Our advanced systems detected you're trying to access porcupine colors by an old and deprecated browser like Internet Explorer 7 or even 6! This website uses some technologies which can't be detected from such an outdated software.
Obviously, all articles/pieces of text, images and coding (including markup and CSS) you will find in this website belongs to us, unless otherwise indicated.
Articles and text
You are free to share and/or reproduce them as long as, you mention the source with a hyperlink. They should be not edited in any way though.
You may exploit our articles/texts them in order to make money, become known or whatever. This is not only illegal, it also unethical to pretend you wrote something which is actually stolen.
It took us a long time and a lot of effort to write what you see on this website. Therefore we will defend our intellectual property with all our might.
Design, layout, code
When it comes to design issues, you may not copy it regarding graphics, layout or code.
In the past we saw our work being stolen in many different ways. This is something that feels like an honour for a minute. But it doesn't last, because it is unfair. Therefore, if you intend to steal any design element of this website, please think again.
If we detect such a sad case we will do one simple thing: we will upload everywhere we can our work side by side with "yours". Imagine.We did it before, so it is easier to do it again. Of course we will do everything else we can to preserve our intellectual property.
Geekery
This website has been developed with HTML5 and CSS 2.1 & 3.0.
It has been tested in all modern browsers. Of course, Internet Explorer 6 and 7 are not so modern. Beyond these pathetic pieces of software, this website looks fine, but not the same in all browsers. You see, Graceful Degradation, this fantastic method of developing websites, orders us to multiply your experience according to your browser.
And what's a "better" browser? Safari, Chrome or Opera are some of them.
Software & hardware
porcupine colors is powered by Expression Engine.
Software used:
Textmate (markup & CSS)
Accorn & Pixelmator (επεξεργασία γραφικών)
iA Writer (writing)
Transmit (FTP client)
This site was made on a Mac computer made by Apple.
Accessibility
We have tried to make this website accessible to as many people as possible. This include people with impaired or no vision at all, people with mobility problems or other disabilities.
This site conforms to the principles of the Semantic Web. Which means that the content (headings, paragraphs, lists, images etc.) is semantically correct.
However, if you experience any problems with this website, please contact us. We would run to help.
Privacy
Each website visitor is being recorded by relevant software (such as Google Analytics) on the web server and the same goes for your IP address. We also collect the email addresses of the commenters of the blog. This is a typical practice which runs almost the whole Internet.
We use this info for statistical reasons only. All your personal data remain confidential and they will not be sold to third parties in any way. You will not receive directly or indirectly spam e-mails because of us.
This website includes links to certain websites but obviously these websites are just suggestions, nothing more, nothing less.
High Quality Bookmarks (or hqbk) is a website which aims to promote interesting web links that deserve to take a place among your bookmarks.
High Quality Bookmarks is a side project, which means that it is created and maintained by us.
The markup is HTML 1.0 Strict & CSS 2.1 and 3.0. What makes hqbk run smoothly is the Content Management System, Expression Engine. Expression Engine performs like a charm and it successfully handles a large volume of data. At the same time it very easy to be maintained with new content every day.
What we did for hqbk
Website Design / User Interface design
XHTML & CSS
Installation, configuration & development code in CMS, Expression Engine
BizWriter is the blog of Sakis Rizos. Sakis is a marketing expert, with emphasis on Internet Marketing. There's a common bilief that BizWriter is best marketing blog in Greece.
The new design of BizWriter is based on simplicity and readbility. Furthermore, we wanted it to be special and to have its own personal style. In order to make it easier to be read, the design was based on, the common notion among designers, the vertical rhythm technique. Vertical rhytm uses wisely the empty space and promotes the reading transition from section to section and from paragraph to paragraph. At the same time and followed the equally well known technique of grid design.
The new design of BizWriter, unlike most websites, has a left aligned layout. The colors chosen are friendly to the eye, while saturated enough tomake it special. Of course, the code is compatible with Web Standards. It is written in XHTML 1.0 Strict & CSS 2.1.
The most important thing we wanted from this project was to help Sakis highlight his knowledge as much as possible. We're happy to report that we made it.
What we did for BizWriter
Website Design / User Interface design
XHTML & CSS
Installation, configuration & development code in CMS, Wordpress
I "met" Yiannis on the Web and we since then we "talked" several times via e-mail. What struck me most was his knowledge around the Web and his ethos. I much enjoyed it, when we met and I saw that my initial impression was true.
