One section of Justin's extensive site is devoted to the hows and whys of personal web pages. He suggests, for instance, posting something every day. In addition to his practical suggestions is a sort of credo. It was posted at least by 1997, and since then, though the number of personal pages continues to increase, it would seem that it describes a different, long ago, era. Still, it rings true for any web site that seeks not only to make information available, but to allow the subjective to interact with that information.

Why put details about your personal life online?

What would you rather read? A pamphlet? Or a heartfelt tale, or personal perspective? The web will reflect humanity if we put our lives online.

Putting our lives online does not mean leading our lives online, it is about utilizing unprecedented sharing. We interact in the real world, and we use cyberspace to collaborate and share and conjure new possibilities.

Do we want to see ourselves, joys and sorrows, reflected in cyberspace, or do we want an easier mall? Not that both won't exist, but when you sit down to craft your page, take into account which you'd rather see.

Go to: What do they do with links?, or
Go to: Prove you're not making all this up