Aug 23, 2007

Pfff… I could make a website, big deal.

Maybe I just don’t get out of the house much, maybe I spend too much time reading and not socializing (in the real world at least) but it has become apparent to me that there are still a LOT of people who believe anyone can “make a website”.

Someone recently said to my girlfriend, “…your boyfriend makes websites?? Pfff… I could make a website, big deal.”

Thanks man.

First of all, saying “make a website” to begin with is sort of like saying “make a computer program.” Technically you could say that, but if you wanted to describe it more accurately you’d say “write” or “build” or even “develop” a computer program. I guess people just don’t think that way when it comes to websites.

Now I can and have written programs in many different computer programming languages but that doesn’t mean I could do it professionally, meaning efficiently, on any large scale using complex features and in a reasonable amount of time. So maybe I should be saying that I design professional websites.

I believe websites have a different range of complexity than computer programs. For instance, you could absolutely write a plain text file and serve it as your website. A single page text file is the entire site? I’m pretty sure you can’t do that with a traditional computer programming language not that you’d want to.

So the bar starts a lot lower for website design which means entry into the market is very simple. (I was getting paid for building websites when I was 15.)

So even though saying anyone can design a website is partially true, I’m saying don’t act like an ignorant fool by spouting off about something you know nothing about.

I’m going to get back to wasting my time doing something that any old idiot with a computer can do but before I go, here’s a great article on this topic that inspired me to write this quick post:

A Great Web Developer is a Great Application Developer

29 Comments, Comment or Ping

Sharon

My husband would say “here, here” to that! He is a Web Developer/Designer who has a BA in fine arts and Diploma in Web Development with years and years under his belt. Yes anyone can throw something up and call it a website but how does it function, what does it look like, does it have appeal, pazaz?!? www.vonzipper.com the North America link takes you to my hubbies new baby! As you can see I am very proud of him.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Heidi Cool

Yes, anyone can make a Web site, but few can make a good one–including many “professionals.” It’s really a craft, and whether one specializes in programming or content, the trick is understanding how the following pieces come together:

organizing content in a way that will makes sense to users
creation of intuitive navigational structures
understanding the goals of the site, and the content required to achieve those goals while also providing the information the visitor expects to find
making the site accessible to those with differing abilities and/or user agents
making the site aesthetically pleasing
taking care with typography to ensure maximum readability
and of course understanding HTML, CSS and other applicable tools

Learning HTML is easy, understanding the big picture takes time.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Better Blogging with Michael Martine

Sure, anybody can make a website. Just like anybody can microwave some instant mac & cheez.

But we still have master chefs, don’t we?

Yeah.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Z. Glass

I wish I would have read this BEFORE I wasted valuable time trying to construct my own site. AFTER I spent NUMEROUS weeks trying to build a quality ecommerce site off a template, I realized I needed an expert. Great advice!

Z. Glass
Author of “25 Reasons Why I Won’t Hire You!”
www.25ReasonsWhy.com

Aug 23rd, 2007
WebGyver

Of course, the people who REALLY should be reading this…are not.

So you go out and hit the pavement, trying to find web site design & development projects. Then you come across this very clever dude who says that Captain Frontpage can do a “custom” web site for him for about $250.

Captain Frontpage, of course, is a high school student who lives in his parents’ house — no worries about health care, mortgage payments or utilities.

And you try to convince people like that about the value of well-crafted, well-planned and well-developed web sites. After which the very clever dude pulls out a 10-page web site proposal for a $1,000 web site with all the bells and whistles he could ever want (plus a shopping cart), built by a company from India who has done 100s of them — and they have the links to prove it.

Don’t get me wrong: I am not bitter about any of this, and I actually do enjoy a good project when it finally comes along, but it’s getting harder and harder . . . until something is going to happen that will separate the chaff from the wheat. I hope.

WebGyver

Working on the web since 1996. Making web stuff out of bubble gum, ball point pens and ordinary household cleaners.

Aug 23rd, 2007
dennisplucinik

Oh man. That’s the funniest frigging comment ever.

Tell me you used paper clips, rubber bands and a straw to make forums too.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Kathleen Maher

Not entirely on topic but the level of weird misunderstanding might be parallel. Do you ever watch the NBC TV show, “The Office?” In one episode an older worker asks the intern to set a blog up for him. The intern isn’t so sure it’s a good idea–the man is strange–and so starts him off with a Word Document named “http://www.theguysname.blogs.com”
Then in an aside the intern says when he looks at what the guys writing there, the intern suspects it would get them both in trouble. Even the internet has limits.
Not the same thing, I know. But the man thinks he’s writing a blog; chances are next season he’ll think he can make a website.

Aug 23rd, 2007
WebGyver

Actually, a very wise man recently taught me that you don’t “make” a forum.

WebGyver

PS: You’re not too far off, of course, I did use paper clips, rubber bands and a straw, however, I also needed some caffeine and the aluminum-like wrapper from a chocolate bar.

Aug 23rd, 2007
dennisplucinik

I like to use the aluminum from Red Bull cans.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Heidi Cool

If you can’t “make” a forum, perhaps you can use the chocolate that came from that wrapper to draw people to the forum.

