I talk a lot about [37signals][1] here, despite the fact that I could consider them a competitor. In reality, however, any number of agile, small-to-medium development firms can coexist in this industry; so many potential clients exist that the idea of competition is mostly a red-herring for the most creative. (I’ve heard the term _coopetition_ used before.)
When we accept the idea of competitors as ‘partners in innovation,’ we not only appreciate their contributions but build upon them and share them back with the community, creating a much richer ground for the evolution of the web and the technology built upon it. [37signals][1] was among the first of the small, nimble firms urging a focus on simplicity and usability, and their recent successes are well-deserved.
There are others, however, whose sites I read regularly, who share the great wealth of ideas that makes this industry unique.
* [Creating Passionate Users][2]
* [Less Code][3]
* 37signals’ [Signal vs. Noise][4]
Thanks, all. Here’s to the crazy ones!
[1]: http://37signals.com/
[2]: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/
[3]: http://lesscode.org/
[4]: http://37signals.com/svn/
_Addendum:_ I’ve read some criticism about a few of the sites I’ve linked, charging hype and evangelism. At times, I think that’s true. I believe that realistic expectations are the key to separating the gems from the rubble; none of us are right or perfect all the time, and expecting us to be so is unrealistic. (Hell, I just put a post back into __draft__ status because I wasn’t satisfied with the writing.) When we understand that point, we can evaluate what we read, see, think and hear on a more open and honest basis, and take each point for its merits rather than who said it. Having said that, I’ve found quite a few gems on these sites.
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