 The Christian Webmaster and Woeful WebsignsJulia BettencourtSo many people with Christian websites write to me and ask me why I have so many visitors, or how they can get their visitors to come back. A lot of it has to do with content and correctly formatting your html and meta tags but I think one of the biggest reasons that some websites don't have return visitors is that their websites are so inhospitable. So many have too many 'woeful' web signs hanging off of them that they just aren't very comfortable to visit. It's kind of like when you see a beautiful shop full of beautiful china and lovely items. You walk in and there are signs everywhere that say, "Don't Touch!" "If You Break It, You Buy It!" "Do Not Handle!" I don't feel comfortable in places like that. I surely wouldn't take my children in there and even if I didn't feel I'd break something, those type of places just make me feel nervous. So many websites give me the same nervous feeling. Even though I know I'm a very aware surfer and know internet etiquette, I still don't like visiting sites that have several signs telling me not to do something. It's just inhospitable to be greeted with that. I do know there are rules and internet etiquette that we all must follow in order to respect others but I think many times website owners just throw up any sign they see someone else using and they don't evaluate what it really means before propping it up in their website window. As Christian website owners we should evaluate even more what we tack up because we are reflecting Christ. I am not saying we shouldn't have any signs or set down a few surfing guidelines for our visitors, I am just saying we need to evaluate how we do that if we want to be a good internet witness. Here are some of the signs that I have grown to despise while I surf and my thoughts on them. You can make up your own mind of course, but just remember that you never get a second chance to make a first impression and when someone enters your website that is their first impression of you and if you are a Christian and you have that fact relevant on your site, it is also your visitors first impression of your Christianity. No Right Click Zone- I will start with this one because I guess it is the one that I see the most and that bugs me the most. First of all, anybody that's been on the internet for more than a day or two knows that a 'no right click' script has many faults. It does not keep many people from stealing your graphics. It only slows down newbies to the internet or those people that just aren't very informed. People that know that script is there and want your graphics will just go into your html and get the file extension for your graphic and go straight to your graphic files and take your graphics. I have a 'no right click' on my website but I do know it has it's limitations and I don't advertise the fact that it's there. I also know and understand that it limits my visitors surfing freedom. I always right click to open new windows so I know how dreadful a no right click can be. On my website I do have all my offsite links open in new windows to make it a little more convenient for my visitors. I have seen so many websites that have pop up boxes that appear with harsh "Don't Steal" signs if you right click. To me this is the most annoying thing. Is it really necessary? What are they really accomplishing with that than showing their ignorance? I don't think Christian webhosts should portray ignorance. Most people that right click have no intention of stealing something but just want to navigate. Those that hang a 'No Right Click Zone' Blinkie or sign up are just calling attention to those graphic thieves out there to just bypass it and go to their html files if they want something or to get it by other means. They aren't really saying anything else. To me it's just kind of silly and is just showing that these people aren't very educated or informed over the matter. As a Christian do we want others to view us that way, as uneducated and uninformed? Usually, a simple copyright notice will do more than all of the harsh 'no no's' people put in their 'no right click' pop up boxes. It is more businesslike and people will take your copyright notice more seriously than they will someone screaming harsh words at them. I Give Credit Where Credit Is Due - Did you know I've found most people do and don't need a sign to say it. What are you really saying? Are you better at giving credit by hanging a sign that tells me so? If someone was humble do you think they'd wear a sign that said "I'm humble"? Don't Read My Source Code! - Now this is another annoying one to me. Normally if someone wants to view your source code it is because they want to know where you got a script on your page. The source code is the place where those script writers have chosen to put their credit statement. Trying to take that credit away from them is not right. Most of the free javascripts from places such as Dynamic Drive are given freely only if you leave their entire code and credit in your html so that your visitors can easily find it. It amazes me that many a website will gladly give credit to a graphic maker but want to hide or not give free access to the javascript writers of whose codes they use. To me, if you are going to clamor about someone not reading your source code, then list out exactly what scripts you have on your page, their author, and the website you got it at. Making one link to Dynamic Drive for all your scripts doesn't exactly help anyone