<blockquote>We must all remember that making clients happy is not our job—our responsibility is to focus on producing the best product for them. – <cite>Dan Rubin</cite></blockquote>
<p>I’d like to make one addendum to Mr. Rubin’s statement. Our responsibility is also to <em>our clients’ customers</em>. I think that’s the more important precedent to set with clients. It seems most of the people saying “but my clients won’t understand” are letting the client’s wants and needs overshadow was is best for the real end-users. Yes your clients should be pleased with the end result—don’t misunderstand me—but they need to consider what is best of their customers.</p>
<p>I think we’re doing a great disservice to their customers by not using CSS3 to render popular design elements like rounded corners. In a day when a snappy response from a web site is expected, is it worth asking people who use Internet Explorer to be making extra HTTP requests? Especially when the site is just as functional and eye-pleasing without them? Talk about response times, page weight and bandwidth usage if it helps them understand. Then start talking about real dollar amounts and deadline extensions if they persist. It is more work for you as the designer/developer in the long run, so you should be getting paid more for it.</p>
Doug G
<blockquote>We must all remember that making clients happy is not our job—our responsibility is to focus on producing the best product for them. – <cite>Dan Rubin</cite></blockquote>
<p>I’d like to make one addendum to Mr. Rubin’s statement. Our responsibility is also to <em>our clients’ customers</em>. I think that’s the more important precedent to set with clients. It seems most of the people saying “but my clients won’t understand” are letting the client’s wants and needs overshadow was is best for the real end-users. Yes your clients should be pleased with the end result—don’t misunderstand me—but they need to consider what is best of their customers.</p>
<p>I think we’re doing a great disservice to their customers by not using CSS3 to render popular design elements like rounded corners. In a day when a snappy response from a web site is expected, is it worth asking people who use Internet Explorer to be making extra HTTP requests? Especially when the site is just as functional and eye-pleasing without them? Talk about response times, page weight and bandwidth usage if it helps them understand. Then start talking about real dollar amounts and deadline extensions if they persist. It is more work for you as the designer/developer in the long run, so you should be getting paid more for it.</p>