Reboots can be fun. And frightening. And liberating. This website was is dire need one of one. There were technical reasons, and there were personal ones. I'll start with the technical ones.
- It wasn't responsive. If a site can't be viewed efficiently on a mobile device or it redirects to a neutered "mobile" layout then the design is a failure. I was using a (handsome) Tumblr theme and wasn't in control of the experience.
- It didn't support high-resolution screens. High-res screens are not a fad. We all have a responsibility to make the web look better on them. Again, I wasn't in control of the experience and so adding support would have been tough.
- It was hosted. Hosting means you aren't the owner of your own content, point blank. There's not anything particularly wrong with that for most people, but it was time for me to make a change. Kind of. Read on.
I've been on Tumblr since early 2008. In that time I've watched Tumblr grow from a toy that my friends had never heard of into a tool used by millions. I've ridden the proverbial bell curve of the thing. I was so enthralled in 2008 that I wrote a native iPhone app so I could check my Dashboard and blog from anywhere. It was eventually acquired by Tumblr and transitioned into the official client. Years later my company made a second-generation client for Tumblr under contract. I got to know some of the most talented developers and designers that I've ever met there. My professional career is intertwined with Tumblr in a way that I've been unable to shake until recently. I haven't said much on the matter, but Mobelux ended its relationship with Tumblr some months ago. It was mutual and we all knew it was time.
This reboot serves as personal separation as well. This isn't a declaration or an abandonment; I still intend to check my Dashboard and post to my account and I'm leaving all existing content there. But it's not where I'm going to write. For me, Tumblr will return to simpler days. When I was posting photos and links for fun. My new site will be a place to post long-form about tech, life, work and whatever else hits me. That kind of post doesn't do well on Tumblr traditionally. I'm pretty enthusiastic about changing things up.
To sum up, Tumblr is where I'll post things I like. My new site is where I'll post what I'm thinking. Follow/subscribe accordingly.