Yesterday, we flipped the 'on switch' for a new Hammock.com format. That's rather obvious to anyone who has visited this site before.

As part of the site, we have these new "People Pages" that are blog-like things but we didn't want to call them blogs because we're going to have several new blogs rolling out on the site as well and our planning structure of the site was getting a little confusing.

Typically, when I start a new blog (or something like a blog) , my first post is simply the word, "Test." However, I'll make this one a little longer.

Creating a website like this takes lots of effort by lots of folks -- in this case, by nearly everyone at Hammock. Giant props to Laura Creekmore, Patrick Ragsdale, Barbara Logan and Kerri Davis who headed up this effort (with way too much interference from me). Additionally, lots of atta-boys (however, non-gender-specific atta-people might be more appropriate) for our editors and designers who are doing lots of fine-tooth combing on the site as we roll it out -- they were especially brutal (and I thank them for being so) on copy I wrote*.

We started on this project a year ago -- and, frankly, it was not about a website when we started. John Lavey and I spent countless hours with different groups of people in re-thinking what our business is all about -- and how we present that story to the world. In other words, there's lots about creating a website like this that has nothing to do with technology -- but is all about figuring out more important things.

There's a lot you don't see on this site because of the hard work by people at Hammock. That's because a lot of the work that takes place when developing a site is focused on simplifying things. Creating a simple website is way more difficult that creating a site that has everything -- and every feature -- everyone wants to include.

We have lots more things that are really, really close to being added to the site: Lots of video, for example. And I wish you could see this crazy-cool flash thing that will be at the front of the site and I can't wait to explain how it works. But we decided to make this a rolling launch -- and, frankly, a never-ending launch.

We've got about a year's worth of cool stuff already in the creative pipeline. We are also going to be throwing things on the site in a laboratory, experimental way -- just to see how they work. I often do that on my blog and have found it to be a great way to really understand how something works -- not just how something sounds like it will work.

Without giving away all of our secrets, Patrick, Laura and others will be using our People Pages to write a lot about subtle things taking place behind the curtain on Hammock.com. (And aggregating all those posts into one stream is on the to-do list.) There are already some cool content and geeky tricks on the site -- and even more cool things lined-up to be added over the coming weeks and months.

I can't wait to share those features with you.

*However, the editors don't proof my People Posts, so please don't judge them by my typos.

Following a 16-year-old tradition, the Hammock offices are closed between Christmas Eve and New Years Day. While the offices are closed, I'm still fairly easy to reach. Click on the e-mail link on the right or e-mail me at rexhammock@gmail.com. I'll also be checking my office voice mail -- however, if you leave me a message, it may be a good thing for you to e-mail letting me know -- my voice mail checking skills are questionable.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you back here on January 2.