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I came across this interesting article last week, that is a classic case of a person who has very little understanding and training in web development and tries to pass themselves off as an expert. I thought I would post this article and my responses to it.1. They won’t tell you that there’s a brilliant off-the-shelf solution available for a fraction of their priceThere are good off-the-shelf solutions available, brilliant is an overstatement. These solutions are only ever designed as generic solutions, and in the case of large organisations, off-the-shelf solutions won't suffice and reverse engineering one of these products would be more of an expense than a custom build.2. They will build for the past rather than the futureThis is a ridiculous statement. No doubt there are those out there that call themselves web developers who just don't have the training and the skills. Any business that does their research will find highly skilled developers providing cutting edge product. Technology evolves so quickly in this industry and businesses need to recognise their website is an ever evolving tool in their marketing strategy. Adobe Flex is now a great web development tool, but I heard of a horror story of a large retail chain here in Australia who had a shopping cart built in Flex when it was still in beta, costing almost $50G and are now in the process of having to completely rebuild the site. 3. They know nothing about marketingMostly this would be true. Just as marketing experts would know nothing about web development. A business would be foolish to solely rely on a web developer for marketing advice. I do belive though being degree qualified is where I hold an advantage over those with lesser qualifications. Every one of my practical assignments had to be justified for its target audience including colours, fonts, and why the audience would engage with the product.4. They are likely to be aligned to a particular technical school of thought This statement continues on to discuss an old age debate of static HTML vs Flash and Microsoft vs Apple. This person argues against the use of Flash and the lack of compatibility of product produced using Apple Mac. This person states that text within Flash can not be indexed by search engines. This is incorrect. Static text fields within Flash can be indexed by Google and other search engines. He also states that Flash is purely an animation tool. Again this is false. Flash is used in so many ways. Flash is used in applications for generating dynamic data, GPS systems, MP3 player interfaces, and home entertainment units just to name a few. In regards to developing with Mac. It is common thought within the industry that Microsoft is always lagging behind with its browser and web development tools. Whether a web site is created on PC or Mac makes no difference. Web Developers need to ensure content displays in all browsers regardless of their preferred tool of choice.5. They lack aesthetic design (or other) skillsThis can sometimes be the case. I believe our designs stand tall, receiving great feedback with a few of our clients receiving feedback as having the best website within their particular industry. Again, businesses should do their research and check out a developers portfolio.6. They are going on a sabbatical any time soon Hmmm...What does the sun look like again?7. Avoiding the tech-trapThis statement continues on to advise businesses to seek independant advice when planning for a website. Independant advice isn't much good if it comes from the neighbour or a friend who has dabbled with Frontpage. Do your research, find a developer with a strong portfolio and know what it is you would like your website to service.Click here for the full article