It appears that we have the year’s first mega viral hit. “Pants on the Ground,” an original medley performed during American Idol auditions by Larry Platt, is seemingly everywhere this the past week, from Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show to the Minnesota Vikings locker room.

The phenomenon has also joined the rarefied air of one million fans on Facebook, where Platt’s activities are being documented (he’s already been on The View), and users are uploading their own “pants”-inspired creations to the fan-created Page.

Like any huge viral sensation, “pants” is also getting the remix treatment on YouTube, with some spinoffs of the original receiving hundreds of thousands of views. Popeater put together a list of some of the best.

American Idol has to be counting its blessings that it’s found the year’s first hit in the show’s first week. With Paula gone and Simon on the way out, the show is going to be more dependent than ever on viral moments to drive interest — manufactured as they may be.

In case you’re still out of the loop, here’s the original:

Tags: american idol, larry platt, pants on the ground, tv, video

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Paula’s gone and Simon has one foot out the door, but nine seasons in, American Idol can still be counted on to deliver viral video gold. The latest William Hung heir apparent is 62-year-old Larry Platt, who auditioned in my hometown, Atlanta, Georgia.

Platt, clearly too old for the show (but entertaining nonetheless) auditioned with his own song, “Pants on the Ground.” Check out the Fox-provided video below:

The video is quickly becoming viral, with this YouTube copy garnering more than 151,000 views in just over 12 hours. As for Larry, BuzzFeed might be impressed, but he’s just one in a million singing guys straight out of Five Points to me. Catchy or not, “Pants on the Ground” is no “MARTA Bus.”

What do you think? Are you watching Idol this year? Let us know!

Tags: american idol, tv

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If you’re seeking a job in social media, we’d like to help out. For starters, Mashable’s Job Lists section gathers together all our resource lists, how-tos and expert guides to help you get hired. In particular, you might want to see our articles on How to Leverage Social Media for Career Success and How to Find a Job on Twitter.

But we’d like to help in a more direct way, too. Mashable’s job boards are a place for socially-savvy companies to find people like you. This week and every week, Mashable features its coveted job board listings for a variety of positions in the web, social media space, and beyond. Have a look at what’s good and new on our job boards:

Mashable Job Board Listings

You’ll be responsible for New Media Content and Communication and contributing to and supporting Shedd’s online communication initiatives, with a 40% focus on Great Lakes conservation awareness and 60% on marketing.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The successful candidate in this role manages the execution of Internet-related projects from concept through development and delivery.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Web Content Administrator is responsible for directing the development of websites to support business areas, including making changes and enhancements using CareFirst’s content management system or other web development tools.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The User Experience Architect will lead the conceptualization, planning and information architecture for retail ecommerce applications and design prototypes for usability testing.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Interactive Designer works closely with Creative, Product development, and IT to establish a branded interactive experience through the use of relevant program language.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Account Planner embraces clients and consumers as partners in the process of developing marketing communications, using their input to inform and inspire creative ideas, and guide and validate the resulting integrated marketing campaigns.

Read more about this opportunity here.

You will be the Big Kahuna of our online customer acquisition efforts (email, website, print, newsletters, SEO/SEM, social media, affiliate sales, and events to maximize online revenue), as well as manage initiatives that deepen relationships with existing customers.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Recessionwire, a website featuring news, advice, perspective and humor about the recession and recovery, is seeking a marketing/social media intern to help increase brand awareness, drive traffic, expand a loyal user base — and maintain the buzzy profile that Recessionwire has enjoyed in the media, the blogosphere, and with our readers.

Read more about this opportunity here.

A Boulder, CO based experiential marketing agency is bolstering its digital capabilities and is seeking field experts to help lead the evolution of the agency into a stronger, more digitized culture

Read more about this opportunity here.

Homeboodle.com (.NET shop) is looking for a talented and energetic front-end developer to lead the interface side of development for a new and innovative housing-related web based application.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Root Orange is seeking someone to provide support with our in-house online marketing initiatives as well as to contribute creative thinking on how to virally spread the word.

Read more about this opportunity here.

360i is looking for a Group Account Director who will be responsible for representing the agency on multiple pieces of business while consistently championing 360’s digital offerings (SEM,SEO, Emerging Media, Customer Insights, Design & Development and more) among senior level clients, both existing and new.

