I got this brilliant idea which we experimented with this week. I was thinking the people who hang out here at dekeOnlinia are so cool, so supportive, so insightful, we should invite some of them to go head-to-head and ask their questions directly of Deke, fortified by cocktails in the dekeLounge. When my “old” friend Dave Naves (dnaves to you here in the dekeOmmunity) had asked some questions around here about web graphics, I thought it would be fun to invite him join us for Martini Hour to see if Deke actually knew the answers. Dave’s been a web developer almost as long as he’s known me, which is a long time. And what develops, is sort of a two-phase conversation along the lines of “Why do designers do what they do?” and “What are the tools that either Dave or his clients might need in order to do those things? (Or convince designers to start doing for themselves). And then, of course, we can’t help but ask Dave a question or two about SEO and other newfangled concepts that we like to consider over cocktails here at dekeOnline.

Here are just a few highlights from this first meeting of the community and guru minds:

• Of course, we begin with Save for Web, that handy tool that Deke has (trust me) poked and prodded and documented scrupulously. And how does Save for Web differ than Save As?
• How do the filenames of your web graphics drive developers insane? or keep Google from finding your site and all its yummy content?
• Dave also seeks Deke’s advice for recreating really crappily submitted graphics, the equivalent of a crumpled up piece of paper with the company logo on it.
• Do you really need animated favicons? Or do you need people to see your product?

On the whole, things went very well with our first “viewer mail” guest. Although I must admit, he was a bit of a ringer. Here’s actually documentation of the three of us together, looking happy after the show:

Where else can you get web graphics advice from experts on both sides of the equation while enjoying a mini-reunion of El Camino Eagles of Some Undisclosed Year? Here’s the regular-quality (128kbps) audio file. You can stream, or for best results, right-click and choose Download or Save. For you audiophiles out there, here’s the link to the high-quality (320kbps) version. Be sure to download, don’t stream. And don’t forget the usual suggestion to subscribe via iTunes.

And thanks to Dave Naves of Daveworks.net, @dhnaves, and Colleen’s Younger Days. Cheers, Dave. You opened the door for more “ask Deke” guests in the potential future!