Silly Error Messages

One of my pet peeves is the "coming soon" page on a web site, only second to the "This site is under construction" notice.  These are two very silly notices to put on your website.  The primary reason that I recommend against  posting them  is because usually they stay posted for weeks, months, or more! If you don't have content don't post the link.  If your site is 'under construction'  just post your name, logo, phone number, or some other USEFUL information and leave it at that. The internet is so fluid, and websites are very easy to change (and anyone that tells you other wise is either lying or trying to make a few bucks off you). There is no reason to post a link to a page until it is actually there.

The other day I was driving to the gym and passed by a sign in a shopping center.  The digital portion of the sign said "NO FONTS."   Now, the obvious question of "If there are no fonts, why are we able to display this error"  is put aside to ask, why are you posting this message?  The back side of the sign was displaying normally (not shown in photo). A blank sign would have been less silly looking than an error message of "NO FONTS" posted on Route 1 for every one to see.

Many parents and grandparents have been known to say, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."  I like to modify that rule and say, "If you don't have anything useful to say, don't say anything at all"

Plato said "A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool because he has to say something."  By that rationale, if your content is available, by all means post it.  If nothing is there to see, don't post the link to it until it is ready unless you intend to play the fool.

Imagine going to a restaurant and seeing on the menu "Fillet Mignon...COMING SOON"  Now, the customer is thinking... "hmm I could really go for a Fliet Mignon,  lets go somewhere else."

Look smart, act smart, and people will believe you are smart (whether or not you are ACTUALLY smart  is irrelevant.)