Read more about this opportunity here.

EdgeCore is looking for a talented, motivated, and experienced individual in the production of printed materials for a National, Fortune 100 company.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The position offers complete account responsibility from first contact to end negotiations, and account management.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The ideal candidate will possess a background in business and be an innovative leader with functional knowledge and experience in Human Resources.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Ideal candidate is extremely hard working, extraordinarily talented, entrepreneurial, THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX, has great problem solving skills excellent intuition for user interface, and is extremely passionate about open source applications, web 2.0, mobile applications, social networking and social commerce.

Read more about this opportunity here.

You will be responsible for writing public-facing blog posts, commenting on articles and videos in the community, and Facebook/Twitter updates, all with correct grammar and tone.

Read more about this opportunity here.

In this position, you will play a pioneering role in the convergence of content and social media.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The ideal candidate will coordinate and execute interactive media plans, lead generation and special projects in accordance with the client’s objectives and budget parameters.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The National Sales Manager is responsible to lead CUnet’s efforts to sell our suite of interactive media products and services to higher education clients.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Senior Developers lead project development at Odopod. They are responsible for planning and implementing the code that drives our projects and collaborating with other developers and vendors to execute on larger projects.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Developers support Senior Developers on project development. They are able to independently research and complete development tasks assigned to them.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Odopod is organized into multidisciplinary teams of 5-8 designers and engineers. Each team is led by an Associate Creative Director and a Senior Producer. Your job is to lead your team to create great work.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Online Marketing Manager position will be dedicated to title specific online marketing, servicing the imprints of Simon & Schuster.

Read more about this opportunity here.

You’ll provide support for developing e-marketing and fundraising program which seeks to build a base of annual supporters and service users for the Animal Humane Society (AHS) by using web-based technology.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Marketing Campaigns Manager will support and execute on demand generation programs and broader marketing and sales needs. This is an opportunity for an organized, action based, technically sophisticated marketer to play a key role in our Marketing team

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Graphic Designer must be an Adobe rockstar who can easily create and convert designs into stunning web design, collateral materials, brand IDs, presentations, and more.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Webmaster implements web pages, answers emails from users, facilitates contests and promotions, maintains content and oversees day-to-day management of Greenopolis.com and its affiliated sites.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Brand manager will plan, develop, and direct the marketing efforts for the Greenopolis brand across its various embodiments as a web destination, rewards program and real-world recycling application.

Read more about this opportunity here.

A marketing internship at Star Fleet gives individuals the opportunity to learn more about the entertainment yacht and marketing industries while also becoming an important component of our business.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Associate Communications Director will increase Corporate Accountability International’s presence in the media, campaign visibility and name recognition by managing and expanding our press program, with a particular emphasis on deepening relationships with key media.

Read more about this opportunity here.

This position supports the organization’s online marketing efforts, managing the production flow for 5 web sites and email marketing efforts for 4 different fundraising platforms.

Read more about this opportunity here.

You would be reponsible for managing paid search marketing (pay-per-click) accounts such as Google Adwords, Yahoo Search Marketing, and MSN Ad Center among other things.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are looking for an experienced communicator to write and edit Insider, the Environmental Defense Fund staff-only intranet.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We’re looking for a Social Media and Community Outreach Manager to manage independent contractors on a variety of projects and campaigns.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The main function of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Web Producer is to curate, aggregate, and create high quality content that is organized and accessible through our websites and social media services.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We’re looking for smart people to help build Metromix into a thriving business with a strong national brand – and have fun doing it.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Freelance PHP Developer will participate in development efforts on projects for external clients. He or she will work with the account team, interaction designers, and graphic designers to design and build interactive solutions for clients.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Senior Account Executive will support the client’s overall online marketing, PR, social media and promotional initiatives through expert ideation and project management.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Join the team that plans and executes a comprehensive social media campaign to support this worthy charity event.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The interested candidate will assist the Web team in the evaluation, editing and organization of UNDP’s network of sites

Read more about this opportunity here.

