buy your domains now!
David Pogue had an article in yesteday’s New York Times, all about the new offering from Microsoft called Office Live. Although lots of benefits abound with this idea — free website, free domain hosting, you can design a site yourself with a drag and drop tool application, and making this whole process overall easier for small businesses to have an online presence… As well as loading all kinds of fun mini-Microsoft applications onto your home computer while you are taking advantage of this service (ahem!). However, from my own particular view of the world, I fear this means that 1. we might be flooded with more not-great-looking online design and 2. whatever odd domain names are left out there are going to disappear in a flash.
If you are interested in the article, you can read it here (at least for the next five days).
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And I have a general poll question:
are template design solutions like this generally good for designers? I.e. the difference between custom and pre-packaged design is clear to the general public? Or, thinking of a former boss in polyester suits, does this mean that some realize getting things done fast and cheap is the best direction for online production, and lots of nice design compatriots take up woodworking?
I am a little torn on the idea — on the one hand, I like thinking of more modular forms of design that can be customized in the details to look, feel, and function as a unique operation. And, I think there are always things that we can learn from behavior patterns that are adopted quickly, tools that are easy to use. But, the pessimist angle says that not too many people care or can see the use of aesthetic discipline, so eventually our profession is doomed?
Which brings me back to woodworking. Or the sandwich shop. Which I am really looking forward to — because, at this point, if I don’t start logging fewer hours on the keyboard and tablet, I am going to have no wrists and only my left elboe by the year 2010.
November 3rd, 2006 at 8:52 am
Interesting question… I’m a bit torn on this one myself, but I think I’m overall in favor of templates for some things.
I don’t really think that they have a place in the professional world. But for the average consumer I think it’s great.
People are taking photos, recording videos and posting their thoughts online like never before and we can’t expect these people to learn how to code HTML or much less learn to design.
With that said I think the templates need to be tastefully designed and be easy to use. Apple seems to be doing a good job of this with iWeb and their new Mail application.
But I do feel strongly about keeping templatized design out of the professional world. I already feel that so much of design done for the internet is very disposable. The increased use of templates only feeds that feeling.
November 3rd, 2006 at 11:59 am
Even in my corporate slice of heaven, templates were at one time looked at like the Holy Grail. It became apparent quick though that things simply looked TOO common. It’s pretty funny, because the main goal for templates is generally to make updating and creation easier, but you have the extreme downside of everything looking the same.
Right now we’re exploring ways to create templates that are segment specific for rush projects… but we know the same issue will arise once again - after blasting out weekly emails… it all looks the same.
It’s bizarre because as a corporation, we want everything to look unified… but it’s so easy for the unification to become “boring as shit”.
I think ultimately, we’ll do custom designs for every campaign - just like we do now… it simply has a better quality factor.
As for websites… I think templates are from the Devil. BUUUURRRRN! Seriously though, they’re quick, easy, and lame. A buddy showed me a site the other day filled with templates for Flash-based websites… I was amazed at first… partly that you could make money selling templates… partly then that they were selling them so cheap (idiot kids)… and then at how restricted you really were.
At first, you might think that it’s perfect for a quick personal site… but how personal is it really? It’s not your design or effort. For companies that are cheap… it’s a quick solution… but then they want to end up adding this and adding that - and then the point of the template is worthless.
I kind of feel that templates should be more of a guide - a tool to help you build, create and learn on your own… and create something new & unique to you. Instead many seem look at them as a be-all-end-all solution… which only hurts them in the end.
November 10th, 2006 at 9:52 am
It all depends on if you’re designing for a client, or for the actual users. Clients (and designers) hate template-based design, because it’s not an original design. Users, on the other hand don’t care at all. Who wants to have to figure out how to read and navigate a site? What sites are really great to use? Craigslist. Ebay. Blogger is great, except for when people re-write the template too much, and confuse me.