Landscape ecologists commonly cite the need to “scale up” in the course of their research. It’s a bit of jargon that can be loosely defined as the need to incorporate more information, to address the issue with a broader scope. That’s what I’m doing with Per Square Mile.
You may have noticed a few changes to the site since your last visit. The graphic that sprawls across the top of the page is a big bluer, a bit bolder. The layout is also simplified, clearing away the last vestiges of clutter from the old page. But those subtle differences hide myriad modifications under the hood.
For every interesting story I unearth, there are many more being told across the web. The changes I’ve made to Per Square Mile will let me share with you that which I find most compelling, most insightful, or most provocative. I’ll add my two cents and send you on to read for yourself. It’s a model that was originally proposed for blogs but has somewhat been lost. There are a few who hew to the original “weblog” concept—chief among them is John Gruber, who writes the brilliant tech site Daring Fireball and to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for inspiring these changes. Like Gruber, I’ll be collectively calling these posts my Linked List.
How the Linked List works is straightforward. The title is a link to an article on another site. Below is the text of the post. Sometimes I will include an excerpt from the linked page, sometimes I’ll include my own take on the issue, and sometimes I’ll post both. Next to the title is the symbol for infinity, which is the permanent link. Click on that and you will be taken to the single-page view of that Linked List post, which you can then bookmark or share.
The hitch to the Linked List is it will only be available on the site, at least for the time being. So be sure to drop by for the latest updates. And in addition to the Linked List, all the stuff you’ve come to love about Per Square Mile—articles, essays, maps, infographics—isn’t going anywhere. I’m taking that body of work and scaling up.
Photo by BotheredByBees.