To support our growing business, Network for Good is seeking an energetic and hard-working API Engineer to coordinate the development of new partner sites, ensure that partners can easily connect and utilize Network for Good’s API, and implement a strategy for working with outside technical partners.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The ideal candidate will have at least 1-2 years of experience as a web developer.
Major Responsibilities:

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are a small, open-minded, and dedicated team looking for a few good people to work independently at the workplace of their choice – be it a beach in Goa, a cafe in Paris or your bedroom in San Francisco.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We’re looking for an energetic, passionate web developer who deeply loves the Church and online social networking.

Read more about this opportunity here.

To support the recent growth of these websites and their visitors’ demand for high quality articles, we are looking to add experienced and highly motivated freelance writers to our team.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Social Media Strategist/Community Mobilizer will invigorate Changemakers’ communications strategy for accelerating social change by signaling action opportunities within our community.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Social Media Manager acts as the primary relationship builder with our communities of fans on sites like Facebook, YouTube and MySpace.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Online Marketing and Editorial Specialist reports directly to the Marketing Director and is responsible for ongoing communication of the Human Rights Campaign’s online properties and building online brand awareness.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Information Systems Specialist is responsible for design, construction and maintenance of custom database solutions for outside client base relevant to the research and service mission of the Center for Arts Management and Technology (CAMT) at Carnegie Mellon University.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Based in IAVA’s New York City headquarters, the Deputy Communications Director will work closely with the Communications Director and the Communications Associates on all communications efforts for the organization.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are seeking a Vice President of Information Technology who is a highly technical individual, experienced in designing and managing infrastructures that provide a variety of web applications and e-mail services to millions of individual users, daily.

Read more about this opportunity here.

WWF-Canada seeks a dynamic, bilingual, well-rounded Communications Specialist with writing and strategic communications experience ideally honed in politics, advocacy or conservation.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Web Developer designs, develops, and/or tests Web applications. She/He performs maintenance and modification or enhancements for the organization’s existing systems and applications.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Citizens Utility Board, an Illinois-based, non-profit consumer advocacy organization, is seeking a Social Media Outreach Specialist to promote its new energy management web tool (CUBEnergySaver.com) and to help manage its social media presence.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are seeking a Marketing Consultant to promote the effectiveness of our innovative solutions for employment branding, candidate engagement and client return.

Read more about this opportunity here.

You are a digitally saavy individual who is passionate about organization, efficiency and workflow. You are ridiculously detail oriented.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are seeking a world-class senior executive to serve as the company’s full-time leader on all things talent.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Social Media Specialist will work closely with different study teams to develop online strategies to maximize recruitment efforts as well as maintain an online presence.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Chicago Public Radio, (WBEZ 91.5 FM) is seeking to hire a full time Web Developer.

Read more about this opportunity here.

This position works closely with clients, as well as the agency’s account, strategy, creative, design, and tech groups to develop and manage the planning and execution of multiple interactive projects at one time.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are looking for an innovative IT security blogger, preferably with an already established network.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The ideal candidate is a talented and results-driven marketing professional who will develop and drive all social media, communications, and messaging strategies.

Read more about this opportunity here.

As the Vice President of Marketing, you will have the opportunity to create and drive the strategic marketing and new media plan for this early stage, high-growth healthcare software company.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We’re seeking an Experienced Social Media Outreach Expert to help us on a digital WOM campaign starting soon for a major retailer.

Read more about this opportunity here.

The Director of Online Media will be responsible for generating new customers and traffic to Corbis’ web properties with a heavy focus on performance and ROI.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Corbis is seeking a social media expert hooked deeply into the digital ecosystem of blogging, social networks and online communities.

Read more about this opportunity here.

We are seeking a Director of Premium Products and Services that will work closely with the Executive Team to define the overall strategy on Premium Products and Services of Synacor.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Beeby Clark+Meyler, a fast growing leader in integrated marketing and advertising solutions, seeks an experienced Marketing Consultant to help manage an expanding client base and contribute toward the development of our business.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Microsoft is seeking a knowledgeable, charismatic, and motivated student to become a Student Insider and blog about Microsoft’s new software.

Read more about this opportunity here.

Mashable has a variety of web 2.0, application development, business development, and social networking job opportunities available. Check them out at Mashable’s Job Board.