Does no one else use duct tape to build their sites? It now comes in 216 “Web-safe” colors.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Jaz

Yeah well, I used to think that was really easy too. Uh huh. Easy IF you have a site builder tool at your disposal, which I did at the time (this was years ago when I thought I had a brain).

Now, my husband develops our websites. He handed me an up and running Wordpress blog to fill. Oh yeah, I sure do think I can make a website. ACK!!

I agree with you. The person who said that was likely thinking like I did at the beginning. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. (I like your blog)

Aug 23rd, 2007
dennisplucinik

Thank you! I know this is a funny issue and it looks like it struck a nerve with you all. I’m glad I could provide a platform to vent at least.

NY SEO - are MLM scams, spammers and get rich quick schemes included in those stats? I’d imagine the failure rate would be up around 99.99% with all of that crap.

You know on a side note, with the coming around of Wordpress and other blogging platforms, I believe you really can do well if you have great content, and by “doing well” I mean getting traffic. What you choose to do with that traffic after the fact is a different story. Of course there are other factors to determining success, but content is your foundation.

Heidi you’re dead on btw and I agree HTML is easy to get started, so is CSS, Javascript, PHP & pretty much anything else. You can “Hello World” in just about any language in under an hour… but try learning ALL the languages THOROUGHLY and know how to use them TOGETHER and continue learning enough to not fall behind on new tech like RoR, AJAX, JS Libraries, E-Commerce platforms, PHP frameworks, etc. Now you have a Web Designer.

Aug 23rd, 2007
dennisplucinik

Regarding making blogs using tools like Wordpress, it’s really astounding how easy it is to use and how quick you can have something up and running, but when I had my blog hosted on Wordpress, I felt choked by the restrictions. Now that it’s hosted on my own domain, I’m comforted by the fact that I can get in and modify the PHP.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Will

I agree. I get frustrated at how much time it takes just to maintain a WordPress blog. Things like upgrading to the latest version, backing up and customizing templates really should be easier. But, compared to designing a good quality website from scratch, I don’t think I could or even would want to do that.

Aug 23rd, 2007
Rachel

Good point! I love the comments you got on this one! Too funny! duct tape in 216 colors! lol!

Aug 23rd, 2007
indobloger

inspiring article. i think i could make a website, but i couldn’t. i just use os web application for free.

Aug 23rd, 2007
AussieCynic

G’day Dennis

Great points you raised here…. I have used wordpress…. to get started then checked out a few of the other ones getting around…. I thought when I started oh yeh that’ll be fun….. and it is to a certain degree but it is also the time and mental thinking required thats the trick….yep anyone can make a website…. but not everyone can make it work…
the differrence between ordinary and extraordinary is that little bit extra….

Aug 24th, 2007
lupideloop

I have always seen it a designing a website!

And I definitely never thought that it was an easy job! Even a simple One-Page site needs a modicum of computer knowledge if it is to be anywhere near presentable!

Aug 24th, 2007
NY SEO

Not only does everyone think they can build a site. Everyone thinks their lame idea or product is worth setting up a site for.

But I guess that keeps us employed.

Many times I feel like the grinch when I tell people it takes much more than just throwing up a site to be unsuccessful or even profitable online.

I heard a recent study that says 99 percent of online businesses fail, which is higher than the failure rate of brick-and-mortar businesses.

Aug 24th, 2007
Marvia

It is always good to hear this kind of frank reminder not to get the plumber to sew your curtains! Neither should I the ..what am I again?….uummm, attempt to do web design or such. Although I’m open to learning
Great post.

Aug 24th, 2007
james lee stanley

dennis, i am a composer, a recording artist, and a performer. it’s what i’ve done all my life. and every day i hear people who think that they’ve written a song; i see performers who don’t understand that they are in the spotlight to entertain; i hear recordings made by amateurs that are more than painful. everyone thinks that they can do everything. but you always hear the difference when a pro does it. the same for you, pal. rest easy, there are still crowds of people who know what a pro is and why you hire them. by the way, i didn’t build my website, i hired someone. and i wouldn’t mind hiring someone to show me how to maximize my blog impact. i’m reading everything i can get my hands on, but some of it is just over my head. don’t know how to get there to do what is suggested.
in any event, here’s another here here.
james

Aug 24th, 2007
dennisplucinik

James I’m available for consulting on this stuff, just drop me an email - dennis[at]dennisplucinik[dot]com

Thanks for the thumbs up too btw, glad you liked the article.

Aug 24th, 2007
RennyBA

I do agree: A Great Web Developer is a Great Application Developer and you’ve proved it by your blog and this readable post!

Aug 24th, 2007
James

I was going to write a blog article about this very thing, but rather then flood the internet with repeat content google brought me to this article.

I agree completely that many people look at web design/programming as easy. Perhaps it’s all the non related college majors who took an html class or maybe it’s the abundance of wysiwyg editors available, I don’t know, but it can be frustrating.

Oct 15th, 2007
dennisplucinik

I ought to write an article about how poor of an outlook I have for the kids graduating from college recently. Maybe it’s just reality though scary nonetheless and I’m the inexperienced one who never realized that graduating from college doesn’t automatically make you not an idiot.

I’ve been considering recently what the point of even telling anyone you have a college degree is if you actually have intelligence/talent/etc.

Oct 16th, 2007