The web is one of the fastest-changing mediums creatives can hope to work in. The styles come and go as quickly as you can imagine, and new development techniques are always emerging. These new techniques lead to other trends and patterns that turn up in countless web sites. On the whole, I am thrilled to see how the web industry is progressing. The past year was a good one for web design. We saw many of the web 2.0 fads fade, such as frivolous badges and an insatiable use of glossy designs; in their place, a refined style with a sense of purpose has emerged.
I can't help but reflect on how much things have changed since the original Web Designer's Idea Book, especially from a technology standpoint. With much wider acceptance of JavaScript-based tools than ever before, libraries like jQuery continue to shape the face of web sites. Flash, while still ever-present, has more and more found its place in the myriad of web development tools and is no longer the de facto standard for sites that demand to be amazing. And mobile platforms have become an unstoppable force that will drive change in the industry. The web is evolving, the same as it always has. If you're up for it, the web industry offers endless opportunities to grow and learn. And this is just what I and so many others are addicted to.
It is this addiction which drives me to obsess over trends and patterns and form them into this book. In fact, I am already thinking about what books three and four might contain. I believe I share this insatiable appetite for learning, growth and better understanding with many people in my field. There is a reason you can google almost any web development problem and quickly find an answer. We are a community of people passionate about what we do and fearless about sharing that knowledge. I sincerely hope that this book can be part of my contribution to the web community.
— Patrick McNeil
Note: If you would like to submit your designs for possible use in future books, please visit TheWebDesignersIdeaBook.com to sign up for our semi-annual mailing list. You will be informed of book releases, calls for entries and other information directly related to the books. Submitting sites is free, easy to do and is open to anyone. And if you think you are too small of a shop to submit your work, I encourage you to do so anyway. I pride myself on profiling many lesser-known sites. My books showcase what is happening on the web, not just the most expensive sites.