02-28 07:32:12 UTC

Big #sotb FOMO today. Also because I just realized that online tickets are sold out as well … (Great to see!)
Have a wonderful day, my friends! 💚 Will think of you while I improve the state of the garden. 🌱😁

2026-02-25 22:44:58 UTC

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not me 😢

2026-02-24 17:47:36 UTC

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I'd say that overall this could be seen as a good thing. If we really want to make a huge chunk of the web more accessible, it takes a lot of people and the new directives like the EEA obviously create a much-needed demand. If only it wouldn't feel like so many people are doing it for the money rather than because they genuinely care and take the time to really learn what's needed – and keep learning.

2026-02-23 20:05:11 UTC

“Our main story tonight concerns Twitter, or as it’s being called since Elon Musk purchased it a few years ago: Twitter.”
John Oliver is a treasure.
(And I hope you’re not active on that shit site anymore. 😉😉)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ZG_xWYLzI

2026-02-09 00:30:04 UTC

✍️ New article: Webspace Invaders
👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾
https://matthiasott.com/articles/webspace-invaders

2026-01-14 08:00:47 UTC

Well ……… good morning! 😂☀️
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/892/397/220/367/938/original/7184383920171ac8.jpeg

2026-01-07 14:06:08 UTC

“Share information, freely. Blog.”
👏, @npub17hh…8sgv
https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/information-is-still-free/

2025-11-22 08:12:53 UTC

❄️ It’s freezing cold outside here in Germany, and this is an interesting explainer of why that is: a warming event in the polar region is leading to an early collapse of the polar vortex, so Europe and North America are flooded with cold air, while the North Pole is unusually warm. #weather #climate https://www.severe-weather.eu/global-weather/stratospheric-warming-watch-polar-vortex-collapse-cold-snow-impacts-coming-for-united-states-canada-europe-fa/

2025-10-31 08:40:53 UTC

✍️ New post: To Affinity and Beyond
#blogtober #design #tools #affinity
https://matthiasott.com/notes/to-affinity-and-beyond

2025-10-12 23:35:36 UTC

✍️ New post: The Lifeblood of the Web
Because conferences are just 🔥🎉💙
#blogtober #web #conferences #community
https://matthiasott.com/notes/the-lifeblood-of-the-web

2025-10-04 19:27:36 UTC

I somehow get the feeling that we will soon feel very lucky to have an open, European social network with Mastodon.

2025-09-03 15:58:41 UTC

Alright, so … websites! ✨

2025-07-20 09:18:32 UTC

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It’s alive! 🧟‍♂️🎉😍 (kinda)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/884/799/422/310/916/original/dbb2073807f0cda9.mp4

2025-07-17 17:57:09 UTC

I can’t wait to bring this thing to life! 😁✨
Any ideas for what else I should add? (I already know this will get out of hand quickly … 😂)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/869/812/683/048/971/original/9103a11c8411736c.png

2025-07-10 14:09:50 UTC

Howdy! 🤓 How do you all handle native #CSS Nesting at the moment? Are you using it already? And if so, are you just targeting newer browsers that support it? Or are you using PostCSS, for example?
Asking for a friend who has reduced his build process to the max (nothing but a little esbuild script) and is now hesitating to add PostCSS again… 😉

2025-06-30 15:38:19 UTC

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I just heard the rationale that “at least the client can run a scan that will document which parts of the site aren't accessible yet and put it into the accessibility statement.”
I don’t really see how that is more than doing nothing at all tbh. 🤷‍♂️

2025-06-30 09:34:58 UTC

Damn. In all their desperation, they’re all falling for those #a11y overlays now. 😔

2025-06-16 18:16:50 UTC

Let’s just for a second – purely hypothetical, of course – suppose there was a podcast where some random guy talks to people from the web community about their personal websites and what they’re curious and passionate about.
Who would you love to see as a guest? 🤔

2025-06-12 13:57:19 UTC

Wow, that body is …… classy?! 😅 #bestpractices
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/670/723/609/135/097/original/c568633ab8df6a41.png

2025-06-06 12:10:20 UTC

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Haha, yes, and one that goes to 13 or 666 (for @npub1wpv…rz2s).
You would be able to klick and drag the knobs to turn them. Audio plugin interfaces do that stuff fairly well. But it’s definitely tricky to get right, especially when you want to support touch as well (or number input?) and make it accessible, too. 😅

2025-06-06 11:14:54 UTC

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I have no idea how to make such knobs accessible, though … 🤔 Maybe range sliders as fallbacks under the hood?

2025-06-06 11:08:56 UTC

Working on a few rough ideas for the redesign of my personal site (– this time for real! 😂) and I think I might be up to something here … 🤔🎛️
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/636/099/262/145/920/original/2fb1d0c2697a0bbe.png

2025-05-20 11:02:30 UTC

Alright, so … websites.