Got a job posting to share with our readers? Post a job to Mashable today ($80 for a 30 day listing) and get it highlighted every week on Mashable.com (in addition to exposure all day every day in the Mashable marketplace).

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Electronic versions of Stephen Covey’s best-selling books, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Principle-Centered Leadership" are available in the Kindle Store for $7.99. The e-books are being published through RosettaBooks.

Previously the print editions of the books were published through Simon & Schuster. The new deal with Amazon will give Covey more than half of the net proceeds from sales of the e-books.

Covey also has plans to release an upcoming book "Great Work, Great Career" exclusively in the Kindle Store.

"This is the first time these books have been available in a digital format, and I’m happy to be able to offer them exclusively on Kindle," said Covey.

"With so many readers using Kindle, this is a very effective way to reach people who want to easily download the books and begin reading them instantly."

Amazon said the books could be downloaded on Kindle, Kindle DX, Kindle for iPhone and Kindle for PC.

Covey is the 13th best selling author of all time on Amazon.
 

Related Articles:

> Amazon Working on Accessibility Features for Kindle

> Amazon’s Kindle Breaks Sales Record in November

> Amazon Rolls Out Kindle For PC

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In our second Christmas special post, after the 10 Fresh & Original Gifts for Designers, we try to make a roundup of cool iPhone apps you can offer as a digital gift to your design oriented buddies, kids, bosses or – even more exciting – to yourself :-] Enjoy and share other apps in the comments.

CRAZO™ Christmas | ustwo™ | Free | Download

Simon’s Cat  in ‘Purrfect Picth’ | Simons Cat Ltd | £1.19 | Download

Space Invaders Infinity Gene | TAITO Corporation | £2.99 | Download

MouthOff™ | ustwo™ | £0.59 | Download

Auditorium | ElectronicArts BV | £1.79 | Download

Drop7 | Area/Code | £1.79 | Download

BlocLock | Poppy | £0.59 | Download

Traffic Rush | Donut Games | Free | Download

Monospace | Nonverbal | £1.19 | Download

Labyrinth 2 | Illusion Labs | £2.99 | Download

Ho Ho Ho! That’s it! Please leave some comments about your favorites and share other cool apps for design enthusiasts!

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Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on Credit Crunchmas – 12 Cheap’N’Cheerful Designer iPhone Games

Have you ever stopped to think about where we are in the universe? I mean, among all the planets and stars we are like a tiny little grain of sand, don’t you think? That is what The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is all about, and to celebrate this event a great artist called Simon Page created five beautiful posters inspired by the 60′s and 70′s. Now the best part, we’re giving away two of these beautiful posters, yeah I said 2.

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Simon is a designer from UK who loves typography and illustration. From his posters we can see how he mixes them together with a very good selection of colors to create very striking designs. All of them with, of course, that retro look and feel. I’m waiting for my poster as well and looking forward to seeing hanging on my wall.

“I initially designed these as self-promotional works but word gets around and last week I received an email from the IYA 09 that they thought the posters were great and would like to use them for their promotional work – this was awesome and I of course said yes.” Simon Page

About the IYA2009

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global effort initiated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and UNESCO to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky, and thereby engage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. Oficial Site

Paper Quality

The prints are on museum-quality paper that meet strict industry standards. The paper is internally buffered to resist fading and acid-free to eliminate any degradation. The inks have a very high pigment density, which allows for the sharpest possible image, perfect reflection of light and the widest range of printable colour. The pigment also resists water, light, and gas for superior archiving properties.

THE GIVEAWAY

We’re givingaway 2 poster for our readers! Just drop us a comment telling what poster do you like the most. Next week will be publishing the winners! Good luck guys!

But if you don’t want to wait to know if you will be one of the winners, please check his site out and buy yours right now! All of them are available to buy!

All Posters

About the author

I’m from Brazil, co-founder of Zee with Fabio. Nowadays I like to play with Fireworks, Photoshop and improve my skills in CSS. If you wanna request some posts, please feel free to contact me or follow on Twitter.

Sponsored Links:

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The news of the past 24 hours is ChromeOS. For the first time in years, someone’s re-thinking how an OS should work. With Chrome, you turn on your computer and you’re in the browser. What’s really interesting is to contrast it to the introduction of the iPhone, where Apple’s apps used native APIs while they expected developers to write web apps running in the browser with limited abilities. Here, Google’s apps are using the same web platform…it’s a level playing field.

