LEGO For Web Designers
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The web designer is often faced with the challenge of producing an intricate, fully interactive, compelling, browser and platform independent design using just a few tags and some simple style sheet rules. It takes a very similar amount of creative engineering to construct with LEGO something like a model of the space shuttle, a fire station or just about anything else a child (or adult) can dream up. As with LEGO, some of the very best web page designs are in some way a result of the design constraints imposed upon the designer by the limitations of the technology itself.
XHTML, as an interim or transitional technology is really just part of the move towards XML (eXtensible Markup Language), which is a very simple and powerful technology that allows the sharing of structured data in a platform-independent format. The simpler a technology, the more powerful and effective it usually is.
LEGO’s success can be attributed (in my opinion) to the simplicity of it’s design and to the toy’s ability to unlock the creative spirit inherent in everyone, not just children. As web technologies begin to become standardized building tools, they will someday perhaps enjoy the same amount of success as LEGO. Leave it to the kids after all, to show us all how to keep things simple, have fun and get the job done.
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