2025-05-13 12:50:16 UTC

“Do you think that’s funny?”
“Yes. 😁”
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/500/607/174/975/435/original/c5a34d0d56955d0d.jpeg

2025-05-11 10:25:11 UTC

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👀🤔https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/deviceorientation_event

2025-05-10 21:53:02 UTC

Figma (Sites) creating inaccessible, non-semantic div soup? I’m not surprised at all. That’s basically the main point of the talk I just gave at #btconf. Figma is for painting beautiful pictures of websites. Not for making websites. We make websites with semantic HTML, declarative CSS, JavaScript for the things only JavaScript can do, and a bit of ARIA. That’s how this medium works. That’s the material.

2025-05-04 09:58:27 UTC

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(and I’ll pass on the compliment to my son, who created the design for his sixth birthday a few years ago 😉)

2025-05-04 09:56:11 UTC

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I have more of those! 😁☠️

2025-05-03 18:15:47 UTC

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See you tomorrow! 🙌

2025-05-03 18:09:13 UTC

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I didn’t make it in time, I’m afraid… 😅 But I’ll definitely be taking orders 😁

2025-05-01 14:07:21 UTC

GSAP is now free. 😍
https://gsap.com/blog/3-13/

2025-04-10 13:37:27 UTC

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I obviously didn’t know what I got myself into back then. I started writing those posts spontaneously and wrote one per day, so it was taking up quite a chunk of that December, haha… 😂 But it was so worth it! And after I didn’t make it last year, my plan is to finally bring the calendar back for 2025. I’m already making a list… 😅🤞

2025-04-07 11:12:56 UTC

Isn’t it astonishing that after all those decades of global trade, there still isn’t a safety menchanism in place that protects the world economy – and our collective wealth – from the damaging effects of one country electing an erratic, ignorant idiot for president?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/296/381/246/724/865/original/cdbf2a50747aba77.jpeg

2025-04-06 14:50:13 UTC

… sneak peek … 🫣
(Grab one of the last tickets for #btconf here: 👉 https://beyondtellerrand.com)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/291/554/234/653/510/original/028301e83b9dea53.png

2025-04-06 12:21:33 UTC

Prototyping … 😉 #OwnYourWeb
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/290/988/472/481/703/original/3f29db63c4c6c19f.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/290/988/782/950/358/original/4e7fa404ec371f9e.jpeg

2025-02-12 17:21:23 UTC

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I mean, I get that it might make sense in the analog world. It’s probably nice to be able to just turn a knob and you’re done. But as an expensive plugin…? 😅

2025-02-12 16:28:41 UTC

I just love this:
There is an analog bass resonance tool that many audio engineers swear by to enhance the low end of their mixes called “Voice of God“.
Universal Audio created a plugin version of this magic box and sell it for over 160 $/€…
But actually – it’s nothing but a regular EQ high-pass filter. 😂
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=763vm7bkYMw)
So, another company, Boz Digital Labs, created their own, completely free version of the “Voice of God“ – and called it:
Bark of Dog 🐕
https://www.bozdigitallabs.com/product/bark-of-dog/

2025-02-11 13:39:27 UTC

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Yes, same here. It just looks “off”, a little bit too thick (ha!) overall. Most of the time, a faux bold is even more obvious. But because I somehow immediately noticed it – although it is relatively subtle and harder to explain in this case – I was curious whether other people might see it as well.

2025-02-11 10:02:41 UTC

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Is “fattening” the right word here? I have no idea … 😂

2025-02-11 10:01:28 UTC

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Aaaaaand we have a winner! 🥳🎉😁 Faux bold it is!
The @font-face rule is missing a font-weight declaration and thus a `font-weight: 500` leads to the browser fattening the letters of the regular font style to make its own bold.

2025-02-11 08:51:40 UTC

A little web typography quiz! Can you spot what might be wrong about this paragraph? 🤔🧐
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/984/375/881/254/420/original/a3bf912d6e4c1464.png

2025-01-25 18:48:08 UTC

Sell your Tesla.

2025-01-14 08:01:30 UTC

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Or a month later in Amsterdam? (Maybe 😄) Have a great day! ☀️

2025-01-13 20:44:40 UTC

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We should definitely discuss this over a beer this year. Maybe in Düsseldorf, in May? 😉

2025-01-13 20:39:11 UTC

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Good times! 😁 But also still true, in a way.

2025-01-13 20:36:23 UTC

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“Web designers” 😎
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_design

2025-01-05 20:53:24 UTC

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Likewise! 🤗 And I’m looking forward to seeing you again in Düsseldorf this year at @npub12an…w0gg! (If I’m not mistaken?)

