Martin Belam
currybet.net · Personal blog · on HN since 2008
Martin Belam, a former Guardian UX and information architecture lead, writes about news media, web design, and the BBC.
What HN saysCommenters cite him as an informed insider on the Guardian Facebook app's rise and fall and as a rebuttal author, and link a retro computing book post.
17HN people shared it
6linked it in comments
14stories submitted
183story points
5 years agolast shared
2008people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1Response to the NYTimes redesign article by Martin Belam of the Guardian2 people · 10 points · first shared 2011 · 6 comments on HN
- 2The rise & #fail of the Guardian Facebook app - by its IA/UX designer2 people · 5 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 3The beginners computer handboo2 people · first shared 2011
- 4Copy-protection for vinyl in the 1970s (2008)1 people · 124 points · first shared 2021 · 78 comments on HN
- 5The two-sides of Wikipedia1 people · 31 points · first shared 2010 · 29 comments on HN
- 6News apps on the iPad - my first impressions (from a UK media perspective)1 people · 2 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
- 7The mystery of what makes a BBC top-level 'site'...1 people · 2 points · first shared 2010 · 1 comments on HN
- 8Why the BBC Trust simply had to examine the BBC's iPhone plans1 people · 2 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
- 9One day my daughter will ask me how we tolerated this1 people · 1 points · first shared 2013 · discussion on HN
- 10EU Cookie Law: “Do you want your Internet to work? Yes/No”1 people · 1 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 11Why you should never automatically open external links in a new window1 people · 1 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 12The Beginner's Computer Handbook - Understanding & Programming The Micro1 people · 1 points · first shared 2008 · discussion on HN
- 13How the Guardian's new social reading Facebook app worked for them1 people · 1 points · first shared 2011 · discussion on HN
- 14The Guardian publishes stats on the size of their commenting community1 people · 1 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 15Journalism shouldn't be afraid of web metrics1 people · 1 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
What HN people wrote when they linked it
vickytnz · 2012-12-14
Martin Belam (former head of UX at the Guardian, and designer of the app) has a great commentary on its successes and failures: http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2012/12/guardian-facebook-rise-fail.…
rayboyd · 2011-07-26
Martin Belam (IA guy at the Guardian) wrote an excellent rebuttal to this yesterday. http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2011/07/andy-news-redux.php
copist · 2016-08-09
"The Beginner's Computer Handbook - Understanding & Programming The Micro" by Judy Tatchell and Bill Bennett
http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2004/06/the-beginners-computer-handb…
I crafted my first computer from cardboard :) and learned to type and code using hand drawn keyboard :)
barrysaunders · 2012-09-24
Yeah, the problem is that users don't do it of their own volition. Social media buttons do change user behaviour. It might not sway you, but if you track social media activity on your site with analytics, you'll see a large difference.
http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2012/05/give-share-buttons-their-due…
sgwooduk · 2012-03-19
Advertising has been bound to newspapers for a long time. Check out the front page of 1st edition of the Manchester Guardian (now the guardian) from 1821 http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/gallery/2007/jun/08/1?picture=329998189
In those days the business model was to cover the front page with small text ads! (as pointed out by currybet here: http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2009/05/happy-birthday-to-the-manche…
grigy · 2011-10-31
I picked the basics of programming and how computers work with a book called "The Beginner's Computer Handbook - Understanding & Programming The Micro". Actually this book was the reason I became a programmer. I was 8 years old when received it as present on birthday from my dad.
I could not find a link to the book, but found this blog post which has also some pictures:
http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2004/06/the-beginners-computer-handb…