Back in May, fresh from the Future of Web Design conference I tweeted:
The new Boston Globe website (live soon) designed by @beep is going to be *the* benchmark for all modern websites
I’d just seen Ethan Marcotte give a talk on Responsive Web Design and I was inspired. Like many others I’d read Ethan’s article almost a year before and had my eyes opened to what many now simply call “web design”. The “responsive” becoming redundant, such has its adoption risen to the point of it being accepted as standard practice.
Today The Boston Globe launched and I stand by my tweet.
It is a benchmark for modern websites. Yet initially I was left feeling unsatisfied. Like a much awaited summer blockbuster, did I raise my expectations too much? What was I expecting? To even suggest that probably makes me sound like a bit of a prick, but such is it a testament to Ethan’s torch carrying that — while waiting for The Boston Globe — we’ve seen our industry shift towards a new philosophy. With such an explosion over the last year there’s no real surprise that The Boston Globe hasn’t wowed me, I’ve been wowed almost every day as the bar gets raised higher and higher. Ethan Marcotte and his colleagues deserve every bit of praise for their work as do the magnitude of others who have led the way. Despite the many responsive websites that launched before, The Boston Globe will be remembered as the defining example, and deservedly so.
For as much as The Boston Globe’s design is significant to the web for all the right reasons, I personally feel its business practice — the paywall — is as significant for all the wrong reasons. It’s not for me to suggest that charging for content is somehow immoral, I just see the paywall practice as such an archaic way of thinking.
The older generation who grew up with these newspaper brands will oblige to pay, but the following waves of younger generations — with access to, and expectations of free content — not to mention being tainted by the likes of the Murdoch empire — are not even going to consider for one second what value lies behind a paywall. Google has proved that free is viable. Then there is the question of providing “news” itself. The Internet has revolutionised global communication. For all its quirks and novelties there is not one source that can break and spread a story faster than Twitter, et al.
Today, with a design, we have witnessed a defining moment in the web’s history. How curious, perhaps poignant, that it belongs to a relic of an age passed. Is that fair to say based on my own speculation? I should remind myself of what this “relic” has just embraced. Maybe there is hope? But if not, there’s plenty of room online, and we now know how to design it.
4 Comments
Stephen Greig
Why is this particular design receiving so much attention? Just because Ethan’s mentioned it?
For the record, I’ve read his articles, reading his book – I think he’s been revolutionary for our industry – but there are too many ‘followers’ and band-wagon jumpers.
There are countless responsive designs that deserve a similar level of recognition!
Too much hype!
David Bushell
@Stephen – what “band-wagon” are you talking about?
I can’t think of a higher profile website that has been designed with this thinking. For that alone it will receive the most attention. Also include the fact that its designers and developers have been some of the most progressive and active practitioners in our industry – does that not deserve recognition? I personally think there are better website designs out there but that doesn’t lessen the significance of this one.
Or maybe I am just jumping on a “band-wagon”?
Stephen Greig
It shows exemplary use of responsive techniques, but it kind of felt like the twitterverse had discovered something really new and exciting, whereas for me, it’s simply something that I would have expected of any large-scale re-design, especially involving someone who laid the foundations for the responsive movement!
Maybe band-wagon was the wrong term.
I just think there are too many getting overly excited over something that should be considered the standard.
James
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with the comment about being wowed daily and the number of people giving serious thought to RWD between the mention of Ethan working on and launching the Boston Globe site.
I was more curious about the site because I’d kind of hoped it would contain *every* nugget of goodness and act as a one stop reference point for everything responsive because of who’s built it.
In reality, I think it’s a solid build (of course), visually it doesn’t do that much for me because (and I can’t believe I’m saying it) I think it’s actually too minimal and stripped back and I feel that’s perhaps a result of being considered a mobile first build.
I had a look through the code, resized my browser window etc, it’s a great bit of work and I’m sure it’s what suits the needs and requests of the client but it’s not entirely my cup of tea and my biggest fear is that because of the team involved and big “celebrity” names behind it, it will be considered the final, unrivalled go-to website for everything responsive. It’s not.
What it is though is a well crafted, comprehensive site that’s been well thought out for this specific clients requirements (which almost certainly will be unique to them) and on that front I hope it works well.
It’s great to look through the code and technique but I think had it launched 6 months ago it might have been considered more cutting edge but the web has moved at such a pace some of the technique (thanks to Ethan) has already been around and seen on many sites already and it’s more the size of the client embracing it that’s impressive.
J.
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