This weekend I found myself at the Waterin Trough country-western bar in St Petersburg. As I took in the sights at what the DJ proclaimed the largest dance floor in Florida, I observed four distinct types of people among the line-dancing masses. Each type of dancer corresponded to a different level of amateur or professional web designer.
The first type had never done this before. For the thirty seconds I got dragged onto the dance floor, this was the group to which I belonged. Everyone was moving so fast, I couldn’t find the patterns and structure that dictated everyone’s motions. What I could find, my body couldn’t do. On the web, this person puts his titles in <blink> tags and his main copy in <font face=”Comic Sans”>. His page background is possibly tiled and animated, and his footer is on fire.
The second type had possibly line danced once or twice before, but hadn’t quite grasped the fundamentals. When his right foot should have been going forward, it was going back. When he should have been turning left, he was turning right. But at least he was turning. A comparable web designer knows that tables are bad, but wraps text in <span class=”red italic”>. His drop shadows are dense and extend for 30 pixels. His background is a gradient from full black to bright red. This designer is completely lacking in subtlety.
The third type had been watching carefully and practicing regularly. He was always in rhythm and on step, with moves executed in exact precision with the expected steps. A designer in this group writes clean, semantic code to execute tasteful designs that are based on Apple’s latest flavor. Usability is no problem, and his style mimics current trends. This designer fits well into the professional pack, but does not stand out.
The fourth and final type was a joy to watch. He’d been doing the two-step since he took his baby steps, and spent a lot of time learning the fundamentals so he could exploit them. When the crowd was turning right, he was shimmying in the same direction. When the crowd carefully stepped forward and back, he glided with flair each way. A web designer on this level creates something new out of existing elements. He has mastered the grid and breaks it with purpose. His designs shine in the details, and inspire others to ascend to his level. This designer is a master of his craft.
My night as an outsider at the Waterin Trough made for a great people-watching experience, and caused me to consider my own place inside the web design community.
If only the music didn’t make my ears bleed.
Wonderful comparison. I am pretty sure you are not of the first type.
Comments are disabled for this item
© 2007-2008 Ryan Berg // Built with Django // Hosted on WebFaction
Discussion