I really like how Laurel discusses how a website should complement your work. I think that’s something I need to be reminded of, because when I’ve attempted portfolio websites in the past, I focused more on being perfectly clear about showing my images. And it was just absolutely boring!! It did nothing!! So yeah, I think that’s a really good mindset. The website is another work of yours, yes, its purpose is to showcase your other pieces (much like a sturdy shelf) but it is still a piece! I loved all the metaphors as well, they felt very inspiring and I thought her language to describe them was lovely. A website as a shelf stuck out to me most. Something about how lighthearted and intimate a shelf can be really struck me. I was also drawn to website as a puddle, as when it comes to social media platforms, that’s how my posting goes. I’ll be radio-silent for months or weeks on end, then post in a quick barrage because I was hit by inspiration.
I love love love her rant lmao!! It was so succinct yet powerful, I hadn’t realized that technology was such a broad term, I fell into the same trap of attributing wires and buttons as the only tech that mattered! I can almost connect the lo-tech versus hi-tech to like template websites, maybe? I’m not 100% sure but, to me, a template website feels very “lo-tech” because you’re just using a template. However, I also think that being able to make a template work for you is very impressive! Whereas, of course I view coding your own website as very hi-tech. So I don’t know, it feels very similar to Le Guin’s point on all tech being tech, at the end of the day. I don’t know how to make template sites look good and I don’t know how to code a website, so really, both are very hi-tech to me!