Javascript combined with JSONP makes it real easy to write quick and dirty apps, real quick. An example of a quick app is Tweetersation Simon wrote with Natalie Downe. Simple app, 200 lines, written in an afternoon. At a larger system level, there’s Google Moderator, which is essentially a pure-Javascript solution with a no-op n the noscript tag.

These pure Javascript apps are great for experimenting and prototyping. The problem with these patterns is you’re completely breaking web standards. The web Simon “felll in love with” is one where you point to a URL and you get content coming back.

With server-side Javascript, we can get the benefits of the things we like about Javascript, but without throwing away with the things we like about the web. Simon has been playing with node.js, and evidently the results were important enough to throw out the old talk and make this new one.

Take a step back and look at the interaction patterns with a web server. The conventional model is straightforward request-response, where the server tries to respond and disconnect as quickly as possible. But … there’s also the event loop model. As in Comet; it’s generally considered to be more efficient, so why do web developers avoid it? Simon says traditional server-side languages aren’t designed to deal with event-driven programming. It’s more like “do A, do B, do C, exit”. Javascript, on the other hand, is well suited to do callback-driven event programming.

Brave Simon now proceeds to live code wit

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Introduction

MyInkBlog’s Flickr Group has grown to 400 awesome members! At this point, every 100 new members will result in a Flickr group showcase; this is the sixth such showcase. If you missed the prior ones, be sure to check out I, II, III, IV and V.

Some Quick Stats

I love the inspiring work that comes from this group. Here is a quick look at the group statistics; with a shout out to the top five contributors.

• Group Members – 400 Artists
• Total Art – 1776 Inspiring Artworks
• Top Five Contributors – Créations du Net (126), Simon’s Flickr junkyard (113), RUGRLN (93), Astro Marus (71), Ivan Kasaj (57)

MIB Around the Interwebs

I also like to use these Flickr showcases as a shameless plug for some other places on the web where you can find me. Be sure to check out MyInkBlog on Twitter and more recently onFacebook

The Showcase Already!

Ok, enough stats and intro… onwards to the showcase! The artwork is awesomely inspiring once again. If you would like to be a part of the next one, please consider joining the group. Enjoy!

Explosive Typography by Angie Bowen

Future by estheticcore

Design Is Vintage by sthursby

Hidden – Have A Nice Day by Nuok (Dario)

Digital Abstract: Sailing by Tanaka13 – Créations du Net

Las Raices del Rock by mrhash

Legend by DTH/CLR

Lost in Space by fudgegraphics

Memories by colaja

The Fiery Dove by jadgraphics

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In this talk at The Future of Web Apps London, Simon gave clever insight into where cloud hosting and computing is headed, and what it means for your web app. He also talks about ‘Private Clouds’ and interoperability between cloud computing solutions.

Based on Twitter feedback, it was one of the most entertaining and interesting talks of the day, so we think you’ll enjoy it

You’ll learn …

1. What ‘Private Clouds’ are and how they’ll affect your web app
2. How standards in cloud computing will change the way your app is setup
3. Future developments in Cloud hosting and computing that you should be aware of

Editor’s Note: You won’t want to miss Twitter, Mozilla, Mint.com, Reddit, Alex Payne, Fred Wilson, Gary Vaynerchuk, John Resig, Molly Holzschlag, Steve Huffman and Tara Hunt at The Future of Web Apps Miami.

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Steve says it best, and it started as his baby, so I will let him announce it:

What’s needed is an industry standard for archiving HTTP information. The first step in establishing that industry standard took place today with the announcement of HttpWatch and Firebug joint support of the HTTP Archive format.

HttpWatch has long supported exporting HTTP information. That’s one of the many reasons why it’s the packet sniffer I use almost exclusively. Earlier this year, as part of the Firebug Working Group, I heard that Firebug wanted to add an export capability for Net Panel. I suggested that, rather than create yet another proprietary format, Firebug team up with HttpWatch to develop a common format, and drive that forward as a proposal for an industry standard. I introduced Simon Perkins (HttpWatch) and Jan “Honza” Odvarko (main Net Panel developer), then stepped back as they worked together to produce today’s announcement.

