“O’Reilly and Associates has announced the upcoming publication
of “User Friendly” by Illiad, a collection of one of the funniest,
most off-beat, and original comic strips to come along in
years.”
“Like all good myths, User Friendly has elements that are a bit
implausible. But like all good myths, we look in the mirror and see
ourselves. Well we do if we’re Internet Geeks, anyway. It is a rare
breed User Friendly celebrates-the happy few who have given up
distractions like worldly success, social lives, and (much of the
time) sleep, in order to pursue the–really–important things. Like
the latest computer game. Or the perfect hack, evolved in
jewel-like splendor at 3am in the morning. Or keeping the Internet
running.”-Eric S. Raymond, author of “Cathedral & the Bazaar:
Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental
Revolutionary.”
“User Friendly” began in November of 1997 in–you guessed it–a
small Canadian ISP, as a lark to entertain co-workers. The online
cartoon quickly attracted a dedicated following which surpasses
monthly circulation numbers of most leading computer magazines.
“User Friendly” has become one of the most widely read web-based
cartoons on the Internet today. Dust Puppy, one of User Friendly’s
main characters, even made an appearance in the Top Ten on Time
Magazine’s Online Man of the Year Poll for 1998, according to Lev
Grossman of Time Magazine.”
“Someone once told me that working as a cartoonist must be a
really cushy gig. “Draw funny pictures all day! You have it easy.'”
says J.D. “Illiad” Frazer, “I took the time to explain what was
involved in facing a production deadline once a day, every day, 365
days a year. He gave me a glassy-eyed stare and then started
laughing. ‘Man it sucks to be you.’ But you know, I’m not
complaining!“