out. There are hundreds of scripts at Dynamic Drive. In order to find a particular script you have to have the exact name of the code and author as they have many codes that have the same name. It bothers me that some people make out reading someone's html as a crime. If you don't want people to read your html, then put it in some kind of cgi script remotely. Java script credits have been done in the html since they were invented and that is the way others find those scripts and their credits. Frankly, I've found that most people who tout this sign have nothing in content to steal anyway so I'm not really sure why they are worried about their html in the first place. I Use Original Graphics Only - Unfortunately, many that use this sign have not a clue how the graphic makers that made their graphics really made them. So many of the graphic makers are using rubber stamp, stencil, tole painting patterns, and cross stitch designs as patterns for their work. So is that really original? Even some of the well respected graphic makers on the web are doing this. Even some of the ones that shout about originality and graphic abuse the loudest have made their graphics from these means. Some are even copying the well know country artists such as Patti Norrish, Linda Lock, Laurie Korsgaden and the list could go on and on. I am not saying that you can't draw inspiration from these great artists or even learn to paint through their tole painting instructions, but painting their exact bears or any of their work and claiming them as your own original creativity is very misleading to say the least. There are a lot of great graphic makers on the web who do make 'original' graphics but it is almost a chore in itself to find them as you just can't take the word of every artist listed among the country graphic community or that report to make "original" graphics because it is sad to say that many are very deceiving. If you want to hang this 'original' sign, then, broaden your mind to more than just being familiar with web graphics in themselves. Glance through the stencil websites, cross stitch patterns, rubbr stamp sites, and familiarize yourself with the great well known country artists. You'll soon get a handle on which graphic makers are not really 'orignial' and are copying work and you'll be able to avoid them. I Respect Graphic Artists - This one is kind of like "I Give Credit Where Credit Is Due". I hope you would, but do you really need a sign to say so? Also with signs like this that are intended as awareness to graphics abuse sometimes are linked to places that as a Christian you may want to evaluate as to whether you want it on your site. I finally made my own page on 'How to Be a Good Graphic Consumer' because I couldn't find any place that dealt with graphic abuse that I could trust. I once put up a sign about graphic artist respect. A few days later I followed the link and there was a note about an accused graphic abuser with instructions to sign her guest book. I went and read the comments from supposed graphic respecters. My oh my! What filthy words and nasty remarks that poor girl had in her guestbook. I quickly took that graphic sign off. Some of the other supposed graphic abuse deterrant websites also encourage slander, nasty guestbook signing, and plain deformation of character. If you search deep into the pages of some of these websites you will find nasty language and things not befitting of a Christian webmaster. I've seen many a 'Christian' website linking to things like that. Why? Because many are just grabbing whatever graphic abuse sign they see and because it's for a good cause they think it is right. Sometimes these graphic abuse deterrent sites even quote Bible verses to get you to think what they are doing is right. If you use these type of graphic abuse deterrent signs, please think about it very carefully. Examine 'every' page and every jot and tittle on a website like that before you link to it. You may just be helping give credibility to those who do not deserve it. While respecting graphic artists is a good thing, you have to be very careful in this area if you are going to link a sign on the subject to someone else's website. Your IP Address Is Being Logged! - Isn't that a most inhospitable sign? Most websites automatically log ip addresses. I don't need a sign telling me so. If this sign is hanging on your website you are actually saying, "I'm watching you!" which is something you may not want to say if you want your visitors to return. Summary: I'm sure many will disagree on these points, but if you are a Christian and really are concerned about what impression you are making when people enter your website, I trust that you will stop and ponder these thoughts. The Bible mentions so much about hospitality and those of us as Christian webmasters need to reflect that hospitality to others. It's how we represent Christ. I'm not saying you can't have any of these signs or others, but just that as Christians we should evaluate what we put on our websites a little more than the next guy. We were left with a Great Commission and how can we fulfill that if we meet the world headstrong without a loving attitude? Do we really make others want the Christian life with how we meet them at our webhome doors? We have to be very careful of what signs we put up and what links we make if we are going to be a Christian website and represent Christ. Copyright©2003 Julia Bettencourt Not to be reprinted in any form. Webmaster Helps Main Graphics Area CLM Main Home  |