so, i decided about a year ago that i would completely redesign this website…i tried to add a bunch of things that i thought were cool to the site, like the sliding dropdown menus, the iTunes songs in the sidebar, and the calendar at the top…i used wordpress as my blogging engine, it seemed to have a good community, had a lot of cool features, and had a nice plugin system to easily expand the feature set…after months of hard work, i finally launched the redesign in August of 2004…
i announced the redesign on the wordpress forums, which was probably my first and biggest mistake…don’t get me wrong, i think the wordpress community is great as a whole…with the explosion of blogging, and the tools like wordpress and moveable type that lowered the barrier of entry, there are a lot of new people on the internet who don’t really know a whole lot about web development…it is great to have a lot of new voices out there that might never get heard, but it brings with it a certain reliance on people who do know things about CSS, XHTML, Javascript, and a whole slew of other acronyms…
hang with me here, i’m about ready to make my point…the point is, although its great to have a bunch of new people with websites, some of them seem to think that everything should be given to them…they see something cool they like on a site, and immediately they want it on their site, but they don’t want to figure it out, or learn something and do it themselves…oh no, the owner of the site (and code) should bend over backwards and take time out of their life to reconfigure, debug, and simplify something they worked hard on, just so this demanding, whiny stranger can tell everyone how cool their blog is…there are reasons people have cool stuff on their site, BECAUSE THEY CAN DO IT!!!!!!!…they don’t need other people to hand them something, they take time to study and learn and read freely available resources, and make something cool of their own…
now, don’t get me wrong, i’m not one of those people who refuse to share anything they write…i made a plugin, WP iTunes, out of the cool idea i had for displaying my current songs on the sidebar…i have no problem with people taking a look at my CSS or Javascript and figuring out how i did stuff, and modifying it to work on their site…i’m not a fan of people copying things line for line, i think it is cool to take the code, figure out how it works, and make something of your own out of the new ideas and techniques you just picked up…i realize there are very few new ideas out there, most of them are just re-imagining or re-working an existing idea to make something new…i’m really, really, really tired of all the people who want me to take time (which i don’t have) and take things that i have worked hard on, and make it easy for them to add to their site…if you can’t figure it out, you probably shouldn’t be trying to use it…if i don’t respond to them immediately, they go bitch on some forum about how i don’t want to help them, or i want to keep my code as my “precious”…well, guess what?
I DON’T FUCKING HAVE TO HELP YOU, I DON”T KNOW YOU, YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND, I DIDN’T START BLOGGING TO MAKE FRIENDS!!!!!
if people are polite, and truly want to learn instead of just taking, i have absolutely no problem helping them, because that is how knowledge gets spread…but if people want to be whiny, immature little bitches, then that is how i am going to treat them…or maybe i’m just being a dick, either way i don’t care…this is just a reason i hate having a website
Nicole says:
Holy Hell and people call me the angry one?
May 11, 2005 10:58 AM
Nicole (again) says:
You would think I would put all my comments into 1, but oh that would make sense.
Anyway, I see your point. It’s valid, however welcome to the internet, stealing, copying, complaining, porn, gambling all rolled into one.
You should also be happy to have a website and you have the talent to create what you want. Many, self included, have a vision of what we want our website to look like and don’t have the knowledge or talent to develop it.
Love your blog, embrace your blog. You get to showcase what you can do, express your opinions and help others get to their potential.
Look at me being all positive and shit…don’t get use to it.
May 11, 2005 11:25 AM
nick says:
maybe my point was a little vague…i understand that there are people out there who don’t have the talent to create their vision…but, if those people want help, there are ways to go about getting it, and maybe, just maybe, bashing someone on a public forum or site isn’t the best way to go about it…
plus, maybe people should just realize that they can’t achieve that vision without some sort of professional help…i want a really fast car, but i can’t make that happen, so i take it to someone who can…people seem to think that the internet is some sort of fucking charity, and that everyone should do everything they can to help someone else, even if the person who needs help is a complete dickface…
May 11, 2005 11:35 AM
Elmo says:
Oh, just wtop whining and start working for free to help all your brethern on the web.
