Web Designer Business Owner vs Nerd

In the United States, there are two different types of people, when you ask someone their opinion. There are those that actually own a business and then there are those that do not. This is the only major difference in the United States that matters. A business owner has a completely different perspective to things, that the casual person does not. The business owner has to answer to his clients. The business owner has to make sure that his product is nearly perfect. The business owner has to make sure that if his product leaves his hands, it will continue to perform as expected afterwards. A business owner cannot afford to create a product , that he guarantees, that falls apart.

This specifically applies to web design. I am a web designer. I have clients. I create web sites. I have to answer to clients. I cannot create a web site or web page, and have it completely break, a year later. This is opposed to a web design nerd. A web design nerd knows web design, but he doesn’t have to answer to anyone. He doesn’t create product. He doesn’t answer to clients. He doesn’t even care if in a years time, something he made breaks.

And, this is the big divide behind the new standard coming out in the HTML language.

For those of you not into web design, there is a new standard of HTML [ the programing language, web designers like me use to create web pages ] that is going to be the new standard, but in 2014.

Everyone is rushing to use the new HTML5 right NOW. But, when I go to a site that discusses the standardization process, they always talk about the “FEEDBACK” part. This part says that, after putting out a working set, designers, LIKE ME, can give them feedback and they will change it.

So the dilemma is, if I make a website today with current HTML5 settings, In a year, will the website be broken? Or do I just continue with HTML4 and make sure it is perfect. Why do I ask? Because HTML4 will still work in 2020. They are not going to build browsers that will ignore it.

Am I saying, I will never learn HTML5? No, not for a year at least. Other than stupid clients that have heard about HTML5 and requested it, who turned out to not be a client. Until all browsers support it and it is approved, I will not mess with HTML5.

The nerds can cheer about HTML5 all they want. They don’t have deadlines to meet, people to schmooze and products that have to be fail proof.

I find this is the great divide in our political system too. Those of us who make payroll  and know taxes, vs those of us who simply show up to work.