Yesterday I sat down with a new client to review their existing CMS. They were frustrated that the system didn't do things in a way that made sense to them. There were no instructions on how to make the text bold or bigger. Together we looked at the site and thought about how we could use it to make the desired changes. Within a few minutes (and with a few special "codes") we had made the necessary modifications to the pages. Making the changes to her site gave my client confidence. For months she had been trying to figure out how to use a system that was built for her, but not designed for her. It had been frustrating and now it was empowering. With her new-found confidence she began to ask about new features and options for her Web site.

Today is December 6th. If you're Canadian this date is probably significant to you. Seventeen years ago today fourteen women were killed at L'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. The single gunman seperated the women from the men, declared his hatred for feminists, and shot the women. We refer to the day as the Montreal Massacre and recognise today as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

As far as desktop computers go my setup is what we'd refer to in the biz as "a little unusual." I don't use Windows and I don't use a Mac. I use an operating system called "Linux" (I pronounce it "li" like "lick" and "nux" like "ca-NUCKS.") Most of the time it suits me just fine. But every now and then I get a phone call from someone because a Web site doesn't look quite right on their computer.