The jury is out on the Rudd government's plan to censor the internet of offensive material using a custom-built filter and a set of legislation.

The Australian government, led by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, wants to censor materials that are not available via traditional mediums, like television and movies. For example, child pornography, extreme violence, etc.

The internet community, as expected when they hear the word 'censorship', has gone crazy.

The main issues of conjecture are:

• the internet community wants nothing censored because the internet is a special form of media that should remain untouched - the government feels internet should not be treated as 'special' enough to allow for vision of offensive material;
  
  
• the internet community says once you start censoring, you cannot guarantee that what you plan to censor will be what you end up censoring - the government says tests have proven their system is 100% accurate with no over- or under-censoring - Google says that is not possible;
  
  
• the internet community fears loss of speed caused by filter - the government says tests have proven slowness is minute (1/70th of a blink of an eye).

My thoughts are mixed.

As a realist, I believe such censorship will be more and more common throughout the world as user-generated content websites continue to grow. Allowing users the ability to upload video and other content means all sorts of content can get up.

But I do believe the internet is special.

A middle-ground argument is where I feel closest. That is, the filter is available to those households and workplaces who wish to opt in.

I believe many will opt in, and those internet purists will not. Everyone will be happy.

Click here to watch a Fairfax video interview with Minister Conroy.

When websites began, they contained very little movement, if any at all. Now, with a program called ActionScript, programmers and web designers are able to add an unprecedented amount of movement via animation.

ActionScript is a scripting language based on ECMAScript. It is used primarily for the development of websites and software using the Adobe Flash Player platform (in the form of SWF files embedded into web pages), but is also used in some database applications (such as Alpha Five), and in basic robotics, as with the Make Controller Kit.

Originally developed by Macromedia, the language is now owned by Adobe (which acquired Macromedia in 2005). ActionScript was initially designed for controlling simple 2D vector animations made in Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash). Later versions added functionality allowing for the creation of web-based games and rich Internet applications with streaming media (such as video and audio).

Some websites contain sections of front-end ActionScript, while others choose to develop their entire website using the technology. The aim is to attract a visitor's attention with the increased movement, and also to develop an interactivity.

The disadvantage is, as with other Flash files, it s made up of images rather than text, hence making it more difficult for Google and other search engines to navigate the content within.

Welcome to the new decade in web design!

In the last decade we witnessed new emergences in the world wide web. This new emergence not only marked newer and more innovative applications of the internet and its contents, it also opened up a whole new galaxy of trendy, stylish and useful designs.

And as the decade turns, I see the web design community predicting newer trends in the beginning of 'the teens'.

I have assessed other opinions and am happy to present my predictions for popular design trends for 2010 and beyond:

Oversized logo and header

This is an essential replacement of splash pages. Over-sized logos and headers will deliver key messages to visitors without requiring them to click on anything. It will necessarily target to create a visual impact easily recognised and remembered, especially considering bandwidth speeds have greatly improved.

I have been pushing for this one to take effect in some of my design studies way back in 2005 at another company, but it was not accepted at that point. I'm glad that the web is opening its doors to achieve it now.

Illustrations or hand-drawn designs

We have seen this trend in existence for a while, but not on a mass scale. Web designers across the globe are sure that this trend will become an integral part in web designs for years to come.

Typography

This still has issues. Using different typography in designs and mixing them up is quite experimental so far, and at times very confusing. I can still remember what my design mentor told me back in College to limit my typography to only two types, to maintain the unity and harmony of the design. It will remain a primary experimental part of web design in the years immediately ahead.

Single Page Layouts and Minimalism

With busier schedules, people have less time to surf a website. One page layouts would be one of the main trends in 2010 and beyond. The advent of modal javascripts - either mootools or jquery - has made it easier for developers to create it.

Internal pages can be shown at a one-page glance. However, this trend will largely be effective for personal sites and not for corporate designs.

Box and Magazine Type of Layouts

Brief, precise and consice. No more lengthy about us pages in 2010, but simply a few lines of condensed information about who you are. That's intro boxes and though we'll probably still see a lot of about pages along with it. Magazine style though is predicted largely due to the increase in the migration of more people from orthodox traditional media to online media.

This layout offers familiarity for all those people and also offers contents in a more organised pattern.

Oversized Footers

Footers have definitely changed over the years. It's now yet another zone in web design where contents show up. It will be good for SEO and usability as well. Oversized footers with useful display of contents and designs mixed should also become a trend in 2010.

Icons

This is not a new trend, though stylish icons have been there for quite a while and we all hope they will stay there.

Navigations will be composed mostly of icons and hints.

That sums it up. These are the trends that consensus believes will keep us busy for the coming year.