Back Home

Open Designs

Community. Driven.

General Talk: [Off topic] Pondering on job offer...

Bottom of Page

1 to 7 of 7

  1.  
    •  
      CommentAuthorjanpd24
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007
     
    Hmm... well... tomorrow I'm off to see this guy about a possible job managing an online community! I can't say any more now, obviously, but they do have a lot of "Web 2.0" aspirations. As far as the WWW goes, they are an old community - the biggest in their particular field - and predictably, have plans for the future.

    However, on taking a look at what lies beneath, I was shocked to find that they have a table-based design! Well, not shocked exactly, but more "Ha! I knew it!" Also, their home page has five crowded columns - I thought anything more than three columns is a Web 2.0 no-no, unless there is some good reason. They don't validate either because - yes, you guessed it - no doctype declaration!

    While their layout and design is not going to be any of my business, I found it amusing to see that the term "Web 2.0" gets thrown around so easily, yet there is no understanding of standards compliance. I know that it is a very complex and content-heavy site, with live content going on all the time, but is that an excuse?

    I thought I'd share all that you guys, and also hear what you have to say! Depending on how things go tomorrow, I might post the URL for everyone to take a look at! wink
    • CommentAuthorDraicone
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007
     
    Well, I've worked on sites in this sort of situation before, and I suggest you offer your services to recode it in XHTML if this is the case. Forget the whole web 2.0 standards compliance thing - most users won't bother validating a page - sell the idea to them with the bandwidth savings. If they're a popular site like you imply, switching to XHTML/CSS is worth the effort, and some people will a basic one page conversion for about $60 - this guy included.

    As for web 2.0, consider your role should not be limited to managing the community. If you can assist in other areas, and they're willing to pay you, go for it. If its a decent job, take it. Where there's potential, go for it.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLobsterMan
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007
     
    Well, some people try. My first job was working for a huge portal, converting their design to valid XHTML and CSS, but when it came time to port it to their archaic self-built CMS, the person in charge didn't understand standards, and it lost the validation in the process.
    •  
      CommentAuthorarwen54
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007
     
    yep...my employer is using an outdated CMS...it's a horrible CGI app that uses a ton of resources...and their site is all tables...I brought it up once...offered to recode the site in CSS and XHTML and the president of the company said he didn't think the CMS would support the changes...of course it would...but anyway it's frustrating for me because I know their site could be way better...if people don't want to change, you can't force them...

    Payal, good luck with the interview!
    •  
      CommentAuthorjanpd24
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007
     
    Yeah, well, it's like you say, Karen, some people don't want to change, and you can't make them see the light, so to speak! But my main grouse with this job is that they want me to work from the office. That's a bit silly because the web has neither a location nor timings! And I prefer being on my own.

    And I felt a bit annoyed after having to hear a whole lot about the great things they're going to do, but they don't know a thing about validation or why a table-based design is a bad thing!

    anyway, let's see how it goes!
    •  
      CommentAuthorDENiAL
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007
     
    That's what my current project is, Converting a site from tables to xhtml/css. It's really not very much fun. :)
    • CommentAuthorMattKern
    • CommentTimeFeb 25th 2007 edited by MattKern on the 25th February 2007 at 13:04:50 EST
     
    How ironic a topic.

    I am at this moment updating a design for my wifes OSCommerce.

    Nothing like having to trace through 5 different include files to track down a "<tr><td>" tag surrounded by 100 lines of PHP!

    I am throwing in some CSS where it will make my life easier in the future with updates, but do the whole site correctly, well, that would be a year long project and I don't really want to know that much about OSCommerce...

    It is always a cost/return thing when dealing with legacy code/designs.

1 to 7 of 7

  1.