The HTTP Archive format (HAR for short – that was my contribution is in JSON format. You can see it in action in HttpWatch 6.2, released today. HAR has been available in Firebug for a month or so. You need Firebug 1.5 alpha v26 or later and Honza’s NetExport add-on (v0.7b5 or later).

Here’s what the end-to-end workflow looks like. After installing NetExport, the “Export” button is added to Firebug Net Panel. Selecting this, I can save the HTTP information for my Google flowers search to a file called “google-flowers.har”.

After saving the file, it’s automatically displayed in Honza’s HTTP Archive Viewer web page:

I can then open the file in HttpWatch:

I’m incredibly excited to see this milestone reached, thanks to the work of Honza and Simon. I encourage other vendors and projects to add support for HAR files. The benefits aren’t limited to performance analysis. Having a format for sharing HTTP data across tools and browsers is powerful for debugging and testing, as well. One more block added to the web performance foundation. Thank you HttpWatch and Firebug!

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Speaking of writing, this post is all about that. Let’s start with a question I’m asked occasionally by those of you considering authoring something of your own: Should I sell my book as a PDF or publish it in print (either via Lulu or a publisher)?

First of all, if you’re considering self-publishing, I’ve already written about the ups and downs of that. To answer your question specifically, I feel comfortable sharing sales numbers from my self-published Mobile Web Design. I’ve never been one to shy away from lending a hand to the community, even if it puts my own business data at (minor) risk.

Mobile Web Design was self-published two years ago, available as PDF e-book or printed book through Lulu and also available on Amazon (a service provided by Lulu). To date, the sales numbers are as follows:

• 3,060 copies sold as PDF
• 2,757 copies sold in print

Those aren’t huge numbers, but keep in mind this is a self-published book, and there are no free downloads — every one of those copies have been paid for. I’m thrilled with the fact that nearly 6,000 copies have been sold.

So, if you’re wondering what the ratio of e-book to printed book is, for me it’s about 1:1. This may vary for your book. Hopefully this helps answer the question.

Okay, on to point #2, but still on topic of Mobile Web Design. Will there be a second edition?

I hope so. It all depends on, not surprisingly, whether or not I can make the time for it. Bear in mind the book was published two years ago — and only one month after iPhone came out — so the text is a bit dated at this point. The mobile landscape has changed dramatically since then. Fortunately, I wrote it to withstand the ebb and flow of technology by focusing more on concepts than devices and other technical details, but nonetheless it could use an update.

If I do make the time, the text will advocate a much more forward-looking approach. The first edition was authored with the general recommendation of catering to all web-enabled mobile devices on the market. But as we all know, if you try to be something for everyone, no one is served. So, if there is to be a second edition, it will be about catering exclusively to those devices and browsers that do mobile web stuff well: iPhone, Palm Pre, Android, Webkit, Opera Mobile, and so forth.

This was the recommendation I made when speaking at Web Design World in Seattle over the summer. If you’ve got a what might be considered a “forward-looking” device and/or browser, you can view and examine the demo site I threw together at this address: tr.im/roma. Good luck with that if you’re on a Blackberry or Windows Mobile device.

This demo site reflects how my approach has changed in the last two years. I won’t bother taking the time now to talk about what to do about less-advanced devices. We’ll have to save that for the second edition. (Note: Only the home page and Explore / Popular Destination pages work.)

Okay, point #3. The mobile demo site grew out of another demo site I created earlier, this one for the second edition of CSS Mastery, which, as of yesterday, is available for purchase. This is being released with less fanfare than Andy Budd, Simon Collison, or myself would prefer, but I believe it’s because we’ve all been swamped lately. But no worries, we’ll be trumpeting some stuff soon.

My role in this second edition was largely the same as the first: a case study site and chapter describing my techniques. There’s some pretty nifty CSS stuff at play in my demo site — multiple backgrounds, multi-column text, @font-face, and the like. Lots of jQuery interaction stuff, too. Simon’s case study site demos much of the same, and Andy has updated the text throughout the book.

The Roma Italia site is based on a vacation Suzanne and I enjoyed in Rome, with all photos and video for the site from that vacation. Sorry, this site isn’t available for viewing just yet. For that, I encourage you to pick up a copy of the book. (Note: The mobile site is not included in the book.)

