[Eric_Henao]

I don't know about most of you here, but I suspect that there are quite a few who work alone or are isolated from other designers, especially in the work place. That certainly applies to me, where I am the ONLY person in the company with the mac and the designer. While this may sound great, it can pose a problem when I am stuck on a design. Like trying to come up with three different layouts of the same thing. Or bouncing fresh new ideas. I have no "sounding board" before I take stuff to the boss for him to tear up/approve.

So what I'm wondering is, is there something on the net where I can go to do this? What do you do? Granted my work is retail oriented, price point and copy, big image, "Make it POP" sort of thing. And mostly B/W newspaper.

I'm thinking that this maybe a jem of an idea to start a website to help folks like myself exchange ideas and help those who are stuck...

[Griggsy]

Welllllllll, it just so happens, I may be getting my butt into gear on this issue. I run a wee mac design spod site, which doesn't do much but could do a lot more.

Since I am also stuck in the middle of nowhere, the net is as good a place as any to get feedback, and with 10.1.5 and i disk and homepage.mac.com, we all now have wee web portfolios whihc we can share and the best place tends to be this very forum.

I am thinking of switching the content of my site to be more design community based. Intregating things such as a Mac Design Banner exchange where you can out your site, folio whatever on and have it shared with other like minded sites throughout the world!

I don't think folio competition/envy should be an issue right now, the only way we get better as designers is to collaborate, will be making the news section more collaborative and have a links dbase sitting waiting to be loaded up with folios.

Don't get me wrong there are a heap of excellent design resource sites, but I get somewhat intimidated by them all. So I might just give it a go!

[funkboy]

I wanted to do this awhile ago, but unfortunately I have no access to a MySQL database on my webhost's server... and, well, I don't know how to do MySQL, either

I'd love to learn, though. My idea... well, if anyone would like to know my idea, and preferably has some mysql setup, let's make it!

[Griggsy]

doesn't have to be sql, although handy, all we need is some kinda open source and we're away as far as feedback goes, all you need to do is pop up yer piccie and stick in some kinda php form, shouldn't be 2 difficult

[bluedog]

I'd love to contribute. I've just been putting together a few sites, and learning, with PostNuke (which uses PHP and MySQL). Its almost too simple to get it up and running if you have access to a webserver with PHP installed and an account for their MySQL server.

My single machine is a bit loaded now, trying to do all that serving AND streaming music on my local network. I'll be setting up another machine soon and would love to offload the MySQL stuff to it.

That way, I'd have a bit better security for the data and better performance. If anyone wants to beat me to the punch, go for it!

Until then... I'll definitely drop a note here when I get it up and running. I'd love to have a section on learning. Where those who know can post tutorials and suggestions that are technical (which I've seen a lot of online) AND/OR creativity building suggestions.

When the content builds to a fairly useable site, it becomes an invaluable resource. Its a great idea!

[Hobbes]

This site sounds like exactly what we need, especially if its a community-driven site. I own a web design and hosting company and might be in a position to host such a site. I've also taken the liberty of looking into domain names that might fit and may have found a couple.

Just let me know if you want my help.

[Griggsy]

Well I'm happy enough to use my server at the moment, thanks to the good folks at Blogger Pro, it's no hassle for me to set up specific news and feedback areas with the ability for members to upload their work to my server for comments.

Give me a few days (You have to excuse me as its the football today so all work bets are off) and i'll get something basic up and running!

[Amorya]

Possibly put a copy of <a href="http://www.phpbb.com" target="_blank">PHPbb</a> on there too, so peeps can discuss stuff?

Amorya

[Griggsy]

I have a yabbBB sitting there mothballed so will bring it out of hibernation!

[KaptainKaya]

I have a site that I was gonna do something like this with...if you'd like we can dedicate that. the url is <a href="http://www.dt-design.com" target="_blank">http://www.dt-design.com</a>. I was hoping to take it somewhere, but being a one man operation in school and working wasn't getting anywhere with it.

[tony.eastwood]

Sounds like a good idea as long as contributors don't arrive at the party and the hang around in the kitchen.... I would definitley be in the kitchen... I am happy, however, to add my pennyworth to the "bouncing of ideas" ... I've been doing the advertising thing for a long time as both demanding client and brow-beaten ad agency practitioner so I think I can offer a reasonable degree of objectivity.

I am a typsetter firstly but have a good eye for design, utilising Quark, Photoshop and Illustrator... and Flash, sometimes. I also art-direct the design the structures for web sites, though I don't have the tech knowledge to implement such.

Regards

Tony Eastwood

[KaptainKaya]

Well, if anyone would like to put my site to use, I'd be glad to. I'm out for the weekend and wont be on the boards but I'll check my email so email me if its a go. Cheers.
~Kap