It’s a blast scrolling through Haystack for design inspiration. Along the way I’ve been making a list of some of the more interesting ads. Here are a few especially creative ones I wanted to highlight:

An ad instead of an image

These listings get creative by using the image space to create a billboard instead of showing off a portfolio piece.

Pixelgrazer in Nashville, TN.

Midnet Media in Columbus, OH. Love the use of the Haystack cards in the design. Very clever!

Click-Boom in Memphis, TN.

Multiple images instead of a single image

Free Haystack listings only include one image, but these guys got creative. Nice hack. Bonus points for working around the perceived rules.

Three Square Design in Boston, MA.

Joshua Mauldin in Los Angeles, CA

Using the logo for something other than a logo

Haystack has a space for your logo, but these creative folks used the space for something else. I love it.

Item 9 Consulting in Chicago, IL went with a stylized text message.

Phil Dokas in Ann Arbor, MI dropped his face in there.

Got a favorite?

Got a favorite Haystack listing? Drop us an email at contact@haystack… and we may highlight it on our next post. And if you’ve found work or a design firm using Haystack, please let us know so we can add you to the Haystack success page. Thanks.

It’s true, REWORK won’t be out in the US until March 9, 2010, but you’ll also be able to get translated versions in a variety of other languages and countries. The release dates may be later than the US version, but eventually you’ll find REWORK from the following publishers in the following languages/countries:

• Indonesian (Publisher: PT Gramedia Pustak)
• China (Publisher: China Citic Press)
• Dutch (Publisher: Uitgeverij Mouria)
• UK (Publisher: Vermilion)
• Germany (Publisher: Verlagsgruppe Random House)
• Japan (Publisher: Hayakawa Shobo)
• Portuguese/Brazil (Publisher: GMT Editores Sextante)
• Spanish (Publisher: Ediciones Urano S.A.)

We thank all the publishers above for trusting in REWORK.

Pre-orders

If you want to get in early, you can pre-order the US version from the following booksellers:

• Amazon.com
• Barnes & Noble
• Borders
• Indie Bound
• 800 CEO READ

Original art preview

REWORK will also contain 50 original illustrations from one of our favorite illustrators. Can you guess who it is? We’ll reveal the artist’s name, as well as more illustrations, as we get closer to publication date. Here’s a preview:

We’re getting really close now. Back in August we previewed 37signals Accounts — our new single sign-on system for Basecamp, Highrise, Backpack, and Campfire. Today we announced that we’re just a few weeks out from official release.

We just put up a 37signals Accounts pre-launch page detailing the basics, the benefits, a few screenshots, and FAQs.

Here are a couple highlights:

Centralized sign-in screen

Since we launched Basecamp back in February 2004, every time anyone wanted to log into to any one of our products they had to go to their own custom URL. It’s been fine, but it’s always made us cringe a little. It’s a lot to remember and we often get emails asking us where to log in. Each time we have to explain the custom URL thing. It’s just not right.

So one big part of the 37signals Accounts transition is to centralize sign-in. You’ll now be able to sign in to any one of your accounts at 37signals.com. Here’s roughly what the universal sign in screen will look like:

FYI, you can still sign in at your own custom URLs too. Those sign in screens will look the same as they do today – with your logo centered at the top.

Launchpad

If you sign in, and you use multiple products (or have multiple accounts on a single product), you’ll see the new Launchpad. The Launchpad lists all your accounts. Click one to instantly sign in to that account. You can drag and drop reorder the accounts and columns to best fit your workflow.

The Launchpad is also where you’ll be able to edit your identity. Change personal information (username, password, avatar, etc) here and it’ll change in all your accounts.

And more…

The 37signals Accounts upgrade is a big deal. We understand it will be a bit of a hassle for everyone to pick a new username and password, but you’ll only have to do it once and it will only take a few seconds. Then you’re good to go.

The new 37signals Accounts system also lays the groundwork for a variety of enhancements and cross-product integrations you’ve been asking for. We’ll begin working on these in 2010.

In the meantime, check out the 37signals Accounts pre-launch page and let us know if you have any questions.

Thanks again for your support!

When people ask me what I do all day I have a hard time summing it up. I design, I edit, I think, I review, I suggest, I teach. Some things I mess up, some things I fix up.

But what I really do most of the time is trim, tuck, iron, cut, press, and fit. I’m a software tailor.

And I’m starting to think that’s my perfect role. My team is incredible. I don’t need to tell them what to do. If there was a fantasy software league, I wouldn’t trade my team for anyone.

But there are times during the development and design process where the things we make just don’t fit as well as they could. That sentence could be slimmed down. That design element could be trimmed off. We could cut a step out of that process. And the overall experience could use a good press to iron out any stubborn wrinkles.

So while a tailor can make bespoke clothes, most of the time they’re fitting clothes other people made. And most of the time that’s exactly what I’m doing — fitting software my team made.

Some people may call this process editing, but I think it’s more akin to tailoring. So that’s how I’m going to explain my job from now on.

I’m a software tailor.