2001-02-22 04:33:49+00 by Dan Lyke 6 comments
Rather than take out my frustrations with web designers on the big names, I decided to take a break and shoot a few fish in a barrel. The whole "why these people really![[Wiki]](/adbanners/lookingglass.png){kind=small}
deserve ridicule" story will remain untold because some mailing lists are private, but here's my look at the Chattanooga Spirit website.
[ related topics: Web development ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:10+00 by: ebradway
I still have to disagree with you and Mike. The site does convey a reasonable amount of information and doesn't waste alot of time with gratuitous flash and graphics. Sure they overdid it with fonts and colors (the old 'just because you have 16 colors doesn't mean you have to use them all' rule). But I happen to know enough of the people listed in the directory to feel certain that it's not entirely self-promoting. And maybe you've been out of Chattanooga for too long to realize that this really is the extent of alternative thought around here. Yes, we only have a few places where yoga is practiced and only a mere handful of decent massuese. Chattanooga sucks - and we don't have any 'alternative types' who are as web savvy as you. But they could have done a whole lot worse.
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:10+00 by: Larry Burton
Eric, the content is obscured by the site being butt-ugly.
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:10+00 by: ebradway
Sure the site is ugly but I wouldn't say it obscures the content. And I really hate to make extreme value judgements on aesthetics. Of course I'd probably complain if it were a site that I use regularly but I don't and if they like it ugly, then that's their perogative.
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:10+00 by: Larry Burton
If the site was just an organization out trying to promote their organization and not a web design firm then I wouldn't have a thing to say about it. What bugs me is that they are selling themselves as web designers to the very "alternative types" that you pointed out are not web savvy. They are taking folks money that don't know any better and for that they deserve all the flames that they've gotten and then some.
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:10+00 by: Dan Lyke
Maybe I haven't been in Chattanooga long enough to appreciate the lack of places in which to publicize fringe and alternative work, and maybe I'm just dealing with Marin backlash, but if I were a practitioner of some sort I would not want to be listed in that directory.
The "Christian Tantra" thing especially gets my goat. Tantra is a spiritual practice with a certain set of beliefs, and I'm not the best person in the world to speak for Christianity, but I seem to remember that little Old Testament bit about "thou shalt have no other gods before me". That kind of makes "Christian Tantra" an oxymoron. If Swami Virato was pushing "Christian sex magic", or otherwise not appropriating another religion for his own purposes, then I'd have been less likely to attack the design.
They also don't seem to have any real attachment to Chattanooga. There's an Asheville section. It really comes across as just another bad huckster hustling for a buck.
And as Larry said, that they push themselves as a web design service:
With over 6 years of Internet experience, NFMS is well equipped to produce an effective, readable and impactful (not just pretty) Website, and to maintain your site ...at the lowest possible cost.
just makes it that much more disturbing.
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:31:10+00 by: ebradway
Yes, I do agree that the site designers are more interested in making a buck. It's a shame that there isn't anyone with less financial incentive and a little more talent to compete with them. The site does seem awfully reminicent of the 'new age festivals' that are held at the Days Inn in Rossville every couple months.
As far as 'Christian Tantra' is concerned, I would imagine that the Swami Virato is trying to encourage a little open mindedness among the Crhistian communities. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if he was also just trying to screw some Xtians - both literally and figuratively.