1. Intro
We have been working on a new website. And we’ve been sharing our progress with friends and family. Everyone has been asking us questions and telling us how much they like the new website.
All of that makes sense, right?
But also, it dilutes the value of the website. And this is not a problem unique to HTML/CSS/JavaScript websites, but something that all websites face: slow load times.
And not just any slow load times, but too-slow load times!
What do you do when you need to create a beautiful site that is fast to load? You have two choices: 1) optimize your CSS/JS/HTML files to make them take more time, or 2) you let people know their pages are taking so long they can’t even use them!
I am sorry if you click through to our site and your browser takes longer than 30 seconds to load. But I am also sorry if it takes longer than 30 seconds for you to find out why it took so long!
2. Ingredients:
A gloss isn’t just a fancy name for a sticky substance. It is a way of describing what you’re talking about. You can use the word “glossy” to describe something that is shiny. But it doesn’t really help you describe what you mean by “glossy.” You have to be able to explain it in your own words so that other people understand what you mean.
On the other hand, the word “buxom” doesn’t help describe women at all, it tells people what kind of woman you think she is — but that is as far as it goes. The word “buxom” only tells people what kind of women are buxom, and it leaves people wondering if there are different kinds of buxoms (which there aren’t).
So we need a new word, and this time we need one that describes the two things: buxomness and glossiness — which are essentially the same thing (there are slight differences in the way people perceive them). And here’s where I get excited:
For years, we have been using a very descriptive term called “bubbles.” I think this could be an interesting twist on the whole “buzzword” trend that has been going on recently. I also like how “bubbles” has this very organic feel to it — which fits with how developers tend to talk nowadays!
I’m also thinking that we could call these things “Buxom Gloss” or something similar (no, not in-jokes — just serious thoughts).
If we did such an experiment, I would choose names like “Dirty Bubbles,” “Kinda Dirty Bubbles,” etc., or maybe even “Dirty Bubls.” In short: when designing things for design-minded people, use descriptive words like glossy and buxom; but when talking about products for people who wouldn’t normally associate with designer/innovator culture, use creative words like bubble and gloss instead.
3. Directions:
As I’ve written before, the buxom mudslide gloss is meant to be a visual aid for resourcefulness and improvisation (and showing off your own). I can’t think of a better way to present your ideas than with a gloss and a bucket of marshmallows.
Being able to see and think about your design choices in context is hugely valuable: it helps you see the big picture, and helps you focus on the details. It also keeps you from being starstruck by the brilliance of others: they will just be using their own buckets of marshmallows.
4. Conclusion
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about a tiny mudslide gloss, and I got some feedback that I should clarify something. The gloss is not meant to be used for painting or drawing — it is meant to be used for transparently highlighting the information you need on a slide that you can’t see from the front of the room (which would be ideal for when you are talking in front of an audience).
The gloss came up because people asked if it was okay to use on slides where the text would be too small for them to read. My answer: absolutely! As long as it is not too small that it obscures important information and is readable without squinting. It should work in either direction.