Posts tagged anti social

Poor treatment

Poor treatment published on 15 Comments on Poor treatment

Can you imagine treating your doctor this way?

Unfortunately, this is how many web developers and software developers are treated regularly by clients.
Due to website development being a pretty new occupation, there are still a lot of people out there that do not understand what goes in to making that cool website, or that awesome online application.

I have personally been on the receiving end of some pretty ridiculous and outright stupid requests by clients.
It is so common, that sites like Clients From Hell are able to exist and be filled with stories which at first seem totally fictional. But they are not.
But go and speak to someone who works in web development and ask them about horror clients. Every one of them will have a story to tell you.

My theory is that because the average person only sees the front end of websites, they have no idea of the coding work and time it takes to create a good web product. They do not get to “look under the hood” and see all the scripts, calls, CSS styles, etc.
If they did, there would be more understanding that this is REAL work, not just a hobby people do on computers in their spare time.
(Also, many “discount” operators such as outsourced development teams & unqualified designers help to perpetuate a myth that this work is cheap & easy to do)

Think about industries where customers have a better understanding of who the end result is produced:
– Customers would not tell a mechanic to throw in free extras just because they are in the engine anyway.
– Clients would not ask an architect to totally redesign a building plan once it is done, by 9am the next day, because their 6yr old son did not like it.
– House painters are not asked to re-paint a house for free, because the colour now looks different when viewed in the morning sun.
– Lawyers are not asked to work on a case for free, just because it may look good in their resume later.

Sadly, elements of all these things exist within the current client-web developer dynamic.
I, for one, hope this changes soon.


Anti Social Network

Anti Social Network published on 7 Comments on Anti Social Network

We should have guessed it would come to this…..

Seriously though, if you are a social networking user I am sure you have had someone say “that’s it! I am over it. I am leaving (insert social network name here).”
It may have even been yourself uttering those words and vowing to leave the fold.

Social networking is great and terrible both at the same time and is what I feel the internet is ultimately meant to deliver to us.

Social networks can bring us together, or make us feel lonely and unappreciated.
They allow us to highlight the fabulous things we do. But they also broadcast or failures and stupidity in speeds never before thought possible, to an audience beyond your imagining.

These networks goad us into wanting to be connected to others. To virtually scream “Look at me”.

And this same want to be part of the network can be a drug that, at times, you cannot stop.
You MUST update your status or play Zooville / Mafia wars, or the world will end!!

Disconnecting can be as beneficial as connecting and can often be the choice that, if taken, would have negated many issues we hear about on the web.
Many of the flame wars, twitter fights and facebook melees could have been stopped before they got ugly, just by putting down the mouse & backing away from the computer. That is not an easy thing to do though.

After all, that social network is all about YOU, isn’t it. People will take your side and back you unequivocally.
And YOU can say what you want to and no-one will want to put in their comment, because a fight in a public online space is private.
That is right, isn’t it?

No, of course it isn’t right.
So, if you are reading anything here that sounds familiar, I encourage you to handle Social networking situations in the way that I sometimes do.

Push back your chair, flip the bird to your computer screen and go for a short walk outside.
The internet will be there when you return – hopefully with your common sense reserves back at maximum.

By the way, if you do not know what “flip the bird” means, please enjoy this instructional video:

The Great Social Media Conspiracy

The Great Social Media Conspiracy published on 2 Comments on The Great Social Media Conspiracy

The Government is reading your tweets and plans to oppress you through facebook!

Social networks are just a front to get your information!
A grand conspiracy to place all an individuals information into massive government database so they can monitor & oppress you!

Well, that is the plan (if you believe in that sort of thing). Luckily, the internet has blown the lid off the top secret machinations so we can all be vigilant.

The curtain has been raised, and through the power of the internet, we now know so many things.
For example:

– Did you know that “Facebook is a CIA front” ?
– Obama plans to oppress you via Facebook ?
– The CIA uses facebook to recruit new operatives ?
– Twitter makes you dumber
– Twitter was created by mind control experts

So, as you casually tweet away, or play your facebook games, make sure your aluminium foil hat is on tight.

Those damn facebook games

Those damn facebook games published on 9 Comments on Those damn facebook games

One day, playing all those stupid games on facebook will catch up with you.

Let me get this out in the open – I really really hate those games on facebook.
Not the games themselves though.

I hate that even though I am not playing them, I still have to interact with them.
They force me to filter their information feeds, spend time ignoring or blocking requests to play them or writing messages to friends, asking them to stop telling me about their latest win in “BejewelFarmMafia poker”, or whatever.

And people already get obsessed with Facebook & other social media, so giving them a new addiction is not on, in my book.

It is all just so damn annoying.

Anway, that’s all I want to say on the matter.

So, feel free to leave a comment and vent your rage if you agree with what I am saying here.
(And no, I will not join your mob, guild or crew.)

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