Wow, that wasn’t so bad. Probably a few typos and poorly written sentences here and there, but hey. Hope it was worth reading.

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Emilie Simon is a French writer, compositor, singer of electro pop music.
Her website was created by La Jungle, in collaboration with the artist Supakitch

The composition of the website, made by Supakitch, are really funny, and we can enjoy this world of colors and funky illustrations. It’s quite interesting to have the layout in a half circle like that, and the main menu flying around.

The music should be a choice, cause here, it just hurt a lil bit my ears at begining, and the background illustration don’t really serve the content, because, it’s a lil bit hided imho. I enjoy the background animation of the octopussy, but some curve, to smooth it a lil bit would be a plus !
The opening, and closing of the sections are very interesting but maybe a lil bit hard, more details would be very interesting !

I hope that u’ll enjoy this website ! check this out : Emilie Simon

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Freelance Contracts: Do’s And Don’ts (via @smashingmag) -

In the world of freelancing, the entrepreneur has to take on a number of tasks for themselves that would normally be handled by a separate department at a bigger company. Most of these tasks are not part of the creative processes that freelance workers are used to, but rather are more tedious, left-brain paperwork. Right-brain creatives often shudder at the thought of these forays into linear domains. Such detail-ridden tasks would strain any freelancer who wears multiple hats, but they must be completed.

One such task is contracts. Drafting a contract that covers you, and doesn’t just enumerate information, is more than important: it is a must. Freelancers do not have the benefit of a legal department dedicated to protecting their interests with a watertight contract. Nevertheless, a freelancer’s contract must be comprehensive, concise and clear. It should outline the scope of the job, scheduling demands, the expectations of both parties and more.

In this post, we’ll help you identify the information that should be included in your contract and make sure you have a concrete agreement that leaves little chance of things getting out of hand… as can sometimes happen to those of us in the freelancing crowd.

These do’s and don’ts will hopefully remove a lot of the headache and guesswork that comes with drafting a contract. By understanding the rationale behind various contractual elements, you will be able to better customize your contracts to fit the specific job you have been hired for.

The Basics

Include the basic information, obviously. The “who” and the “what” of the project. Who is contracting you to do what kind of work? This is standard stuff included in every contract that defines the job as a whole. While this information is probably well known by both parties, put it in the contract anyway so that everyone is on the same page about their roles and responsibilities. Because it is such basic information, freelancers often overlook how important this section is for establishing the framework of the project.

Do’s and Don’ts

K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Simon (your name may not be Simon, but it is nicer than the traditional “S” in the phrase.) Do be sure to clarify your role in the project from start to finish and exactly what it entails, so that the client doesn’t try to put a hat on your head that you do not want to wear (for example, trying to make you switch from designing to providing tech support once the project has launched).

You know who you are and what your strengths are; don’t leave room for the client to change your role in the project for their convenience. Be specific about what roles you are and are not willing to play.

Time Frame

This simply establishes the time that the project will take and the duration that the contract covers. Sometimes a freelancer has to leave time open after a project’s completion to help integrate the product into the client’s existing media stream. But not always. Determining that time frame at the beginning and formalizing it in the terms and conditions of the contract will ensure you are not taken advantage of.

Do’s and Don’ts

Many people do not like deadlines, and some freelancers are no different. Whether you love or hate them, including deadlines in your contracts is important. Don’t overlook this detail simply because of the pressure it may bring. Give yourself enough time to properly complete your tasks, while keeping the client’s timetable in mind.

Being vague about how much time the contract covers will give your client room to find things for you to improve after the project has launched. Also, do be sure to include time frames on when the client needs to respond to your submissions with their questions and concerns, so that you are not endlessly strung along waiting to hear back on how to proceed.

Delivery Details

Putting this in the contract further clarifies expectations at the outset. The client knows up front what the final product will be and how you will be delivering it to them. This frees you from having to guess later on things like what file types they can access, and it gives the client peace of mind knowing that you are both on the same page.

It also gives you an indication of the depth of the client’s knowledge in this area of work and how well they will be able to work with the product once you hand it over. And being able to anticipate the client’s need for assistance in accessing and integrating your product will help you formulate other parts of the contract.

