Mark Nuyens

I'm Mark Nuyens,

a web developer who loves clean design and clear code.

I'm a full-stack developer from The Netherlands and founder of Emozio, LabNet, and others. I am passionate about designing and building human-friendly web applications. Check out my work, read my articles, or just follow me around.

Read more about me β†’

Gold Rush

8 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

For years, web developers have been trained to build webpages using the most specific and semantic markup, hoping it would make their websites more accessible and, well, crawlable by search engines. Developers added β€˜alt’ attributes to images, intended both as a fallback when images couldn’t load and as an accessibility feature.

Open Source

5 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

The open-source movement has taken an intriguing turn in recent years. Beyond the concerns about open-source software being consumed for AI training, there seems to be mounting pressure on these projects from third parties seeking to profit from the work of others.

Validation Theory

6 min. read🌌 Science (Fiction)

Simulation theory has been a popular topic for debate, yet I’ve always perceived the reasoning behind it as too clean, even mythical. It suggests that some "overlord" speciesβ€”whether human or otherwise or from another dimensionβ€”has created us within a computer program, leaving us to live out our existence in a simulation.

Design Language

4 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

Apple has long been celebrated for its commitment to visual design, but this focus sometimes comes at the cost of user experience. The Magic Mouse is a clear example: while its sleek appearance aligns with Apple’s aesthetic values, its ergonomic flaws highlight a design that prioritizes form over function.

Native Apps

8 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

I've followed Apple's practices for many years, and time and again, I reach the same conclusion: web apps have the potential to simplify many aspects of our digital lives. This made me wonder: why should we need to install anything at all when the same interface could be accessed through a browser?

Digital Disalignment

8 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

When purchasing a physical product, we often rely on specific features as an assurance of its value over time. Additionally, whether it's a washing machine, hair dryer, or coffee machine, these products come with warranties that promise quality, durability and consistent performance

Knowledge vs. Information

7 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

Google has long been the dominant force on the web, providing access to the world’s information by crawling the web, one page at a time. Apart from minor tweaks, Google hadn't significantly changed Search until its recent major event focused on AI, where it introduced AI Overviews.

The Future

6 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

Last week, Japan announced it would officially stop using the floppy disk. This got me thinking; I vividly remember using this piece of technology back in high school. It served many purposes, but mostly it was for carrying documents from one computer to another.

Notification Noise

6 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

Push notifications have become a defining feature of our digital lives. Small pop-ups, often disguised as helpful reminders or enticing updates, have embedded themselves into our daily routines, contributing to a growing epidemic of phone addiction and digital distraction.

Great Reset

5 min. readπŸ“±Β Technology

The emergence of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT has undoubtedly revolutionized our world, impacting many jobs and tasks. As a web developer and writer, I cannot overstate how much these tools have allowed me to expand beyond my skill set and learn a lot in the process.

Read more articles Β β†’

Newsletter

Receive a fresh article in your inbox every two weeks or so. 😏

Pinned Article

Data Point

The collection and use of personal data has been a topic of growing concern in recent years. From the ubiquitous cookie popups to more comprehensive laws designed to protect user privacy, it has become clear that individuals are increasingly valuing their personal information.

Pinned Tip

Using $fillable for validation

The "fillable" property on your Eloquent models might just be a sensible place to put your validation logic. After all, given how this list is practically part of validation, it would be a waste not to use that same structure for defining the rules respectively.

Pinned Project

Offline November

Offline November is a campaign that I created to encourage people to power down their smartphones for an entire month in favor of promoting healthy smartphone usage.

Careers

  1. Freelance Web Developer
    Company
    Emozio Interactive
    Role
    Freelance Web Developer
    Location
    Haarlem, NL
    Date
  2. Web Developer - Internship/Employed
    Company
    Studio Stomp
    Role
    Web Developer - Internship/Employed
    Location
    Amsterdam, NL
    Date
  3. UX Designer - Internship/Employed
    Company
    Service2Media
    Role
    UX Designer - Internship/Employed
    Location
    Amersfoort, NL
    Date
  4. Web Development & Maintenance
    Company
    Heemskerk Innovative Technology
    Role
    Web Development & Maintenance
    Location
    Delft, NL
    Date
  5. Graphic Designer - Internship
    Company
    Digimedo & Shirtsenzo
    Role
    Graphic Designer - Internship
    Location
    Zaandam, NL
    Date
  6. Retail Store Employee
    Company
    ANWB Travel Shop
    Role
    Retail Store Employee
    Location
    Haarlem & Hoofddorp, NL
    Date
Download CV

Education

  1. Communication & Multimedia Design
    School
    Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
    Role
    Communication & Multimedia Design
    Date
  2. Interactive Design
    School
    Media College Amsterdam
    Role
    Interactive Design
    Date
  3. Graphic Studies - VMBO
    School
    Linnaeus College Haarlem
    Role
    Graphic Studies - VMBO
    Date