Bit.ly
URL shortners have been around for a while, so it’s nice to see there is still innovation being done. Bit.ly offers all the standard features of a URL shortner, but includes compelling new features like click/referral tracking, automatic page mirroring, an API, and thumbnails (full list here).
Clever Andy
The concept behind Clever Andy is that you upload your “unused” designs, and he will “actively pursue” finding a client for that design. Once a client is found, he does all the work of slicing it up and creating the website for that client. After that, apparently, you get paid for the design, although no details are given on how much that might be.
I am going to call B.S. on this. If I understand this correctly, you give away your design for free to some dude. Now he has a huge portfolio of great designs to pick and choose from the next time he gets a client. If he does get one, he only has to pay for just the one he chooses. But that’s OK, because you weren’t gonna use that design anyway right?
Targeting and Filtering Internet Explorer 7
Another comprehensive article from Jeff at Perishable press on dealing with Internet Explorer. Covers everything from conditional stylesheets to valid CSS selectors and invalid CSS hacks, and then on to some far lesser known techniques like the lang hack.
Performance of WebKit on Mobile Safari 2.0
John Gruber on the huge performance increases in the new version of Mobile Safari.
Yeah, i think that “clever andy” would only work in a Utopian society where you don’t have to worry about people screwing you over :)
Chris,
I totally agree with the Clever Andy thing. It does seem like BS and I for one would never use it. Yes, it’s a design I never used BUT it’s a design that I designed and I still want my credit!
Take care!
I think, conceptually, Clever Andy is a pretty good idea. I have a whole mess of designs I’d like to put to good use now that I’m no longer freelancing. But I think the first thing we all noticed was that there’s no information about how much the designer gets paid, which to me suggests his intention is to take advantage of our lazy sides and lowball it.
I sent dude an e-mail asking for specifics (and suggesting a price point I thought was reasonable given my regular prices for design work). Will post relevant info here.
@Jeff: Cool thanks, let us know what you find out.
My problem with it is that it smells a bit like spec work. The theory of spec work is that you ask multiple agencies to design something for you, and you then only pick (and pay for) one of them. That is like this, only it is disguised through “you weren’t using that design anyway”, which is what feels like bullshit to me. If he is trying to be altruistic here, why not a site where you can post these “unused” designs that all of us can browse through and buy as needed?
That “Clever Andy” thing reminds me of those television commercials where they tell you to put your gold in an envelope and mail it off to some agency that promises to send you money for it. Yeah, right! Ideas like these never cease to amaze me. The sad part is that there are people out there who actually buy into such lunacy. Anyway, thanks for the link to my IE7 Hackz article, Chris — it is greatly appreciated! :)
I have to agree with the Clever Andy as BS comments. I always keep my designs in case something is needed later on down the road. And the fact that no mention of the person keeping copyright, or even mentioned as the original designer would make me hesitate. Okay, yeah, if it was “well we paid you for the design, we own it now” it would be fine, I’d want to know that up front, not after the fact.
Hello All,
I wanted to quickly address a few things here as I know there seems to be some confusion on what exactly happens.
We are huge supporters of NO!SPEC and do not want to be portrayed as a spec farm at all. If you submit a design and then find a client for it before we do, send us an email and we will drop it from our system. We don’t own your design until we pay for it. It’s your design after all.
Let’s say your design is accepted and we move it to production you will receive a 25% cut of the total sale amount when it gets handed off to the client. This means that you will receive on average $825 – $1000 for your design. We have a couple designs that have already been moved to production and are in client hands that will posted on the site in the next few days.
You can use the design you submitted in your portfolio, we will even link to your site when the project goes live. The wording in the footer will be along the lines of “Designed by [yourFirm] Developed by CleverAndy”
We really want to help you find someone to utilize that design and promote you. After all its your design you should get credit right?
We appreciate these comments as they help us see how we are perceived and where we need some clarity. If there is something stated above that you do not agree with please let us know, we are catering to you and care greatly about what you have to say.
-Lee
Ok so that wasn’t that “quickly” after all…
i like is.gd more as url shortening due to its small name it allowes u to type more ;)
Umpf – another shortening service. :)
I looks nice but I don’t see any big changes to existing services like:
SnipUrl.com
Yatuc.com
can you weigh in here chris, i’m just feeling like i need the opinion of someone with more experience in the field… cause from where i’m standing, unless these guys are straight up lying, this seems like a pretty good service???
cheers!
I would like to believe that the Clever Andy service is a good idea, but I agree with Jeff Starr, sounds like the designer would get screwed over.