Today is the third anniversary of the iCite net project (past eras: first post, first anniversary, second anniversary). And, I am pleased to announce that the iCite net project is now officially and fully hibernating.

I am pleased to announce this because, over the last two+ years, most of my work on the iCite net has been in the realm of trying to get the project in some shape where it isn't gnawing at me. I thought the natural approach was to always keep pushing towards releasing some or all of what I was working on.

But, I've just had too little time to do that in any way that would satisfy my intentions with this project.

So, for the last year or so, I've been asking various friends (thanks—you know who you are) for their suggestions to my question: "what's the best way to let go of the iCite net?"

So, after considering a range of options between just shutting this site down and stopping blogging (least effort) and doing a retrospective blogging marathon of all of the concepts I've discussed here (most effort), I've settled with the idea of hibernating the iCite net. This mostly required that I block-out some time (e.g., to update the icite.net website, which is now stripped down to pretty much just the blog).

So, first of all, this blog will continue to exist. I'll keep using the iCite net blog as I have been—which I don't know how to describe, but, if you're reading this, I am guessing you'll recognize it.

The best thing for me about the iCite net project has been meeting people (i.e., you) who've come across this blog and found that we had one thing or other in common. And, thanks again to those of you who've encouraged me to continue blogging here. That's still going to happen, and I hope I'll keep meeting you.

***

Now, for a brief intermission, I'll mention some of the other stuff I'm up to:

I've been working on the launch of the new Juxtaprose site, which will feature a new group blog on web strategy / design / information architecture / content management, etc. (which is the work I'm doing day-by-day). Friday was Anastasia's last day working at Amazon (yay!), and we are again both working under the Juxtaprose umbrella.

Personally, my major focus has more and more become my music projects. I've been working on a new Ear Reverends album, called Err or Man, which I am really excited about. Check out the Ear Reverends' Wrong Notes blog for updates—my current plan is to start doing a full-on podcast there to talk about and play the works in progress.

I also have several other music projects that I'll be announcing later. And, I am working on creating a new recording studio that is part of launching / expanding my record company, HereJam Records.

Also, I just completed the theme music for the new Make Video Podcast series, hosted by Bre Pettis. The first episode with my music is online, Microsofties Make Bugbots—check it out.

And, also, I am co-writing some of the upcoming Real-World Ajax book (my name isn't up on the site yet, but I am working on chapters with Jim Benson). I think it's going to be a really handy book that you will want to own :-)

***

So, my work on the iCite net project has produced a large mess of potentially very interesting work stuffed in various corners of my computer and office. And, by hibernating this project, I am nevertheless letting the sleeping bits lie.

But by not killing off this blog, I'll keep a place for "stuff like the iCite net" I might hear about or otherwise dig out of my own archive here.

So, I'll kick-off this next phase of the iCite net (as just a blog*) with a mention of something I am excited about. I recently had the good fortune to meet Reg Cheramy, and have some conversations with him about his Zigtag project.

Zigtag is the first web development I've heard about in a long time that really made me go "whoa"—like, it's got the kind-of approach that I wanted to see when I started working on the iCite net.

So, I'll be keeping an eye on the development of Zigtag, and recommend you do too. I am definitely interested in things that push the boundaries of how web the web can be—and will write here about the things I find.

* subject to change