Watcher, Nice link... A lot to ponder and pounce upon.
Webmaster Reviews: Beware: Webmasters Everywhere!!
Posted by: ahmad on Friday, September 20, 2002 - 07:29 AM EST
New web sites flourish everyday on the Net while thousands of others are constantly being updated. According to a recent poll conducted at ArticleCentral.com, 65% of online users have personal websites. As incredible as it sounds, we are exposed to an increasing number of webmasters. This means more competition, different viewpoints, and certainly more content. But on the other side of the coin, are the so-called ‘webmasters’ really a pro? Don’t they infringe on web development laws too often? Let us now explore the world of webmasters.
New web sites flourish everyday on the Net while thousands of others are constantly being updated. According to a recent poll conducted at ArticleCentral.com, 65% of online users have personal websites. As incredible as it sounds, we are exposed to an increasing number of webmasters. This means more competition, different viewpoints, and certainly more content. But on the other side of the coin, are the so-called ‘webmasters’ really a pro? Don’t they infringe on web development laws too often? Let us now explore the world of webmasters.
Why so many webmasters?
Good question. To answer this, let us give a definition of web design:
“Web design is a mixture of science and art, inspiration, and, ultimately of frustration and elation.â€
Luckily, these feelings are reserved only to webmasters who have to face frames, tables, limited color palettes, ASCII text, and the multiple browsers and platforms that are always changing. It is a really challenging medium and some webmasters take a lot of time to get comfortable in this frustrating and intimidating medium. Webmasters are, in other words, programmers, editors, designers, publishers, and audiovisual technicians who work hard in delivering web content. This sense of pleasure and challenge may be a reason that explains the rise of webmasters on the net.
The rise of webmaster’s resource sites, which contain tons of tutorials, articles, and tools, has given the opportunities to thousands of us to taste web development. We often ‘digest’ numerous tutorials to broaden our knowledge. This has certainly generated more webmasters.
Technology has now given the opportunity to thousands of us to build websites with only a few simple mouse clicks. Someone with no knowledge of HTML or any programming knowledge can use the numerous software titles or online site builders to generate a website within seconds.
Another reason may be that it is easier to express something on the web that targets many people and thus you can be easily heard.
More content and competition
The primary use of the internet is to publish content and with the many webmasters around, we’re exposed to more content which is a very good thing as long as it is not like everyone’s else.
More webmasters also means more competition and challenge for other webmasters. There’s also been a tremendous decrease in the price of building web sites with the arrival of more and more webmasters.
So far, so good, so what?
So far, we've seen that having an increasing number of webmasters can in a way be beneficial to the web. But on the other side of the coin, is it a good thing? Something important needs to be mentioned. Having more webmasters means that many users are familiar with web technologies and you should consider this important fact while building your page. Don’t think you can trick or fool online users easily! The former might have a sound knowledge in web site development. You should also review the usability of your site often.
Now that we have many webmasters, how far do they respect the web design rules? Don’t they brag too much about their poor sites, which spoils the web? I make an appeal to them to please respect the web and internet medium.
The so-called ‘webmasters’
These so-called webmasters have spread their tentacles over the web. Considering them as pros in the web industry, they come up with web sites that should be classified as prehistoric. Their inadequate knowledge makes them misuse web technologies and infringe on web development laws too often.
Their web page bulged out with loads of Java Applets which result in browser crashes while their multicolored flashing animations drive you insane with their blinking text “Look at me!! Love me!! WORSHIP ME!!!.†Instead of ‘KISS’ing (Keep It Simple, Stupid), their websites, they’d rather ‘KOOL’ (Keep On Over Loading) them! Their web pages are usually modified, ready-made web site templates or have been generated with one of those online site builders. Or their sites are like others, with a couple of images that they stole off another site and called it “Joe’s Web Siteâ€. A website has to be unique and provide interesting content that you can't find anywhere else.
Can the prestigious position of ‘webmaster’ be attributed to them? No way, they simply aren’t worth it…
The Ideal Webmaster
The ideal webmaster is one who masters web technologies. He or she has a sound knowledge and knows how to apply them to his/her own website(s). He or she fully investigates the strengths and weaknesses of each technology before using it online. The ideal webmaster is intimately familiar with core web technologies like HTML and CSS to combat potential execution problems.
For a small organization, a webmaster might be enough and the latter know-how should be extended to various fields of web development like design, coding, graphics, testing, and maintenance. In larger organizations, a webmaster's task might be restricted to coordinating the editors, graphic designers, programmers, or the testing team during the web site building process. But still, he or she should be fairly familiar with the various technologies in the web industry.
It's easy to distinguish the ideal Webmaster. He's one who hasn't left any stone unturned in his site and has tailored it for the different users tastes and moods. And its one who has a touch of professionalism in the finish of his site; not one of those sites filled with assorted components like counters which is being powered by another site. He would rather make his own counter.
Conclusion
Well, before you start thinking, these are only my opinions, I believe that lots of web surfers share my point of view. Like most things in life, its hard for a group of people to come to an agreement especially with a discussion in web design which often quickly gets off track since opinions vary dramatically in this subject area.
A phrase that I’ve coined says “Users Are NOT Webmasters†but I think it should be re-phrased into “Users ARE Webmastersâ€. But one thing, please keep that prestigious name of ‘webmaster’ only to those who deserve it.
The so-called ‘webmasters’ should not get discouraged early on. Everyone has to start somewhere and learn from his or her mistakes. Keep working on it, use the resources on this site, and your site will improve and you can call yourself an ideal webmaster too.
by Ahmad Permessur from
www.edevcafe.com
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