Re: website update

Fuzzy:

You replied:

>
> Sorry Ted, I didn't read past this point in your reply yet, but this begs
> me to ask:
>
> Have *you* ever met a (serious) business person that had time to turn
> customers away? How about frustrate and maybe even anger customers - at
> random?
>>>>SNIP<<<<<

Please go back and read the rest of it.

For the life of me, I do not see how the things I advocated would either
frustrate and/or anger anyone.

Basically I advised Jennifer to simplify the task for her client and have
the client buy the tool to do the work--IF-- that is really what her client
wanted to do. Granted--she might give it some thought before she asks her
client to buy a copy of FP for her own use.

However--that's exactly what happened in my case. I was still quite happy
with my original FrontPage. When I suggested to a client that if he wanted
to work on the pages himself he had two choices. (1) Devote enough time away
from his business to become proficient in HTML -- or (2) Buy a WYSIWYG
editor and we would create a simple template for him to use.

For him, spending a few dollars rather than WEEKS learning a foreign
language was a no brainer. When he found his copy of FP was newer than mine,
he promptly purchased a second copy and gave it to me as a bonus, just so we
would both be using the same software when he called for help. It worked out
great and we have developed a good friendship even though he later, (2
years), sold his business at a nice profit and went back to his first
love--Flight Instruction.

Twice more, I have advised a client to run out and buy the EVIL FrontPage.
And twice more I had (have) very satisfied clients.

On this list, we tend to talk in academic niceities and we do tend to forget
that the "clients" we have, could mostly care less about HTML. True--some of
them are do it yoursel-ers but still they have a business to run. They are
dress makers or used car salesmen or whatever. They are NOT HTML gurus and
certainly don't want to take the time to become one.

That's why FrontPage has--in a few short years--became the single most
popular HTML editor in the WORLD. Some may not like it all that much but it
is a fact of life.

As Paul pointed out about service based economies, more and more want to do
things themselves. But why try to fight it?? You make just as much money as
a consultant--maybe a lot more--than pounding out code.

And --AS HAS BEEN SAID OVER AND OVER--it is just a HANDY tool. Use it or
cuss it but you have to realize that given the choice, if they see a skill
saw lying around, most people will use it rather than a hand saw, to cut the
ocassional two by four. Granted--in both cases, you have to measure where
you want to cut. But on this list we tend to blame the skill saw because
someone forgets to measure.

Then there is the business of making things EASY for our clients.

Say you took your grand daughter to the range to learn about guns from
you--rather than some teenager. On that all important first time out--would
you insist she learn to use "iron sights" on a 30-06 like grandpa or would
you give her a gentle .22 with a four power scope so she could take that
target home, feeling a good sense of accomplishment and proudly show off her
nice one inch group??

Tools are tools. They are SUPOSED TO make things easy.
Best wishes
Ted Temer
Temercraft Designs Redding, CA
temer(at)c-zone.net
www.temercraft.com/novels/
www.newsredding.com/
www.ramac-rc.org/

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