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Head, meet wall...
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| Mark Goodge 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| I'm working on a site at the moment. The client originally sent me a
mockup in Powerpoint, which was actually fairly good considering that
he's not a designer and knows nothing about the web - obviously, I
couldn't reproduce it exactly but it allowed scope for a nice, clean
CSS framework that I could wrap around the content quite easily. And,
because he'd thrown it together quickly on a Windows machine, it was
all in bog-standard Arial, which I can use on the web and (IMO) looks
quite good online. But then he decides that, as he's not a designer,
he'll employ a designer to come up with a visual framework that I then
have to convert to a website. So the designer sends me a huge bunch of
JPGs, each one representing one page of the site, which I then have to
convert into a web page. Of course, everything has to be
pixel-perfect, with no flexible layout at all, in this designer's
vision. And all the "pages" have text in esoteric fonts, none of which
I can come close to with any of the web-safe list that we typically
work with, and which makes the pages look exceptionally ugly if I use
a different font as the designer has built the whole layout around
these custom fonts. So I have to not only try and copy a layout from a
JPG to HTML/CSS, I also have to tweak it a lot to get it working with
different-shaped fonts in order to make it half-way readable. Finally,
I've got a functional demo up and running, and I email the client so
that he can take a look. To which the response is....
"I've been meaning to tell you, but I don't like the new design, I
want to go back to the one I originally sent you. Have you still got
that Powerpoint?....."
Rant over. I'm off for a beer.
Mark
--
Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
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| GreyWyvern 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| And lo, Mark Goodge didst speak in alt.www.webmaster:
[snip]
> Finally,
> I've got a functional demo up and running, and I email the client so
> that he can take a look. To which the response is....
>
> "I've been meaning to tell you, but I don't like the new design, I
> want to go back to the one I originally sent you. Have you still got
> that Powerpoint?....."
>
> Rant over. I'm off for a beer.
Make sure you forward the reply to the "designer". The whole episode will
be for nought if he/she never finds out what kind of sites clients
*really* want :)
Grey
--
The technical axiom that nothing is impossible sinisterly implies the
pitfall corollary that nothing is ridiculous.
- http://www.greywyvern.com/orca#search - Orca Search: Full-featured
spider and site-search engine
| |
| Paul Watt 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
|
"Mark Goodge" <usenet@listmail.good-stuff.co.uk> wrote in message
news:t9rtg2ho427j95fncmm00soejvisual11a@news.markshouse.net...
> I'm working on a site at the moment. The client originally sent me a
> mockup in Powerpoint, which was actually fairly good considering that
> he's not a designer and knows nothing about the web - obviously, I
> couldn't reproduce it exactly but it allowed scope for a nice, clean
> CSS framework that I could wrap around the content quite easily. And,
> because he'd thrown it together quickly on a Windows machine, it was
> all in bog-standard Arial, which I can use on the web and (IMO) looks
> quite good online. But then he decides that, as he's not a designer,
> he'll employ a designer to come up with a visual framework that I then
> have to convert to a website. So the designer sends me a huge bunch of
> JPGs, each one representing one page of the site, which I then have to
> convert into a web page. Of course, everything has to be
> pixel-perfect, with no flexible layout at all, in this designer's
> vision. And all the "pages" have text in esoteric fonts, none of which
> I can come close to with any of the web-safe list that we typically
> work with, and which makes the pages look exceptionally ugly if I use
> a different font as the designer has built the whole layout around
> these custom fonts. So I have to not only try and copy a layout from a
> JPG to HTML/CSS, I also have to tweak it a lot to get it working with
> different-shaped fonts in order to make it half-way readable. Finally,
> I've got a functional demo up and running, and I email the client so
> that he can take a look. To which the response is....
>
> "I've been meaning to tell you, but I don't like the new design, I
> want to go back to the one I originally sent you. Have you still got
> that Powerpoint?....."
>
> Rant over. I'm off for a beer.
>
So long as its all billable eh mate?
--
Cheers
Paul
le singe est dans l'arbre
http://www.paulwatt.info
| |
| Mark Goodge 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:30:47 +0100, Paul Watt put finger to keyboard
and typed:
>
>So long as its all billable eh mate?
It's time, not money, that's the issue. I'm in the second of two weeks
paternity leave from $dayjob, so the aim (other than recovering from
sleepness nights and learning how to change a nappy) was to get on
with some side-projects, of which this is one. If I haven't cleared
the decks by the time I go back to full-time work next Monday then I'm
going to be writing websites in the middle of the night with a baby on
my lap!
