Rick's Biz Talk posts

Is it easy to develop a good website yourself with Wordpress?

As a Wordpress user for the last 9 months I'd say yes, it easy to develop your own Wordpress site or blog. However that answer needs a context.

1. Easy is relative - it's easier than learning most complex software from scratch. It's easier than learning AutoCad, Photo Shop or MS Project, It's easier than learning MS Access. It's not as easy as learning to make bread, tune up bicycles or put out a flier in MS Publisher.

2. Wordpress resolves mechanical issues, it doesn't make you a graphic artist, a copywriter or a marketing expert. Having a "killer" website has a little to do with mechanics and the rest is content, layout, etc.

However, if you are going to do your own website and want it to be interactive, Wordpress is by far the easiest solution. And - if you start out on your own but decide you need help your helper doesn't need to start from scratch. They'll be working from a well known, industry standard format that you probably won't have been able to screw up to badly.

I'm an architect who didn't take new clients, who didn't need to advertise and who had a website just for grins. That was the case till last November when I suddenly needed to get new clients in the worst envioronment. I started with a Wordpress Blog and revamped my website and today most of my clients come to me from the web. To make that I happen I needed to learn the new technology from scratch.

To be competent you need to learn a little Photo shop, a little HTML and a little CSS PLUS you need to learn Wordpress. If you go in to it with that expectation, it'll be easy. If you're not prepared to learn that stuff then it will be hard.

Wordpress legal decision on GPL

Does anyone know how the new legal decision Wordpress recently published about their GPL and "premium" themes affect those of us who use premium themes?

They have a list of commercially supported GPL compliant themes on their site. It's pretty small.

Rick Anderson, Architect - new to biznik

Hi, I'm a Seattle area architect that specializes in designing peoples homes. I work with my wife out of our home in Edmonds and have been designing homes in the Pacific Northwest for over 25 years.

I maintain a Northwest residential architecture blog that provides articles and resources for folks designing or planning to design a home. I try to provide detailed descriptions and illustrations of topics I discuss. Some of the favorite articles concern kitchen remodeling, outdoor living spaces and storage ideas.

I find that I need to expand my client base and I'm hoping that involvement with biznik will help do that.