zahnster

I got into the web industry because I love creating innovative, streamlined web solutions. My ultimate goal is to create intricate web applications that enrich people’s lives, providing them with accurate, in-depth knowledge and resources. However, until I get to the point where I can work for myself, creating my own web applications while making enough money to live off of, I work for companies (all interactive agencies so far) who have paying clients with minds of their own - and not always the best ideas of what’s good for their sites (or for the web in general).

Most of the time it’s fine. Clients are open to our ideas, as we are the professionals, and we can convince them of best practices and standards. We can tell them how frames are nightmares, popups are annoying (and mostly blocked, rendering them inefficient for anything), and how Comic Sans should never. ever. be used.

However, sometimes clients get the wrong idea about something, and no matter how hard we try to convince them otherwise, they won’t budge.

It’s times like these that I feel like I’m not a web developer - I’m just a web prostitute.

Case in point: I am currently digging through Google trying to find a bit of Javascript code to disable right clicking. One of our clients had some images pirated recently, and they are convinced that disabling right click is the way to go, even though we tell them that they’re essentially just throwing away their money. Seriously - I can think of five other methods off the top of my head to save an image off a website without right clicking. But apparently their uncle’s cousin’s friend who is “really good at web” tells them this is an awesome solution. You know, the kind of guy who will build you a website for $40 and a case of Bud Light? So I’m looking through Google and having little luck - typing in ‘disable right click’ provides you with a slew of results on why you shouldn’t do such things. Rightfully so. I remember the disable right click feature back in 1997, but I haven’t seen it being used in practice in years.

But, the client wants it. So I have to find a way.

I feel so dirty.