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Try this chain of deduction instead: 1. Smart bloggers (e.g. the people at 37signals and a handful of others) figure out that redesigns of popular websites are

Try this chain of deduction instead: 1. Smart bloggers (e.g. the people at 37signals and a handful of others) figure out that redesigns of popular websites are a great way to generate blog traffic. 2. Young designers see this trend, and think they can capitalize on it as well. 3. Many new designers start to spend their days working on spec designs, hoping to either get some visibility or impress a prospective employer. 4. They neither gain any actual design experience, nor do they (except for in the rare case) get the interest they had hoped for. There's a lot of real design work out there waiting for new designers. They don't need to work for free, nor do they need to try to prove themselves by "redesigning" what Jony Ive and his team have spent the past few years on. Is that really so warped? ;-)

derefr 13y ago
I think the main bit I could call "warped" was that, by the end of it, he's implying that 37signals should go make some free webpages for local businesses. Because, you know, since they're not True Professionals, they're novices, and since they're novices, they need things to fluff their resumes with. Honestly, if the author had just left out any mention of the professional designers who redesign things for fun, in the "concept car" sort of way; and specifically targeted the article right from the beginning at only the amateurs who think that "this is the way to recognition", then sure, it'd be a fine article. I also would have skipped reading it, as I think would most of HN--thus the underhanded form of argumentation required to come around from a linkbait-y premise, to his actual point.
- karjaluoto 13y ago
  In no way did I imply that 37signals should make free webpages. (I'd never encourage a designer to work for free.) Instead, I was thinking back to when I first saw of unsolicited redesigns appear. My best recollection was when 37signals used this approach to generate visibility for their firm.
chc 13y ago
Eh, working cheaply for somebody else is worse in pretty much every possible way than doing something for yourself for free.

derefr 13y ago

I think the main bit I could call "warped" was that, by the end of it, he's implying that 37signals should go make some free webpages for local businesses. Because, you know, since they're not True Professionals, they're novices, and since they're novices, they need things to fluff their resumes with. Honestly, if the author had just left out any mention of the professional designers who redesign things for fun, in the "concept car" sort of way; and specifically targeted the article right from the beginning at only the amateurs who think that "this is the way to recognition", then sure, it'd be a fine article. I also would have skipped reading it, as I think would most of HN--thus the underhanded form of argumentation required to come around from a linkbait-y premise, to his actual point.

karjaluoto 13y ago
In no way did I imply that 37signals should make free webpages. (I'd never encourage a designer to work for free.) Instead, I was thinking back to when I first saw of unsolicited redesigns appear. My best recollection was when 37signals used this approach to generate visibility for their firm.

chc 13y ago

Eh, working cheaply for somebody else is worse in pretty much every possible way than doing something for yourself for free.