Learning The Industry Whats The Best Way?

[Lee]

We've all seem articles and tutorials written by people who have learnt the industry by reading and writing about it however im wondering, as a webmaster, in your opinion do you think that physical 'hands on' practical learning is needed at all these days?

It would seem to me that you can pretty much go to any resource site these days, find all the information you need in articles and message board posts and become a huge success overnight just by reading the information.

What are your thoughts on this? Does a webmaster need to put the stuff he reads or writes about in to practice or does 1+1 really equal 2?

Regards,

Lee

[basschick]

1+1 DOES equal 2 in my book - but having said that, most tutorials are written by people who either aren't well-grounded in what they are saying or just aren't writing it down well.

the other part of 1+1 not equalling 2 is the fact that most people take directions incredibly poorly, so those people do need to do rather than read.

i've given someple who can follow directions as written on how to get started and they all did well. i'm not the end-all be-all of webmaster knowledge, but what i do know i know from solid experience and i'm happy to share with anyone who really listens. the results were not identical but similar enough to confirm my belief that 1+1 DOES equal 2 in webmastering. and also that most people can't follow directions without adding or changing things to suit their pre-existing opinions.

[longboardjim]

tutorials and books are nice but not everyone learns/grasps "text" and/or some "instruction" requires more of a "visual" approach. (interpreted: it would be easier for me to show you how to use a camera and/or set up the perfect lighting system than for me to sit down and write a "how to photograph in 10 easy steps!" - available now at amazon.com for $49.95

sincerely ~ ..."where is it written?"...

[basschick]

an interesting example. i prepared for my first video shoot by reading a couple lighting tutorials, a white balance tutorial and an umbrella tutorial on a sponsor of samy's. i asked a few questions of bec (who used to work as a photographer), read my camcorder manual, bought my lighting and did the shoot. i really took those tutorials to heart and guess what - my first shoot isn't exactly steven spielberg, but the lighting is tons better than a lot of the porn out there and was better than i'd even hoped. no dark spots, no dingy yellow video - it showed natural skin tone and even lighting. nothing was overlit or particularly underlit.

GOOD tutorials made my first video a 1+1=2 situation but bec helped me realize they were good tutorials. the web is full of bad advice *LOL* so you have to research your tutorials. bec helped me there by validating part of the tutorials.

btw, i sent a couple friends to those same tutorials and they didn't get the same results. it turned out they didn't find out how to white balance in their own cameras. had they read that tutorial and used their white balance, they'd have had the same results i did. needless to say, they blame their cameras or the tutorials

[Squirt]

It's true that sex sells.... but porn sites are composed of a very intricate, and specific, formula for even the most mediocre of successes.

Something most of us have learned, no matter how specific the instructions you give others, you have to possess the knack, the flair, to make a successful site. It's like a cake recipe. You could follow the directions in a cookbook to a T and still not get the perfect recipe.

The best way to learn the industry is to go under someones wing who has experience, and SUCCESS, in the industry and is willing to go through all the miniscule details with you. I define success as making over $100k a year on one or two sites combined, minimally. $0.02

[maxpower]

While info exchange is very important, I do not believe ANYONE can be handed the proverbial Gold Key. Most webmaster have a habit of burring bridges behind them, the same path will only get you so far.

But to answer the question I think the best way to learn most things is by doing it. You could go to school for 10 years to learn how to swim, but if you’ve never gotten in the water you still cant swim yet.

[Squirt]

While info exchange is very important, I do not believe ANYONE can be handed the proverbial Gold Key. Most webmaster have a habit of burring bridges behind them, the same path will only get you so far.

But to answer the question I think the best way to learn most things is by doing it. You could go to school for 10 years to learn how to swim, but if you’ve never gotten in the water you still cant swim yet.

Very wise Max except for the fact that trial and error in this business is a matter of months and years, compaired to a mentorship.

SEO alone is a 6 month or so learning curve based on the search engine updates.. and SEO is only one small aspect of a successful site.

