Why This Page

So, a few years ago, I retired as a pipe major and was supposed to help afterward with the band website and communication. I was then told that my help was not required because one of the members knew how to build a website that would automatically update, take revisions instantly, and copy material. All without human intervention.

I said, "Okay, that doesn't exist yet and even then you would still have issues with copyright and you will still have to tweak the HTML on occasion."

I heard nothing for a while but was asked to attend a meeting or two about the web page, they needed help. I asked that they have a current band member who had worked hard on our member's only page attend. They said, "No, she is irrelevant to the band."

She quit. A very talented programming asset, drummer, and a good friend.

I attended these sessions. I was hit with crazy questions like:

• "If we change the web page design, do we have to get a new server?"
• "Why can't we change the band URL to one already registered to another group?"
• "Why can't we get more hits automatically?"
• "We cannot afford a programmer to do updates. How can we update?"
• "We want to block visitors but don't want a 'members only' page? How can we block people without programming or software?"
• "My boyfriend's page looks like everybody else's, why do we have to look different?

The tone of this 'interview' was not friendly. I bore the brunt of a techno-phobic group that had no earthly idea what they were talking about.

We even had a retired Army general who said the 'hit report' didn't give him any valuable information and he didn't find reports useful anyway and the current page was useless for contacts. Ironic, since his first contact to the bandwas off of an email from the web page and he later requested updates to the web to help his position as business manager.

Two of the attendees were people conversant with technology and I received sympathetic glances, and a text message saying 'tell her to go piss up a rope!' Afterward, a number of friends who overheard the yelling told me to run from this work and have nothing to do with it.

The 'specialist' who had a non-working, automatically updating website started literally screeching, I was mentally out of there. Her voice set off my pocket recorder and my wife later heard it. She then jumped on to her Facebook account and unfriended the lot, too bad it was my account but I let it ride. In commemoration of this, I usually hide a 'Radio Free JS Network' comment somewhere on most of my sites. Not my work sites mind you.

I then heard nothing else for several months but then was asked if I would consider working for the band member that wanted to create this automatic page. The 'screecher.'

I said "Hell No."

Yes, it was all politics in the end but pointed out a depth of misunderstanding about the web and social media. 

Anyway, this misinformation and seeing that level of ignorance made me want to post some help, some guides, on creating a web presence for a band.

No, they never did make a page that automatically updated itself. We'll talk about why that is a bad thing. Enough kvetching, on to the material.

Aefauldlie, Evan

Last updated on May 22, 2018

Web page design requires a strong understanding of the end user’s needs and the various platforms on which users may view the page. Web designers must know the parts of a web page: header, navigation, content areas, sidebars, footers as well as backgrounds. You also have to apply elements of design to present a page that is balanced and easy to follow as well as user-friendly. Become familiar with terms like 'UI' (User Interface) and 'UX' (User Experience.)

Even if you use a template from Wordpress, Wix, GoDaddy, Squarespace, WebsiteBuilder or whatever, you still need to know how to tweak the layout it so that you are not the three-hundredth person to use that template and you know have a page identical to everyone else.

 Designing a web page, it’s crucial to consider all possible users and viewers especially those who are unfamiliar with technology and have a limited 'wait' time.)

Is it a 'responsive' page? In other words, will it appear user-friendly on an iPad, iPhone, Droid, tablet, PC or Mac?

You do not need to be a software geek but you do need to understand the lay, and language, of the land.