Mark
--
Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
| |
| Jerry Stuckle 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| Mark Goodge wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:30:47 +0100, Paul Watt put finger to keyboard
> and typed:
>
>
>
> It's time, not money, that's the issue. I'm in the second of two weeks
> paternity leave from $dayjob, so the aim (other than recovering from
> sleepness nights and learning how to change a nappy) was to get on
> with some side-projects, of which this is one. If I haven't cleared
> the decks by the time I go back to full-time work next Monday then I'm
> going to be writing websites in the middle of the night with a baby on
> my lap!
>
> Mark
Mark,
Ah, that's your mistake. As soon as they sent you the second design you
should have notified them that they changed requirements - and therefore
the price would be higher. I do this any time there is a change on
something I've already done some work on. I can't afford to give away
my time.
--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================
| |
| Mark Goodge 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 07:38:18 -0400, Jerry Stuckle put finger to
keyboard and typed:
>Mark Goodge wrote:
>
>Ah, that's your mistake. As soon as they sent you the second design you
>should have notified them that they changed requirements - and therefore
>the price would be higher. I do this any time there is a change on
>something I've already done some work on. I can't afford to give away
>my time.
The client is happy to pay for the extra time. The problem is that I
don't have any extra time to sell, so to speak.
Mark
--
Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
| |
| Sally Thompson 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 14:44:50 +0100, Mark Goodge wrote
(in article <tvsvg29vjio8ta15278j17q89r4cp0fuob@news.markshouse.net> ):
Mark
--
Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
Only just noticed this - your sig deliberately included (found out how
difficult it is with a good newsreader to actually _include_ a signature).
What a sad story, and what a sucker I am for cats! Small donation on its way
- no need to acknowledge.
--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
bed and breakfast near Ludlow: http://www.stonybrook-ludlow.co.uk
Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk
| |
| Paul Watt 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
|
"Mark Goodge" <usenet@listmail.good-stuff.co.uk> wrote in message
news:h6dvg2h3j5b6v73viv3rorepat4bue2f93@news.markshouse.net...
> On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:30:47 +0100, Paul Watt put finger to keyboard
> and typed:
>
> It's time, not money, that's the issue. I'm in the second of two weeks
> paternity leave from $dayjob, so the aim (other than recovering from
> sleepness nights and learning how to change a nappy) was to get on
> with some side-projects, of which this is one. If I haven't cleared
> the decks by the time I go back to full-time work next Monday then I'm
> going to be writing websites in the middle of the night with a baby on
> my lap!
>
> Mark
> --
> Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
Hi,
How is the baby? Has your wife recovered yet?
--
Cheers
Paul
le singe est dans l'arbre
http://www.paulwatt.info
| |
| Mark Goodge 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:27:15 +0100, Sally Thompson put finger to
keyboard and typed:
>On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 14:44:50 +0100, Mark Goodge wrote
>(in article <tvsvg29vjio8ta15278j17q89r4cp0fuob@news.markshouse.net> ):
>
>Mark
>--
>Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
>
>
>Only just noticed this - your sig deliberately included (found out how
>difficult it is with a good newsreader to actually _include_ a signature).
>What a sad story, and what a sucker I am for cats! Small donation on its way
>- no need to acknowledge.
Thank you, anyway. The good news is that the cat's health is slowly
improving - she's started to take a bit of food, and she's drinking
plenty of water. But the vet says that it will be quite a while before
she's back to a reasonable level of fitness. I have to give her a
daily dose of antibiotics, which are actually intended for human use,
not on animals - I had to sign a release form at the vet's agreeing to
use treatment which isn't licenced for cats! I also have to be a
little cruel to her, for her own good - she's kept shut in a spare
bedroom, because if I give her the run of the house then my other cats
are likely to attack her and there's a strong possiblity that she'd
escape again as soon as she's well enough, which is the last thing we
want. So she needs to stay shut away until she's ready to go to a new
home, and she can't do that until she's well enough for someone to
take her on without needing to pay more vet fees themselves.
Normally, I'd have no problem with the cost of treating her, but it's
come at the worst possible time with a new baby in the house and the
fact that one of the other cats needed some quite expensive treatment
only a few weeks ago. Hence the appeal. I did think about passing her
on to the RSPCA or Cats Protection League, but I have a strong
suspicion that they'd just dismiss her as untreatable (or, at least,
uneconomically treatable) and have her put down. Even though she was
originally only mine for a few weeks as a kitten, I still feel
responsible for her and I don't want that to happen - I'm a bit of a
softy in that respect as well! The other good news is that I've had a
few donations which add up to about a third of the total cost so far,
which is enough to take the sting out of it even if I don't raise the
full amount via the website.
Mark
--
Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
| |
| Mark Goodge 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 19:07:51 +0100, Paul Watt put finger to keyboard
and typed:
>
>"Mark Goodge" <usenet@listmail.good-stuff.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:h6dvg2h3j5b6v73viv3rorepat4bue2f93@news.markshouse.net...
