Frugal

The term frugal was suggested by Sarah Garcin, programmer and designer of this site. Sarah employs a number of design principles, such as creating websites with a light structure, a minimum number of documents and queries, low-resolution images, and as little JavaScript as possible.

That is why, for example, you see images that have been reduced in complexity (dithering) and the weight indication at the bottom of every page. The lighter the website, the less energy is required to access the pages and store them on a server.

Web to print

Sarah Garcin also developed a built-in web to print module for this website.

Using web technology such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the module generates print-ready PDF files directly from the browser. In this way, a blog post series like the one of Villa Berck can be bundled into a book that can be ordered individually via online print-on-demand platforms. The traditional publishing world, where books are printed in editions of 500 to 1,500 copies without knowing whether all that printed paper will be sold, is making way for printing per copy. This philosophy is more suited to a project like Anaïs Berck, in which the trees that supply the paper are actively involved.

Lucile Haute and Quentin Juhel describe the web to print trend as follows on their website La bibliothèque web to print - une collection: ‘On the one hand, artists, graphic designers, and collectives find in the reuse – or even the development – ​​of their graphic design tools a form of political engagement that contributes to technological emancipation and empowerment vis-à-vis the major digital players. They embrace the values ​​of free and open-source software, defend an ethical framework, and develop a unique aesthetic. Many of them have united around the French-speaking PrePostPrint initiative. On the other hand, the convergence of print and screen workflows poses a major challenge for publishers. The integration of web to print methods into industrial publishing processes is an invisible revolution that is transforming the graphic design profession.’

Domaine Public

This website is hosted on the ethical Brussels server Domaine Public. Their charter is very clear about their intentions: « Domaine Public’s main objective is to establish and develop a non-commercial and independent internet hosting structure that is collectively managed by all of its members, by experimenting with the possibilities offered by the internet in terms of collective work. »

The maiinglist used on this website is managed by the software Mailman and also hosted on Domaine Public. This means that your email address will not end up in lists that are sold worldwide to corporations. The downside is the minimal - let’s call it frugal - lay-out of the newsletter, that reminds the internet culture of the 90s.