On a completely unrelated note, can you help me set up a web site to look and act like yours?
May 11, 2005 12:12 PM
Elmo says:
I mean stop, not whop.
May 11, 2005 12:12 PM
derek says:
i hear you. like all the kiddies asking me for free shoes. or all the kiddies asking me how they can be on the soap/heelys team. or all the elmo’s being dumb.
luckily i don’t have the time to create a solid site for kids to steal/bitch about.
i think your only option is to chill out and say, “fuck you. pay me.” if they don’t pay, then at least you’ve already said, “fuck you.” then you can go on with your life knowing that you rule and they, in fact, suck.
May 11, 2005 1:13 PM
Mike says:
The assholes must be emailing you because you have three positive comments on your last post. Remember, if they post crap in public you can leave it there for ridicule, but email is where you can politely decline or just hit the delete key. Or tell them to fuck off.
Your plugin rocks, anyway.
May 11, 2005 1:26 PM
sekhu says:
hi nick,
I was the guy who made the “precious” comment, though I’ve think you’ve taken it the wrong way as it was a joke.
my comment was that half a dozen people had emailed you, and didn’t get a reply, and therefore it was your precious. i’m a regular on that board and often my comments are sarcastic, it just so happens you aren’t aware of it. i was just trying to say that people were expecting something for free, and something immediate, when you probably have a million and one things to do in your real life. you have to read between the lines, but as i said, you’re not used to the way i write:)
as my first entry said, I wanted to see if there was a similar free script available and I’ve never had the intention to steal your code in way shape or form. I found it a cool effect, I liked it and asked people who knew more than me on how it works and how it could be implemented on a general basis.
I’m glad you got your frustration out, but I think you need to read the entire page and put it into context.
May 12, 2005 6:05 AM
nick says:
sekhu,
i’m glad you came here to reply…i didn’t mean to intentionally call you out when i started writing that article, as you were not the first, not the last, or not even the worst offender, so i am sorry for that…i appreciate the fact that you are brave enough to leave a reply (restrained as it was ;-), see i do read all the threads)…many people wouldn’t even return to the site, so i commend you on that…
however, if you remove all the anger, and the direct finger pointing, i think my point is still valid…people should understand that, for many of us, having a website is not a full or even part-time job…it is a “when we can” or “here is a free moment” thing, when we can break away from the things that matter most in our lives, whether it is jobs, family, girlfriends, whatever…not everyone has the time to work on their site everyday, or even read their e-mail everyday, much less take time to work on some code or walk somebody through something…
so again, i am sorry for singling you out…i can see where maybe i took your comments out of context, and you must understand that this post was written out of a lot of frustation, and since yours was the most recent perceived offense, you got the brunt of it…not fair, but hey, it’s my site…so, i hope we can call ourselves even here, and don’t be afraid to stop back…
May 12, 2005 8:06 AM
sekhu says:
i secretly visit your site alot, as I do most - i find you writings interesting, and I find the design inspiring so this wouldn’t stop me from visiting anyway
i know full well you’ve had several requests, so I tried to take a proactive approach - but hey, as I said, you’ve released your frustration to some extent so perhaps the next guy won’t have to wipe off the spittle. as i said, i understand it from your point of view, it’s valid and i wholly appreciate the need to protect your work, as well as have a life outside of doing x for others.
anyway, i didn’t feel singled out at all actually, you quote me, so i reply or calrify, that’s all. as i said to phae, i’ve always wanted a sarcasm tag, perhaps it’s time to buy one…
May 12, 2005 8:36 AM
derek says:
this is becoming a soap opera. haha
p.s. it’s weird when people read blogs of people they dont know.
