Sunday, October 23, 2005
Websites are certainly time sinks....
I claim to not know how I got into this state but, actually, I DO know. I have a bad case of Website Fiddling.
The first evidence of this was when I volunteered to take on the webmistress duties for my local RWA Chapter - i.e. I took on http://www.eastsiderwa.org. Prior to that I had disguised my strong opinions on web page look and feel with the excuse that because I am a software test engineer, I am automatically entitled to gripe about customer experience.
Yah, right....
I guess I could still try to use that excuse but I'm not sure just how well it will fly anymore.
So far I've just maintained the website as I inherited it but I have some plans to try to create a more interesting and useful site and, at the same time, get rid of the legacy code and junk that is hanging around. I'm Fiddling with a concept website to show to the board RSN (Real Soon Now).
Then I decided I needed my own web page. That's all fine and good and I started to create one for my fiction (http://www.realmsoftheraven.com). Then the Fiddling in earnest began....
Wait - it's too boring. Needs more color.
Wait - it's not got enough structure, need to set up tables to contain information.
Wait - that font is nice on my computer but renders in Times Roman and loses its effect on anyone else's. I need to make graphic objects instead of just typing text...
and on and on it goes.
Then, goddess help me, I decided I needed a separate website for my technical work. I have a book contracted and a webinar presentation in a few weeks that I'm spending lots of time on. Plus, honestly, I have more completed material for that site.
So it starts again for my technical site (http://www.mauravanderlinden.com).
Last night I looked at the clock and it was 11pm. I thought that was fine and I'd just get these last buttons created and set up and then I'd go to bed. I swear about 20 minutes later I looked up and it was 2AM. Not good since I had a kid's birthday party to endure at 11:30AM!
Thankfully it was my husband's day to get up with our 4 year old.
So - My name is Maura and I'm a Website Fiddler.....
Hey, maybe I can teach a short class on Frontpage to other chapter members.....
I claim to not know how I got into this state but, actually, I DO know. I have a bad case of Website Fiddling.
The first evidence of this was when I volunteered to take on the webmistress duties for my local RWA Chapter - i.e. I took on http://www.eastsiderwa.org. Prior to that I had disguised my strong opinions on web page look and feel with the excuse that because I am a software test engineer, I am automatically entitled to gripe about customer experience.
Yah, right....
I guess I could still try to use that excuse but I'm not sure just how well it will fly anymore.
So far I've just maintained the website as I inherited it but I have some plans to try to create a more interesting and useful site and, at the same time, get rid of the legacy code and junk that is hanging around. I'm Fiddling with a concept website to show to the board RSN (Real Soon Now).
Then I decided I needed my own web page. That's all fine and good and I started to create one for my fiction (http://www.realmsoftheraven.com). Then the Fiddling in earnest began....
Wait - it's too boring. Needs more color.
Wait - it's not got enough structure, need to set up tables to contain information.
Wait - that font is nice on my computer but renders in Times Roman and loses its effect on anyone else's. I need to make graphic objects instead of just typing text...
and on and on it goes.
Then, goddess help me, I decided I needed a separate website for my technical work. I have a book contracted and a webinar presentation in a few weeks that I'm spending lots of time on. Plus, honestly, I have more completed material for that site.
So it starts again for my technical site (http://www.mauravanderlinden.com).
Last night I looked at the clock and it was 11pm. I thought that was fine and I'd just get these last buttons created and set up and then I'd go to bed. I swear about 20 minutes later I looked up and it was 2AM. Not good since I had a kid's birthday party to endure at 11:30AM!
Thankfully it was my husband's day to get up with our 4 year old.
So - My name is Maura and I'm a Website Fiddler.....
Hey, maybe I can teach a short class on Frontpage to other chapter members.....
posted by Maura Anderson at 10:14 PM