Yiannis has a deep knowledge of design, he's familiar with the Web and most of all he's a great person. He's someone I can trust both professionally and personally. When we worked on the redesign of my personal blog I was sure that the result would be optimal. And so it was! Yiannis puts in his work this little extra that makes the difference.
A professional with impeccable non-negotiable character. What more could you want?
But it takes endeavor and dedication and amounts of love to make it thrive. In porcupine colors we help professionals take the most of the Web. How do we do it? By designing more beautiful websites and apps. By developing stronger systems. And by working with integrity.
Everyday hundreds of websites meet our eyes, our brain and they come and go. Most of them lack personality, aesthetics and good content. In fact they look like they have been designed by a committee.
We need to ask for more than this.
In porcupine colors things are different: we love the details. What's attractive must be usable too,. What works well must also feels well. Above all it must return the investment, your investment.
This way we make your websites and your apps better.
Philosophy
porcupine colors is a tiny studio. And it aims to stay this way. Yiannis Konstantakopoulos, the person who founded it, could be described as an "engaged freelancer". Which means he's flexible enough to take projects that don't require more than one person.
At the same time he's not alone when it comes to more demanding and complicated work. He's actually a part of a team of creative people who work together. However, what's written in this website reflect his own views.
But, why stay tiny? Because we think of success differently. Being small and independent is fun. It is fulfilling. And it helps you remain focused on what you do well.
This point of view help us work with the right clients, people who know what they want, no matter how demanding it might be. It also helps us cope with projects and deliver great results.
Excellent work, return of investment, happy clients. This triptych fuels our engines.
Articles in English
State of Web Design in Greece An article on Noupe about the state of Web design in Greece and a showcase with the best Greek designs.
Cognitive psychology states it quite clearly: each website visitor decides whether a web page is attractive in fractions of a second.
She doesn't realise it, she decides it.
Then, our conscious mind aims to explain the "why". Sometimes it makes it some other times not. This doesn't have to do with Web design only. This is the way we decide anyway.
Let's move on: aesthetics is a child of harmony.
When it comes to Web design harmony is not a matter of luck. It has its roots in typography, color theory, balance, rhythm, symmetry etc.
The thoughts above lead us to some solid facts: beautiful websites are considered to be so by the vast majority of people. Website visitors may not be able to explain why they like or dislike something, but their decision is far from unfair.
We think that good Web design should take the knowledge above into account. Such facts can help us be effective and deliver superb results. We love Web design, we take it seriously and we want our work to help people expand their options and take the most of the Web.
Mobile design
Mobile design and Web design are the two sides of the same coin. While relevant, designing for mobile devices requires embracing more constraints such as smaller screens, new screen resolutions, probably slower access, different user needs etc.
The mobile ecosystem is changing rapidly. Even the notions above might not be totally valid after a few months. What we do know is that mobile users are unpredictable: they can be anywhere, on their couch or at an airport, they may hold an iPhone or an iPad or any device, they may have minutes or hours to spare on the Web etc. The list goes on and on.
If we really want to help them find their way in our websites we have to stay alert and try to cover their emerging needs. This what we do in porcupine colors. By embracing the responsive design philosophy and other methods we stand closer to mobile users day by day.
Web standards
Would you buy a car without airbags? No, because airbags are part of the standard equipment. Why would you have a website that doesn't comply to Web standards?
Web standards will make your website accessible by all people and all devices (browsers, mobile phones, PDAs, iPhones etc). Your website will be easy to be updated and expanded as well. Oh and thanks to Web standards search engines will like them too, so they will be easier to be found.
Actually, we care so much about Web standards that we are part of the teams that help them expand. Yiannis is the only Greek who participates in the International Liaison Group under WaSP. ILG is an international collective of web professionals promoting the global use of standards to ensure an equitable Web.
Content Management - Expression Engine
How to define a good CMS? There is practically an infinite number of ways to do so. For us, a good CMS should be flexible, solid, expandable and it must go out of your way when you need to publish things.
The CMS of our choice is Expression Engine. Actually, porcupine colors is the only Greek design & development agency that belongs to the Pro Network of Expression Engine.
Let's go back to the definition given above: Flexible, solid, expandable.
Flexible means that your website will look exactly the way you want no matter how complicated it is. In other words: design without frontiers.
Solid means that you can trust it. It is stable, safe and blazingly fast.
Expandable means that it can be almost anything: from a simple weblog up to a community or a small e-shop.
Expression Engine can be all the above and a few more: it is friendly to you and to the people who publish content for you. It's most probably the best choice out there for the vast majority of projects.