>
>Hi,
>How is the baby? Has your wife recovered yet?
The baby is wonderful! My wife has recovered from the ordeal of giving
birth, but is, unsurprisingly, very tired due to lack of sleep.
Unfortunately, one of the differences between me and her is that I can
wake up in the night and then go back to sleep again with no problems,
but if she wakes up (or is woken up) she finds it very difficult to
get back to sleep again. So, although we're both being woken up the
same number of times by the baby, I'm suffering from it a lot less
than she is.
Mark
--
Please help a cat in need: http://www.goodge.co.uk/cat/
| |
| Sally Thompson 2006-09-24, 6:58 pm |
| On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:04:31 +0100, Mark Goodge wrote
(in article <lai0h2d93b1vf4vs77f29qnjgpth86k537@news.markshouse.net> ):
> On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:27:15 +0100, Sally Thompson put finger to
> keyboard and typed:
>
<snip rescue cat story>[color=darkred]
>
> Normally, I'd have no problem with the cost of treating her, but it's
> come at the worst possible time with a new baby in the house and the
> fact that one of the other cats needed some quite expensive treatment
> only a few weeks ago. Hence the appeal. I did think about passing her
> on to the RSPCA or Cats Protection League, but I have a strong
> suspicion that they'd just dismiss her as untreatable (or, at least,
> uneconomically treatable) and have her put down. Even though she was
> originally only mine for a few weeks as a kitten, I still feel
> responsible for her and I don't want that to happen - I'm a bit of a
> softy in that respect as well! The other good news is that I've had a
> few donations which add up to about a third of the total cost so far,
> which is enough to take the sting out of it even if I don't raise the
> full amount via the website.
I have had rescue cats of one kind or another all my adult life, so know all
about giving cats pills and so on! Just a random thought - it is just
possible that the Cats Protection League might be able to make you a
contribution via vouchers to the vet? I know they have done this when we have
captured wandering tom cats and had them done at our own expense (Young men
don't stand around in our garden for too long these days. <g> ). I also
remember having a horrendous vet bill when I was rather - shall we say
financially embarrassed - and my vet unusually suggested I pay over several
months.
You might also consider a sob story in the local paper about how you have
rescued the cat etc etc. Local papers like sob stories! And you might get
some more contributions that way.
I am sure she is being well loved.
Apologies to all for extreme off-topicness.
--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
bed and breakfast near Ludlow: http://www.stonybrook-ludlow.co.uk
Burne-Jones/William Morris window in Shropshire church:
http://www.whitton-stmarys.org.uk
| |
|
| On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:11:22 +0100, Mark Goodge
<usenet@listmail.good-stuff.co.uk> scrawled:
> The baby is wonderful! My wife has recovered from the ordeal of giving
> birth, but is, unsurprisingly, very tired due to lack of sleep.
> Unfortunately, one of the differences between me and her is that I can
> wake up in the night and then go back to sleep again with no problems,
> but if she wakes up (or is woken up) she finds it very difficult to
> get back to sleep again. So, although we're both being woken up the
> same number of times by the baby, I'm suffering from it a lot less
> than she is.
I remember those days (well, actually, I vaguely remember them since I
was in a sleep-deprived haze for at least 4 months.) I will say that
after a week or two, falling back to sleep became much easier (or,
rather, staying awake became much harder.) The most important trick I
learned was to nap when my baby napped. There's such a temptation to
try to "get things done now that baby's asleep" - but I listened to
more experienced people who said that the most important thing to get
done was to take the nap. I think that's the only reason I got
through that period ;-)
--
MGW
Statistics means never having to say you're certain.
(Note: my Hotmail address is seldom checked)
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| Jerry Stuckle 2006-09-24, 6:59 pm |
| Mark Goodge wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 07:38:18 -0400, Jerry Stuckle put finger to
> keyboard and typed:
>
>
>
>
> The client is happy to pay for the extra time. The problem is that I
> don't have any extra time to sell, so to speak.
>
> Mark
Ah, I can understand that part. That's why I have the laptop here in
the bedroom at 10:20 PM :-)
--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
JDS Computer Training Corp.
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================
| |
| Dylan Parry 2006-09-24, 6:59 pm |
| Mark Goodge wrote:
> The other good news is that I've had a few donations which add up to
> about a third of the total cost so far
I've only got $5 left in my Paypal account, but you're welcome to it.
I've got a bit of a soft spot for cats too!
--
Dylan Parry
http://electricfreedom.org | http://webpageworkshop.co.uk
Programming, n: A pastime similar to banging one's head
against a wall, but with fewer opportunities for reward.
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