2025-01-05 20:48:12 UTC

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the last (comparatively) calm four years with you all. 🤗
Let’s remember that our attention and whom we give it is one of our most valuable and powerful assets. Not everyone and everything deserves it. Focus is invaluable. As is being kind and respectful. 💚

2025-01-01 10:36:35 UTC

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Yes, I feel so much better and don’t miss it at all. Although I haven’t been to a pub with a great selection of single malts for quite some time now … 😅

2025-01-01 10:21:55 UTC

Two years without alcohol in my system. ✅✅
Can highly recommend!

2024-12-25 21:46:51 UTC

What’s a great open world RPG for a 13-y/o who already played Zelda TotK and Horizon Zero Dawn? (I guess it’s still a bit too early for games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Elden Ring… 😉)
Any recommendations? 🤔

2024-12-20 13:02:27 UTC

Musk doesn’t believe in democracy. It’s as simple as that. That’s why he’s now trying to weaken the institutions in the US and – like Putin – is backing European right-wing anti-democrats like Farage and the #NoAfD.
The longer this whole spectacle continues, the more it looks like @npub1ezw…6sxs might actually have a point:
https://washingtonspectator.org/project-russia-reveals-putins-playbook/

2024-12-20 12:42:34 UTC

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To me, it also weirdly feels like the silence before the storm somehow… 😅 Enjoy the last days of the year with the family! 🎄🙌

2024-12-07 14:49:33 UTC

Pro tip: if you replace the halogen headlights of your car, don’t drop the plastic cap into the engine compartment. 😐

2024-11-28 11:51:57 UTC

Huh? My system is running out of memory! I have 32 gigs of RAM. Let’s see……
Oh, it’s the *PDF* application. 😅
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/560/425/812/009/547/original/4cdc9025165f382d.png

2024-11-20 16:04:38 UTC

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omg! 😱

2024-11-19 19:52:31 UTC

Move steadily and improve things.

2024-11-16 09:00:15 UTC

After the newsletter issue is before the newsletter issue.
But I’d like to know: what would you like to read about in #OwnYourWeb? What do you struggle with when it comes to your personal site? The design? The code? The writing? Something else, entirely?
“Lmk in the comments below.” 👇😁

2024-11-11 15:59:38 UTC

Songs Of A Lost World is quite the experience. 🖤
#TheCure

2024-11-08 10:57:44 UTC

My #CSSDay talk about designing with #CSS now has >11k views on YouTube, which just blows my mind! 🤯 I expected maybe a few hundred max.
I’m so glad it resonated with so many people and seems to hit a nerve. (…and also that I didn't fuck this up. 😂) Thank you! 🙏💚
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su6WA0kUUJE

2024-11-06 21:02:52 UTC

The German government is falling apart. What a day.
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-coalition-government-collapse-olaf-scholz-finance-minister-christian-lindner/

2024-10-25 14:09:11 UTC

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Oh cool, congrats @npub1jpy…yfwv ! 🥳

2024-10-22 06:34:41 UTC

There’s been a lot of debate in the CSS Working Group lately on how to best implement #CSS Masonry.
Here’s a new, fantastic piece by @npub130l…n5e6, @npub1lq4…emz2, & @npub19h9…uhux on the topic.
👉 They want our feedback! https://webkit.org/blog/16026/css-masonry-syntax/

2024-10-16 08:01:08 UTC

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(Which is fine for domains…I guess? 🤔)

2024-10-16 07:48:35 UTC

Wow, the prototyping.news domain now costs 82 €/year at iwantmyname.com. That’s a hefty price hike! 😯
So I just moved it over to Strato (24 €/year)…

2024-10-14 12:49:39 UTC

Reading this is damning and hard to take.
But given the fact that – especially here in 🇩🇪 – people actually seem to care *less* about what’s already coming, it would be irresponsible to not share this.
“Of the 35 planetary vital signs we track annually, 25 are at record levels. […] We fear the danger of climate breakdown. The evidence we observe is both alarming and undeniable.”
#climatechange #climatecrisis #ClimateAction
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biae087/7808595

2024-10-11 08:04:31 UTC

If you’re attacking the @npub1umd…wfr7, you’re not a next-level hacker.
You’re just an a**hole. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2024-09-27 08:20:22 UTC

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Devin Jacoviello et al.
👉 https://www.awwwards.com/sites/stripe-dot-dev

2024-09-27 08:13:53 UTC

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Stripe. 🤓

2024-09-27 08:09:38 UTC

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🤯😍

2024-09-27 07:39:19 UTC

In case you need me, I’m scrolling to the bottom of this page:
https://stripe.dev/

2024-09-26 19:49:43 UTC

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“Dave Rupert LLC, which owns the trademark, has also filed to trademark “Managed DaveRupert” and “Hosted DaveRupert.” Developers and providers are worried that if these trademarks are granted, they could be used against them.”

