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May 19, 2008
OH MAY! JASON FRIED thinks different!
Will make it short because I have some huge load of work to do. I just read this post about how Jason Fried (while he was speaking at speaking in NYC at the AIGA Smart/Models) got amazed with Douglas Riccardi web site. Mr. Riccardi has a design agency with a very “simple” web site. Fried couldn’t resist and post about how great the site was, how simple and direct and why he thinks that strategy works.
That’s cool. Usual, isn’t it? just a post. What called my attention was the comments to Fried post. In one corner, we have the usual “please Jason, spit me, please please!” which I didn’t even bother to read because they where all the same. Where I really stopped by were the other ones; design agencies that can’t actually believe their idol Jason Fried says “that’s how a design agency web site should be in my opinion” while they have a totally different kind of web sites than the one Fried pointed as “wow”.
They went cu-cu. It was horrible for me to see that. Get a grip of yourself, damn it.
I love what Jason Fried and his team does, what 37signals created is just different. I have to admit, I don’t like how lately they are losing a little connection with reality (there are a lot of former “lovers” that are now hating them) but that’s not a problem. It happens. And, you know what, who cares. I don’t have to listen to the guy talking about himself; I just, buy or use the products he or she sells. That’s it. Better yet: I usually recommend their products. When someone ask me a good tool for project management, I don’t say I know a good tool: I say I know the best and send them the link to Basecamp.
It’s true. What it’s also true, is that I found myself reading just one of their post every 2 weeks. I used to read them everyday. Something changed? I think so; but that’s not the point. To all the design agencies out there that are feeling “down” because now the pop idol says “that’s the way of doing it” while, you are clearly doing things different I say you this:
Who cares? keep doing what you are doing. You don’t need to be a “follower”, just buy their products. Just eat their food; you don’t need to dress up like Ronald, just eat the damn cheese burger if you want it so bad, that’s all. I fell really stupid saying this, and I know some of you feel really stupid reading this but: who cares. Work for what you believe.
But don’t take it from me. I’m just a small guy with a small agency that still didn’t won any important victory (yet). It’s easy for anyone to say “hey, what do you know Javier, you fat bastard; Jason Fried has Basecamp, Backpack, Highrise; what do you have you spic? you and your damn people there at EmaStudios” (ok being hard, but it’s true), but again: don’t take the advice from me. Take it from the man itself, Steve Jobs.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma- which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
So yes, Jason Fried thinks different. And guess what. You too. Everyone does. Just, keep doing what you are doing, and as Mr.Jobs said, don’t live in the results of other people’s thinking.
Got emails from other agencies saying “hey, did you read what this guy wrote? should I change my web site to make it look like the one he thinks it’s right?”. Dang. All this mess just because a post? He just said “One of the best design agencies sites I’ve seen in a long time”. That’s all, wipe your nose and keep walking!
BONUS TRACK:
The full youtube video where I got the quote from Steve Jobs.
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