Announcing: Happy Clog!
For the two years or so, a group of Dutch bloggers from the web standards scene have been getting together at meetups, chatting and e-mailing together, organising things together. Things have gotten more organised over time, but I felt that something was missing. Something...tangible. Something we could call ourselves, something that brought us together as group more than before. I set out with a mission and I came back succesful. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Happy Clog!
For those of you wondering where that name came from, well, it was coined by Sjors Rijsdam while we were tossing around ideas on IRC one day. We were looking for a name that conveyed the fact that we're all Dutch, and clogs do that quite well indeed. Think clogs, you think The Netherlands, crazy Dutch people and their windmills.
Of course, we wanted the name to be more than an indication of us being Dutch, it also had to indicate that we're all about Web Standards, a.k.a. the Big Picture™. People who've been around for a while will have made the link to Jeffrey Zeldman's Happy Cog Studios already, but that's where any similarities end. Happy Clog is not a company, we're not commercial, nothing of the kind. So what is Happy Clog then, you wonder? Well...
Happy Clog is...
First, the people of Happy Clog, in alphabetical order:
- Anne van Kesteren
- Ben de Groot
- Bobby van der Sluis
- Egor Kloos
- Jeroen Mulder
- Hayo Bethlehem
- Mark Wubben
- Peter-Paul Koch
- Rob Mientjes
- Sjors Rijsdam
And of course, the initiator, yours truly.
Happy Clog is...
A way for us to identify ourselves strongly, as a group of pioneering web developers from the Netherlands. I say pioneering because in the Netherlands, we are pioneering. Web standards are still a hardly-known concept here, and joining together as a team will help us change that. Together we can be even stronger than before, together we can accomplish more.
Of course, it won't hurt that we have a cool name for ourselves now, anyway.
Happy Clog is...
Fun, casual, totally informal but still serious. We're just a group of people with a common interest and a common goal: web standards and the promotion thereof. We're not going to be in suit when we meet up, but we will be adding a bit more structure to our meetings. Happy Clog as a group wants to promote web standards, and our (now monthly) meetings will be open to everyone who is interested. Eventually, we'll also invite people who are still completely new to the web standards scene, just to spread the word.
It's an identity for us, one that's completely informal but also one that will try to get things done in a very serious and structural manner.
You can think of us as somewhat of the Dutch version of the Britpack, though the only competition we'll form with them is in beer-drinking contests. Speaking of which, how about it, Brits? ;-)
Happy Clog is...
Having a meeting that is open to all who want to participate, on August 28th, 2005. All Happy Clog meetings that get announced will always be open to everyone who wants to join; our goal is, after all, to spread web standards much more in the Netherlands.
Details of the meeting
When: Sunday, August 28th, 2005. The meeting starts at 14:00, but don't worry if you're a little late. We'll most likely be upstairs, in case you can't find us on the ground level.
Where: Amsterdam, Café De Jaren, Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22. It's close to the Munt; trams 4, 9, 16, 24 and 25 from Central Station all come by there. Exit at the Munt, cross the bridge to the small street on the left and you'll run into it after 40-50 meters.
Hope to see you there!
Happy Clog: closing words
There will be a lot more news about Happy Clog and our activities soon, but for now this announcement will have to do. No big leaps for us, just baby steps, one at a time. We're all pretty busy people, anyway.
Update: we have our own Happy Clog website now, though at time of writing, we're waiting for Egor to get a logo and design done before we'll put any more content on there. Also, the content still needs to be discussed in our first meeting, so expect to see a lot more after august 28!
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All times are in CET. It is now 19:44.
Yay!
For the record, the first meeting was on April 25th, 2004. So 1.5 years would be closer to the mark ;-)
Oh, that's a fantastic location...I'm not sure what my shedule will be like, but if I can I'll come.
Will there be beer?
Strictly for training purposes, ofcourse.
Where can I buy the t-shirt?... we do have a t-shirt don't we?
Mark: yep, but we had been talking online with each other for at least several months before the first meeting :-)
Egor: no, not yet :-)
Sound interesting that NutsDutch meeting!
I don't know if it will fit in my soccer scheme but when it does I will be there too I think.
Ischa: our meetings will be held monthly, alternating each month between Saturday and Sunday. Should ensure that everyone can come at least sometimes :-)
Great to see it finally be somewhat official. As always, looking forward to meeting more of you guys :-)
Faruk, why wasn't I let into that?? Oh, that might've been because I got onto IRC after the first meeting ;-)
I just love the way the group are called the 'Happy Clog' (in respect to Zeldman's Happy Cog) - nice! :)
I only recognise Rob and Hayo's names in that list of dark-horse dutchmen. I think it's great that a group like this has been formed to discuss web standards, especially if it is not very well known there.
(I'm not good enough to be featured among the 'Britpack' yet, maybe never, but I think our lads could drink your boys under the table...probably...maybe...well, perhaps! #Laughs #)
Firstly, congratulations... that sounds excellent. Secondly, makes me want to come over there!!
Matt:
That's because they're the only Dutchies that you'll see on JoshuaList; if you'd have read our blogs for a few years, you'd have seen them come by a few times already. :) See also our last meeting's report.
Derek:
You're always welcome to join us if you're ever in the neighborhood. Or, if you just want to fly over for a meeting then that's fine, too! ;-)
Ha ha, congratulations!