May 12, 2005 10:11 AM
nick says:
yeah, there is definitely too much drama in the house…i do feel weird reading people’s blogs i don’t know, unless they are about general topics, and don’t have a lot of personal stuff in them…
May 12, 2005 10:14 AM
sekhu says:
i probably don’t know 99% of the people of blogs I read. But they do offer interesting tid bits on technology, ideas, or bits of information that might be of interest. I don’t know anyone at Google, but I still use it
May 12, 2005 10:47 AM
phaelox says:
ok, I just came by to say: Hi. and to make derek feel weird about me reading this blog from nick whom I do not know.
*waves*
May 12, 2005 12:22 PM
plazz says:
i am very impressed by the scripting of your website, and me and a friend took the time to dig into the code, to filter some things out we didn’t need and implement it for our own use. It isn’t always easy for people who don’t have alot of coding experience and I understand them wanting to ask questions about it. I would probably do too if I couldn’t do it myself. I also understand you getting sick of it
It’s impossible to take the time for everyone of them and explain everything. But off course this doens’t have to be a source of frustration. People bashing you on other forums (no one in particular intended) are probably doing that because they are frustrated that they can’t code what u can. Just leaving them be would be the easiest way out and that’s what I would do. Off course, answering an email stating that they can use the code but you are not going to explain it isn’t that much trouble or is it ….
congratz with your site in any case
May 13, 2005 5:42 AM
Cron says:
I think that if you take the time to write code, and it is already written, then you gain nothing by keeping it from other people. However, I agree that it’s not fair for them to ask you to implement/debug the code for them. After all you are helping them and you are giving up your time. However, I do not think you should make it a general practice to not share your code. It only takes a little extra effort to post it up and write a short thing on how to use it.
I am sad to say that I used to be one of the people you were talking about. I did not go on forums and complain, or email the person, but if I came across code I liked I would just steal it and use it. When I started my own site from scratch this year, and started to learn to code, I realized that you learn so much more, and have more fun, if you write your own code and do not just steal it. I hope things get better for you after this post…
Cron
May 16, 2005 6:57 AM
Marc says:
After reading your ‘thought’ I realise that this fantastic template you’v made for your site won’t be available for us, not so gifted PHP guppies.
A shame, because it is really good.
Good luck with all of your work and your site.
Marc
May 17, 2005 5:37 AM
nick says:
ok, it seems a lot of people either misunderstood what i was saying, or i wasn’t very clear…i never said i wouldn’t make things i’ve written available to other people, i never said i don’t want people to look at the stuff i’ve done here and try to learn from it, and i also never said that i wouldn’t help people out…what i did say is that i really don’t appreciate people expecting something for nothing from me, and i’m not talking about money here…i’m talking about a little respect, some gratitude, and just a little patience…i don’t always have a lot of time to work on my site, and when i do, i certainly don’t have time to spend helping people who want to take advantage of my goodwill…
May 17, 2005 8:33 AM
Ennis says:
Site looks great. Obviously many people like ur work. People from www.divxstation.com have taken your code and modified it for people who arent as experienced with javascript, including myself.
I know i was one of the people who wrote you with interest in your code. I wanted to learn it myself. I apologize if i came across wrong.
With the guys from divxstation.com, i have packaged a form of the javascript and instructions on how to use it. So you shouldn’t be bothered with it anymore.
So on behalf of myself, i do apologize.
for those of you interested in similar code check out www.thisisennis.com/scripts.php
Of course inspired by nick & lucky-33.com
May 17, 2005 1:54 PM
apakuni.com » Greedy Code Bandits Suck says:
[…] T KNOW YOU, YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND, I DIDN’T START BLOGGING TO MAKE FRIENDS!!!!! … www.lucky-33.com I feel this guy’s pain. If someone is working […]
May 31, 2005 5:42 PM
j says:
I just stole some of your code. Might sell it. Thanks.
Jun 21, 2005 11:09 PM