Walk Alone

From A List Apart:

Calling all designers, developers, information architects, project managers, writers, editors, marketers, and everyone else who makes websites. It is time once again to pool our information so as to begin sketching a true picture of the way our profession is practiced worldwide.

Go - do your part!

What the hell!? Where am I? What is this place?

Looks like a stairwell to me. What did you think it was?

Gee, thanks! I can see that. But, a stairwell going where? And why do I feel like I would meet some people here? People I want to be with, who would want to be with me.

Take a look around. Do you think you are in a place where you can meet anyone (forget being together)?

I… I guess not. Everyone’s hurrying upstairs. What’s the big rush? And how many levels do we have to go up anyways? My legs feel like jelly.

You can stop whenever you want to. Wherever you stop, its the highest level for you.

Oh…

Of course, the level where you stop will never be the one where you will find someone to be with; for each level can fit one person only.

What is that supposed to mean?

Just that you have your level of achievement and your friends, their own. It would be foolish to bring all of them to your level just for their company. Unfair to all of them, and to you, too.

Are you telling me that I have just rushed into a different version of a rat race? That I will still be a rat, no matter what? That I’m losing?

Hardly. In a rat race, the objective is an equal opportunity for all the rats. The winner get the cheese, the rest, nothing. Whether you finish the race or not, you are still on the same level, and yes, you are still a rat. And if you decide to drop out and step aside, its OK - you just stumble onto the ground. On the other hand… look up…

Its blue…

It is the second stage.

The… second stage?

Yes! The first stage was where you proved you were ready to live your life. You live your life on the second stage.

…

This is not a race. This is not a struggle. This is a not quest. What this is, is a climb up to that stage in the blue, where you will find the one you want to be. All climb these stairs. Few reach the stage. Fewer still can match the person they meet there. Even fewer are those who take the challenge and become the person they have always wanted to be.

What if I don’t want to go up there?

Are you afraid? Of failure, perhaps? Of loneliness? It sure is lonely at the top.

What? Shut the hell up! I just want to know my options!

There is only one way to go down…

I get it! Turn around and walk away downstairs.

You can’t.

I… can’t?

Try it.

… Mother of God! What have you done? Why can’t I go nowhere but uphill, damn it!?

You are not paying attention. Watch closely… watch your step… fatigue is making you careless…

… Shit!! There are no banisters on these stairs!

People who fail, who tire, wander away towards the edge of these stairs. Sometimes not even the the physical barrier of a banister will stop them… from quitting.

… Quitting!? You bastard!

I’m not responsible for the failures of the weak. My job is to get the strong up to their level… their second stage.

By giving them a one way ticket to test their beliefs!?

I only bring them to the test. To take it or not is their choice. To succeed, they only need their own strength.

All this and just to be lonely at the top, eh?

Lonely? Maybe so. Since you reach there by yourself. But if you are true to your self and to your dreams, you may find some people coming to you. Someone whose belief in you mirrors your own.

Yeah, yeah… enough of the talk. Lets get going already! I think its a long climb.

I feel

pensive…

I am about to commit

breakaway…

8,002,530

Mozilla has officially made history with a new Guinness world record for the largest number of software downloads in a 24-hour period.

We made it!

Update, 4th July, 2008 - Here’s the page with details. Another thing to note is that this number reflects deliberate downloads. No trick links, bots or scripted attempts. Repeated attempts and incomplete downloads were rejected. Also, upgrades from older browsers as well as the numerous installs on various APT and YUM managed Linux machines were not counted.