Do’s and Don’ts

Once again, keep it simple. Once you’ve assessed the client’s needs, don’t send them more files or file types than are needed to satisfy the project’s requirements. Don’t try to impress them with a ZIP file full of extras that show how professional you are. This will overwhelm clients who are not design-savvy and encourages needless pestering. Keeping it simple will move your client happily along their way, not only giving you peace of mind from a job well done but freeing you from future distractions as you move on to your next client.

The Financials

For most design work, billing by the job, rather than by the hour, is easier for everyone. You may have already come to an agreement on financial matters, but include them in the contract anyway for good measure. Just because you have an understanding about payment, the client could always conveniently “forget” the amount or change the terms.

Do’s and Don’ts

Agree on an initial deposit (whatever seems fair) before doing any work, to protect both parties if either wants to back out. Make sure the client understands that this deposit protects them as well by committing you to the project and keeping you from being sidetracked by other clients. Also include a Cancellation Clause in the financial section of the contract. This isn’t Santa’s less famous brother; it actually protects you, the freelancer, in case your client backs out by stating the financial obligations of both parties should the project terminate before completion.

Revisions And Alterations

You can also protect yourself by including a clause that states how many alterations and revisions to the product are covered by the fee. You can set the pricing for changes requested by the client that go beyond the number specified in the contract, thus preventing the client from abusing their privilege.

Be clear that this is not a commentary on either party; by including this, you are not implying that the client will be hard to please or that you will need multiple attempts to get it right. It simply recognizes that we sometimes need time to fully process something before making a decision and that we should have the freedom to change our minds about whether an idea works or not once we actually see it in action.

Do’s and Don’ts

Remember that professionalism should win out at all times, so don’t let this part of the contract be any different. Yes, it can be aggravating how some clients come back to you over and over with requests as a result of every whim that moves them, but do be reasonable. Don’t punish all of your clients because of one that burned you in the past. And don’t let pride keep you from accommodating a modest amount of revision by the client, even if they don’t suit your taste. After all, the design may be yours, but they are paying you to create it for them.

The Fine Print And Bottom Line

In the end, make sure the contract is professional and clear throughout, and be as detailed as possible in defining the roles of both parties in the project.

Further Resources

Here are some further articles and related resources:

• Terms and Conditions for Design Contracts
  An extremely helpful post by Shel Perkins that seeks to inform designers about the terminology and general conditions of contracts.
• Web Design Contracts – The How and Why’s of Contracts
  This is another post full of great information that talks about the reasons why designers need to use contracts.
• What goes into a good web design contract?
  It is a question that every designer should ask themselves at one time or another, and this fabulously informative post from Idea15 answers that question.
• Using freelance graphic design contracts
  An article by David Airey dealing with the whys and hows of using freelance design contracts.
• Business of Design Online Forms
  The Business of Design Online offers a number of useful forms free for download and use.
• Freelance Contracts
  A great contract template which makes it easy for freelancers to fill in their own information.
• Logo Design Contract of Agreement
  This is an actual contract drawn up by Logo Designer, Joni Solis, and is a good example to look at when you start drawing up a contract of your own.
• Work for Hire Agreement
  A form necessary to ensure copyright transfer and protect your creative firm when you outsource work to other freelancers. Guaranteeing that you will retain all rights to the work.
• Freelance Design Contracts & Templates
  A fantastic resource full of free downloadable design contracts and alterable templates for easy customization.
• AIGA Standard Form of Agreement for Design Services
  This agreement allows you to create customized terms and conditions for different types of design engagements.

About the Author

Rob Bowen is a talented author and graphic designer, celebrated podcaster and poet, who is now the co-editor and imaginative co-contributor of Fuel Your Creativity. With a background in most areas of the arts, Rob works from a creative wellspring that shows no sign of running dry.

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© Robert Bowen for Smashing Magazine, 2009. |
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So please go over to http://simon-north.com, subscribe to the RSS feed, read the posts or whatever you like, the more people that visit the blog, the more I will have an incentive to write. It’s also the place where I will be showing off my work, themes etc. so that I can finally make Help Developer the designer resource blog its supposed to be.

http://www.simon-north.com, Thanks

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