Amateurs, we all have them, sometimes
we are them. No matter what you do professionally, or what
professional you hire.
Amateurs are easy to spot. They say things like,
"You know what you should do." , or "It
shouldn't take too long.", or "This should be easy."
Some amateurs are very knowledgeable, should be the boss of
you, and can prove it.
Consulting on a website project plan I heard an
amateur say, "I know how to write HTML code, I took a semester
of it in college.", to validate his position. I can't
argue with that, because I took psychology for a semester, and am
pretty sure that guy is a bed-wetter.
I'm not a psychiatrist, and don't pretend to be, but
this guy has to be nuts if he thinks a semester of college makes
him an expert in anything but beer pong. And having a
"computer at home" doesn't make you an expert either, not
any more than having a car makes you a mechanic.
I'd like to take a moment here to apologize to every
professional I've ever hired, especially auto mechanics, for my amateur
behavior.
Technology changes so quickly that even a whole
semester of HTML doesn't carry much weight anymore. An
aspiring website creator, with or without a whole semester of HTML,
can do some pretty neat things with today's website authoring software.
You don't have to "write code" anymore.
Just choose a web authoring software, your host deploys it for you,
pick out a template from bunches of choices, and add words.
WordPress and Joomla are two highly regarded web
authoring software products that let you do just that. Both are
available through most web hosting companies, so whether you're
shopping a host, or already have one, you'll be OK.
The CN Consulting, Inc.
website, new for 2013, is an example of a WordPress site. Dragonboat US,
while older, is an example of a Joomla site. Yes they're both
mine, and yes I did them both, and no I do not think I'm a web
designer. I also fix my own car sometimes, but that doesn't mean I
think I'm a mechanic.
Both products are easy to use. Your web host will
have delivered you to the doorstep. Your ID and password get you in
to the party, and from there you just have to have a good
time. Maybe you don't believe me, but you'd believe Carl,
wouldn't you?
Carl (not his real name) is a military
historian, did not take a semester of HTML in college, and he used
Joomla to make his own website. I host it for him, chose Joomla for
him, and keep his site in good health and well provided for. He
does the website 100% himself. Take a look, it's called Historic Military
Impressions, You don't need to do anything, just pop it
up and let it run like a screensaver. I don't think Carl's an
amateur anymore, but at some point he was.
Maybe you aspire to be a website creator, maybe you
feel the need to send your mechanic a box of chocolates, or not,
that's your call, and that's Cocktail Talk.
