Is the title Webmaster obsolete?

[leslienord]

I heard something rather interesting that I'd like some learned input on - I was told that the title "Webmaster" is somewhat obsolete. It was in response to a question "why wasn't a new webmaster hired to replace the outgoing one?" for a rather large website.

[chucklasker-BANNNED]

I never liked or understood the term in the first place. I think, since the vast majority of Web designers, and ALL the original designers, had no formal experience, it made them sound better than, "nephew who tinkers with HotDog." It's rare you hear that title anymore, as functions have become more specialized. But back in '94 when I got started part time, every high school kid with a PC was a "webmaster..."

But if someone uses the term, I don't say anything. It's still acceptable, IMO.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Its been replaced by the terms Web Developer and Web Designer with equally abigious results.

[wmgilligan]

Webmaster - a person with administrative control of a businesses Web related activities. Not just technical or design, but permissions. He/she controls the end result. Generally an in-house person.

Web Developer - a person that oversees a businesses development of its Web related activities. He/she oversees making the end result. More technical than graphical, but must also have marketing knowledge and an understanding of group dynamics. Generally an outsourced person.

Web Designer - a person that helps create and impliment the overall look and feel aspects of a businesses Web related activities. More graphical than Technical but must also have marketing knowledge and an understanding of group dynamics. Generally an outsourced person.

[wmgilligan]

Most famous artist is a webmaster...

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/interne...ogo/index.html

[d_host]

I'm in Las Vegas attending HostingCon 2006, and I can tell you that the general concensus is exactly what Bill described above: the role was split between "web designers" and "web developers." The old idea of a "webmaster" is pretty much gone, as most people who can design don't know a thing about Javascript, PHP, AJAX, Atlas, .NET, etc, and similarly - people who handle these technologies typically could not design a single web page if their lives depended on it.

In a way this reminds me of the ancient times where one "smart guy" (like da Vinci, for example) could handle painting, sculpture, medical research, architecture, designing war and flying machines, etc. Once the issues became more and more complicated and we learned more about each of them, people started specializing as there's just "not enough hours in the day" to learn it all and be master of anything. When you reach the stage of specialization, the idea of a "webmaster" who can do it all is quickly fading away. I can, to an extent, do some design work and coding and know my way around servers, but I'm "old school" (and I'm only 30-ish!). When we interview people for our own company, for example, we see the same thing - some people can handle Linux, some only Windows, some live and breathe ASP.NET technologies, others can "do it all" with PHP and mySQL.

Web sites have gotten much more advanced and we are on the brink of another evolutionary step. Think in terms of building web sites with AJAX or Atlas technologies. This requires programming (developers) but to make it user-friendly you need someone with graphical and UI development skills (designers). Just moving onward and upward as the web evolves to include more and more advanced technologies that a single person will no longer be able to learn and be profficient (or efficient) in.

The Webmaster is dead. Long live the Designers and Developers.

[jmachado]

Re: Is the title Webmaster obsolete?

Obvioulsy the term Webmaster is not only obsolete but never was the apropiate one. Someone could be consider a "master" of the World Wide Web? unless should have a meagalomany feelings.

Web designer is the person that thinks, creates a web design but perhaps is not a web developer or maybe he is but in most cases should need professionals that know different web programing languages,
server configuration, scripts or DLL services activation, etc.

In my personal opinion webmaster is not an apropiate term. Never was but a lot of people loves to be called "master" just to feel important.

Jorge Machado
MS Computer Science
http://www.perantivirus.com
http//www.perweb.tv
http://www.jorgemachado.net

[Biffy]

Re: Is the title Webmaster obsolete?

I use the term "Project Manager". Modern sites encompass a number of specialties nowadays, many having nothing to do with the web.

"Project Manager" better fits the temporary employee model that is project oriented, as a great many website projects are now done. You're hired to manage a project so Project Manger seems appropos.

Web Designer and Web Developer are accurate terms for folks who work for a Project Manager.

I agree that Webmaster is obsolete and pretty meaningless for anything larger than 1 man projects.

[chucklasker-BANNNED]

Re: Is the title Webmaster obsolete?

I've always stuck with Consultant. Applies to just about anything. :)

[jmachado]

Re: Is the title Webmaster obsolete?

Hello Steve,

I think you are giving an important contribution. Withouth a Project Manager and I mean a good one with we cannot do anything for large websites. Congratulations.