I would also like to make a meeting some time, but I'm not going to fly over just for that (bit too pricy, you know). Maybe when I come visit my family in Holland I could make it if I plan things right.
But even if I ever make it, please do not refer to me as a "Happy Clog". The gangsters down here will laught their heads off. :)
Ah, finally, Amsterdam. And a known café as well. Think I'll come as well. There's still no "joining not allowed"-policy for non-bloggers, right? ;-)
Everyone is invited, truly. So yeah, join us!
Nice to see this kind of thing happening here!
Pfff, been there, done that :D
Great name though ;)
Well, seems like something interesting is happening in our little country after all. Won't be able to make this meeting, will do my best trying to make it next time.. (That is, if there's still room then, with all the coverage you've been getting, there might be more people there than you expect ;))
Congratulations,
though I personally feel that a European initiave would have been more appropriate in this day and age. Still I wish you the very best and hope it will expand to a larger scale.
I completely agree, Ron. I would love to see something like this on a European level. I fear that may require some funding. But if you want to exchange thoughts on this, please mail me :)
Hah, you're a bunch of nerds! :D
Nerds get all the girls, though.
(Kris: "Hah, you're a bunch of nerds! :D Nerds get all the girls, though.")
Hmm, Faruk Da Pimp? (Got any spare Faruk?! *Laughs*)
Ron: I responded to your European-thought on Molly's site;
Matt: heh, oh man if only you knew ;-)
Happy Clog sounds like a great idea!
And as for this challenge:
Bring it on, cloggers, bring it on.
Methinks I'll be making a trip to Amsterdam at some stage.
Ooh, any chance of that being within 2 weeks? ;) If not, see if you can at least be in Amsterdam _outside_ the time frame sept.12th-oct.14th. I'm in the big ol' USA during that time, would be a shame to miss out on a drinking opportunity, right? :-)
I might be going to Amsterdam during my Birthday weekend in late November...serious drinking would be done if I decide to go!! (It's not definitely happening yet though)
Faruk: Then you can get some of those lovely ladies ready for me!!! *Laughs*
Jeremy: I've heard you drink like a fish! :)
Hmmmz, shoulda kept up to date on the meetings, seems like I missed a grand one, but it's good to know you've finally worked out having an agenda might make the meetings more constructive, jotted down the meeting, trying my best to be there :)
Geweldig initiatief!
Sounds good. Great name, too :-)But you're all male! Really, aren't there any other dutch girls into webstandards?
Maaike: well, how about you join us, then? We'd love to have some women around, but we just don't know any! I know one, Darice, and as soon as I see her get online I'm going to invite her. Beyond that, however, I don't know any girl bloggers (in the Netherlands) :-(
So please, join us! Even if just for the fun chatting :-)
Faruk, but I am scared of women! :-(
I know of only one W3C-aware girl studying at my university, but I don't think she blogs.
Jeroen: pshh, invite her! Maybe we can convince her of starting a blog ;-)
Hey guys! Perhaps you can get Veerle to come? I don't think she's very scary and her being there will even turn your meeting into a European initiative :-)
I can't be there, I'll be on holiday. Besides, I don't even have a blog. But thanks for the invitation :-)
Well done!
I remember seeing you go off at @media and was extremely interested in it. I think you've done something exceptional to stand up and actually do it. :D Congrats!
Are you guys going to get a group website up? With the coverage you're getting that would be cool.
Faruk: Get Veerle there and I'm booking my plane tickets already!!! ;-)
It is not all about code, a deep philosophy behind regarding the Internet, and content publishing would be better.
Dont see that many people that have both: great design + developing capabilities + a warm, social and deep human philosophy. More like Americansiation and small-talk took its place. Please choose your words and be more poetic, and keep the machissmo out.
Now this is a great initiative!
Sounds fun!
I don't want to be a partypooper, especially not since i have been waiting for something like this to happen for the dutch scene as well ,but happyclog does sound an awfull lot like happycog (Zeldman's firm). Maybe a tought, since it's still in the early stages, to make the name something like the dutchclog or something.
Other than that, great job. Dutchies tend to be everywhere, it shouldn't be different on the net.
ps: my blog will be back up again, might knock on the door to get my badge as well.
The name is intentional :-)
Neat idea to set up I am thinking of starting something simliar for the web standards group members in America like me after reading this article.
great initiative! Is there a place for non-blogging dutch webstandardists in happy clog too? ;)
Kilian: for sure, at the happy clog meetings. The next one should be announced soon, so keep an eye out.
Nice to see this kind of thing happening here!
Sounds good. And this is really good name :)
I think this is a really great initiative. Keep up the good work!
Found your blog through doing a search on Berkouwer. Wondered if you@d be interested in my Berkouwer blog - www.theologyofgcberkouwer.blogspot.com I am the author of a book on Berkouwer - The Problem of Polarization: An Approach based on the Writings of G C Berkouwer.
Everytime I click on the very first link to Happy Clog! in the first clause on this site I land at quirksmode.org/blog/index.xml (open in new tab - firefox 1.5). I had to look into the source code to realise that you really linked korrektly to happyclog.nl. I do not understand this illogical behaviour of my browser. The link works fine if I open it in the same tab.
Greets from Aachen, next to the netherlands
Hans
PS great initiative!