The people copying the look and feel of the "startup page" are not designers, they're generally developers who want a quick site that looks familiar and gets th

The people copying the look and feel of the "startup page" are not designers, they're generally developers who want a quick site that looks familiar and gets the job done. More people than ever are creating for the web, but they're not all designers. The technology has lowered the requirements so much that almost anyone can create a web site, and that's not a bad thing—more people should be able to communicate through this medium, and we should embrace that. But if you look at sites, personal or otherwise, of actual designers, you will find creativity. Creativity—the act of creative design—is what defines a person as a designer in the first place. You could say the same of photographers these days. Anyone seems to be a photographer; but there are still a scant few who are artists. "Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist can come from anywhere." Give them a chance. Copying is but the first step.