The Panic Blog

You might primarily know Panic as the maker of such fine Mac software as Coda and Transmit. However, they’re also the proprietors of a very fine corporate blog. Now, honestly, I tend to skip most software developers’ blogs. But Panic’s is quite different.

For one thing, the design is one of the more clever and enjoyable ones I’ve seen in awhile. At first glance, it doesn’t appear to be that special, but look a little closer, and you’ll see that it’s chock full of little design details that prove to be rather delightful. Utilizing the latest in CSS3, such as CSS-based rotation, Panic gives their blog a look that is delightfully — and literally — off-kilter, adding to the overall feel of a company bulletin board. (You must be using the latest version of Safari, Firefox, or Chrome to see the effect.)

And there are other little details as well, such as the 3D effects applied to the blog header and “older/newer” navigation at the bottom of the page, or the design of the different types of posts (e.g., company announcement, technical/engineering, list of quick links). Again, it all just adds to a casual, fun, and informative feel.

Which, by the way, ties in with and enhances the overall vibe that I’ve always had concerning Panic: namely, that they’re a company that loves what they do — making “Shockingly Good Mac Software” — and they have a great sense of humor. How else do you explain something like their “lost” retro artwork from 1982, this page chronicling all of the rip-offs of their icons and artwork, or their comparison of Japanese and American snacks?