2024-09-26 17:18:07 UTC

Is the #wordpress #wpengine feud over? Who won?
(The answer is always Kendrick, of course. 🐐)

2024-08-30 22:12:15 UTC

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Works just fine! 😁

2024-08-30 22:06:13 UTC

Just testing cross-posting from Buffer to Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky … 🪄✨

2024-08-29 07:39:23 UTC

Here’s your reminder that the State of CSS survey 2024 is still open!
If you write #CSS, regardless of your skill level, consider taking the survey.
Not only is it an important trend indicator of the web community but it’s also a great way to let browser makers know what we all care about collectively and in which direction the platform should evolve!
https://survey.devographics.com/en-US/survey/state-of-css/2024?source=mastodon

2024-08-28 14:30:55 UTC

“I think it’s worth listening to anything Sara Soueidan has to say. That’s especially true if she’s speaking at an event for the first time in four years, which was the case when she took the stage at #CSSDay 2024 in Amsterdam.”
@npub1ncs…a6v8 sharing his notes from @npub1247…zzvh’s talk “The ‘Other’ C in CSS”
#a11y #CSS #webdev
https://css-tricks.com/the-other-c-in-css/

2024-08-21 08:56:22 UTC

💡 Time for a new survey: What is the best #web #hoster for small to medium web projects in 🇩🇪/🇪🇺 in 2024?
My shortlist at the moment:
– Hetzner (https://www.hetzner.com)
– Uberspace (https://uberspace.de/de/ – nerds only)
– netcup (https://www.netcup.de)
– all-inkl (https://all-inkl.com)
Does anyone have experience with lima-city (https://www.lima-city.de) and Hostinger (https://www.hostinger.de)?

2024-08-19 13:57:04 UTC

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Hmmmm… this will free my handle after 30 days, however. So, to prevent impersonation, I decided to not delete it completely, but set it to protected again and added a notice to my profile that this account is inactive and where people can find me instead: on my personal site and here on Mastodon.

2024-08-19 13:23:56 UTC

The end of an era.
I just deactivated my Twitter account.
You should, too. 😊
#GoodBye #Xit

2024-08-14 20:23:00 UTC

It begins. 😱
“Research AI model unexpectedly modified its own code to extend runtime”
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/08/research-ai-model-unexpectedly-modified-its-own-code-to-extend-runtime/

2024-07-30 21:49:59 UTC

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The U.S. faces a prolonged, coast-to-coast heatwave:
https://wapo.st/3LL3CDl
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:49:11 UTC

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Canada, Oregon, and California are on fire again:
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2024/07/photos-california-park-fire/679280/
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:48:31 UTC

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And the AMOC will likely collapse around mid-century:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39810-w
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:47:46 UTC

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Global sea ice is not looking good: https://fediscience.org/@ZLabe/112855704997962734
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:47:06 UTC

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Nearly all of the world's oceans are in the midst of “unusual warmth”:
https://www.axios.com/2024/07/26/ocean-temperatures-extreme-heat-records
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:46:30 UTC

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Land carbon sinks collapsed in 2023: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2024/07/30/terrestrial-carbon-sinks-collapsed-in-2023_6704503_114.html
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:45:47 UTC

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June 2024 was Earth’s 13th consecutive warmest month on record:
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/07/june-2024-earths-13th-consecutive-warmest-month-on-record/
#climatechange #climate #climateemergency #climateaction

2024-07-30 21:44:27 UTC

That climate change thing is really not going well atm. 😔
We just had the four hottest days ever observed: https://web.archive.org/web/20240727230446/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/07/27/hottest-days-ever-recorded-climate-change/
#climatechange
#climate
#climateemergency
#climateaction

2024-07-15 21:22:50 UTC

What are examples of fantastic *home pages* of personal websites? 😍 Any site that really stuck with you? And why?
And what’s some useful advice regarding a great “home” that you would give someone building their site?
I’m asking on behalf of my #OwnYourWeb #newsletter subscribers = sharing is caring 🤗💚

2024-06-28 10:36:24 UTC

If you’ve watched my #CSSDay talk, you know that I couldn’t agree more to @npub16cx…2vq4 here:
“The thing to remember about learning HTML and CSS is that they are web standards and will long outlive Figma, Adobe XD and Sketch. At worst, learning to code will help you communicate with developers much better. At best, your design skills will be much more rounded and relevant in an ever-changing and expanding industry.”
👏👏👏
https://piccalil.li/blog/the-time-for-designers-to-learn-to-code-is-now/