the_pm
06-14-2004, 09:35 AM
This little rant may not make me the most popular person on this board, but I've always considered honesty to be one of my fortes, and some things just need to be said. So I guess I'll be the one to say them.
I have nothing against mass-produced template sites. I don't think it's a good idea to use them, and I'll get into that later, but I have absolutely nothing against them. I do get a little irked when someone tries to get more than they paid for, looking for advice on how to fix something they paid $60 to use. Here's why.
Templates are the cheap way out. Everyone knows this, and that's fine. Not everyone needs custom design and not everyone wants to wait for custom work to be completed. Sometimes the cheap way out is the best way out. But when I see posts on here asking designers to fix or help customize someone else's template, I have to believe this somehow cheapens our own value. The proper response should be "you paid $60 (or $600 for unique), go get your $60/$600 worth from the template site. Ask them to fix it for you." Otherwise, we volunteer ourselves to be the added value for the template sites, and they laugh all the way to the bank.
Now, will this stop me from helping someone out, even if they're using a template? No - this is a rant - I'll bitch about it once, which is what rants are for, and then I'll go back to helping however I can, because like every single person on this board, it is my nature to help the next guy out (and I always appreciate the help I get in return). I don't check to see whether or not a design is a template anyway. All I'm saying is that if you're having trouble with a template or want customization work done, you probably should have looked for a designer to do the custom work right from the start, instead of turning to those same designers later. Just think about this the next time you're browsing around Template Monster wondering which site-in-a-can to buy.
No offense to people who have done this. Just give it some thought - and see if perhaps you can get some of your questions answered by the site from which you bought your template. You did, after all, pay them for the work. It's not your fault they charged you next to nothing.
Now, why do I not think mass-produced templates are a good idea? Simple. It's like buying a car just because you like its color. "Oooh, pretty template! Must have for my site!" You don't know the designer, you don't know how/where the site has been tested, you don't know how the code was written, and even if you can view the source, you're on your own trying to figure out if it's done well or not. Basically, all you know is that you have room to place six links (so you'd better have six major topics to cover - no more, no less) or however many the template gives you, and it looks "kewl." Well, in the real world, the actual visual design work starts about 1/2-2/3 of the way through the design process - maybe more, maybe less, depending on the project. The "Kewl"ness is one of the last things to happen.
So you're taking a chance with your site. You're taking a chance that the rest of the world is seeing something it can use. You're taking a chance that people using alternative browsing devices can access your site (text browsers, PDAs, cell phones - getting very popular in certain regions of the world). Most of all, you're taking the chance that you'll get adequate support if/when things fall apart on you.
I guess I shouldn't complain. Three sites I released this year came from former template users. For the record, this rant is not in response to any particular post or series of posts. It's simply a general observation. So please do not take it as a personal affront!
So that's my rant. Thank you for listening - you've been a wonderful audience. I'm here Mondays and Thursdays. Try the veal.
;)
Paul H
I have nothing against mass-produced template sites. I don't think it's a good idea to use them, and I'll get into that later, but I have absolutely nothing against them. I do get a little irked when someone tries to get more than they paid for, looking for advice on how to fix something they paid $60 to use. Here's why.
Templates are the cheap way out. Everyone knows this, and that's fine. Not everyone needs custom design and not everyone wants to wait for custom work to be completed. Sometimes the cheap way out is the best way out. But when I see posts on here asking designers to fix or help customize someone else's template, I have to believe this somehow cheapens our own value. The proper response should be "you paid $60 (or $600 for unique), go get your $60/$600 worth from the template site. Ask them to fix it for you." Otherwise, we volunteer ourselves to be the added value for the template sites, and they laugh all the way to the bank.
Now, will this stop me from helping someone out, even if they're using a template? No - this is a rant - I'll bitch about it once, which is what rants are for, and then I'll go back to helping however I can, because like every single person on this board, it is my nature to help the next guy out (and I always appreciate the help I get in return). I don't check to see whether or not a design is a template anyway. All I'm saying is that if you're having trouble with a template or want customization work done, you probably should have looked for a designer to do the custom work right from the start, instead of turning to those same designers later. Just think about this the next time you're browsing around Template Monster wondering which site-in-a-can to buy.
No offense to people who have done this. Just give it some thought - and see if perhaps you can get some of your questions answered by the site from which you bought your template. You did, after all, pay them for the work. It's not your fault they charged you next to nothing.
Now, why do I not think mass-produced templates are a good idea? Simple. It's like buying a car just because you like its color. "Oooh, pretty template! Must have for my site!" You don't know the designer, you don't know how/where the site has been tested, you don't know how the code was written, and even if you can view the source, you're on your own trying to figure out if it's done well or not. Basically, all you know is that you have room to place six links (so you'd better have six major topics to cover - no more, no less) or however many the template gives you, and it looks "kewl." Well, in the real world, the actual visual design work starts about 1/2-2/3 of the way through the design process - maybe more, maybe less, depending on the project. The "Kewl"ness is one of the last things to happen.
So you're taking a chance with your site. You're taking a chance that the rest of the world is seeing something it can use. You're taking a chance that people using alternative browsing devices can access your site (text browsers, PDAs, cell phones - getting very popular in certain regions of the world). Most of all, you're taking the chance that you'll get adequate support if/when things fall apart on you.
I guess I shouldn't complain. Three sites I released this year came from former template users. For the record, this rant is not in response to any particular post or series of posts. It's simply a general observation. So please do not take it as a personal affront!
So that's my rant. Thank you for listening - you've been a wonderful audience. I'm here Mondays and Thursdays. Try the veal.
;)
Paul H