No matter what business you're in you will never make all the people happy all the time, that's a given. I'm not sure what you mean by "burring bridges" but I assume that has something to do with your own business practices, which, undoubtedly, are not the norm in our industry

[maxpower]

Very wise Max except for the fact that trial and error in this business is a matter of months and years, compaired to a mentorship.

SEO alone is a 6 month or so learning curve based on the search engine updates.. and SEO is only one small aspect of a successful site.

No matter what business you're in you will never make all the people happy all the time, that's a given. I'm not sure what you mean by "burring bridges" but I assume that has something to do with your own business practices, which, undoubtedly, are not the norm in our industry

You dont think your mentor who ever you pick is not using the trial and error methods to this day? I could also add science, and medicine both credit trial and error methods today for (I really hate to say All about anything) Most of their advancements. :bunny:

Ya I am a bit of an unorthodox bloke, you could say I guess.

[Squirt]

You dont think your mentor who ever you pick is not using the trial and error methods to this day? I could also add science, and medicine both credit trial and error methods today for (I really hate to say All about anything) Most of their advancements. :bunny:

Ya I am a bit of an unorthodox bloke, you could say I guess.

You're green, not unorhtodox.

Tweaking is much more different then trial and error.

You, being new and unguided (assumption) learn the hard and long way vs. the mentor route that would take you right to the formula leaving you to only have to tweak your success. :pimp:

You would not work well with a mentor. You would take everything you could then stab them in the back, it's just the way you work. You have no loyalty to anyone who does anyting for you, no matter who they are, or how hard they try.

Your many conflicts on this board, as well as asking for advice from everyone that you end up ignoring, shows that you prefer the long hard, rocky route in life, and that's ok. To each their own. No dramas, just an observation

[maxpower]

You're green, not unorhtodox.

Tweaking is much more different then trial and error.

You, being new and unguided (assumption) learn the hard and long way vs. the mentor route that would take you right to the formula leaving you to only have to tweak your success. :pimp:

You would not work well with a mentor. You would take everything you could then stab them in the back, it's just the way you work. You have no loyalty to anyone who does anyting for you, no matter who they are, or how hard they try.

Your many conflicts on this board, as well as asking for advice from everyone that you end up ignoring, shows that you prefer the long hard, rocky route in life, and that's ok. To each their own. No dramas, just an observation

What the Hell are you talking about?:loser: (tweak your success) that’s really funny man. Pixie dust is hard to find now days you know man

[Lee]

You would take everything you could then stab them in the back, it's just the way you work.

I gotta jump to Seans defense here and say that statement, at this moment in time has no merrit to it whatsoever, Sean has done nothing that i can see since being registered here that would make me (or could make you) think he would stab someone in the back.

Sure he's an idiot and doesnt listen to some of the best advice people have given him but thats about all he could be accused of imho.

Regards,

Lee

[maxpower]

I gotta jump to Seans defense here and say that statement, at this moment in time has no merrit to it whatsoever, Sean has done nothing that i can see since being registered here that would make me (or could make you) think he would stab someone in the back.

Sure he's an idiot and doesnt listen to some of the best advice people have given him but thats about all he could be accused of imho.

Regards,

Lee

Thanks I guess man, but really I have held off doing things because I wanted to offer the best I can for everyone. Not sure how I could stab someone in the back to start with, but if you can find me a knife then stand at the right angle I will give it a shot. :shitpoke:

[basschick]

i also haven't seen max stab anyone in the back. he's not exactly his own best friend when it comes to business relationships but that's a different issue. his pm's to me lately have been courteous and show he's sometimes listening. sure, he has to bust out sometimes and show us the old ignorant and pointlessly rude max, but these periods are getting shorter.

now if only we could convince him to use spell check

[LavenderLounge]

At one of the Xbiz seminars last week an audience member asked if there are any books out along the lines of "Porn Business For Dummies".

Everyone laughed, but I think a lot of people thought to themselves, "I should write that book!"

[Squirt]

Sure he's an idiot and doesnt listen to some of the best advice people have given him but thats about all he could be accused of imho.

Yeah that's my point

It's no big deal, just an observation. No dramas

Usually people who ask for advice, then don't follow any of it, from anyone, are the same people that will turn on you in a second if it will benefit them making a dollar or two.