UI and UX

I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.

A little older and a little wiser, at least I'd like to think so. I find myself considering design and usability more of late and I'm feeling positive about the results on the projects I'm working on. But I don't think I'm alone on this, thankfully I'm seeing this on a large scale across the web. Sites failing to properly consider design and user experience are beginning to stand out like a sore thumb. I have less time and patience for these sites (perhaps it's my age again?) and I'm quick to find an alternative if needed (perhaps I should drop Ling an email and tell her where she's going wrong?).

Here's some links to some sites I'm finding particularly useful at the moment:

• Smashing Magazine - An online magazine for designers and developers with some great articles
  
• UX Myths - A site dedicated to listing common UX misconceptions and why they don't hold true
• UX Stack Exchange - A collaboratively edited question and answer site for user experience
• User-centered Design - (article) type of UI design and a process in which the needs, wants, and limitations of end users of a product are given extensive attention at EACH STAGE of the design process

I'm also reading Rock Surgery Made Easy (by Steve Krugg) at the moment, which is perfect for those wanting to do some DIY usability testing.