Mostly, I just find it frustrating that you and the author are presuming that taking Bootstrap and, as self-proclaimed non-designers, "making it not look like Bootstrap" is a good thing. Good design isn't just a thing that happens when you put a cool font on a photo. I'd be less irked if the article was about finding and installing great Bootstrap themes.
Also: 24 Ways' design has, and has had, an excellent design for years and years. The colors are a bit interesting, but the typography and layout is wonderful.
Also also: you're building quite the straw man there. No one said the article was killing anything, illing anything, or making anyone cry.
I definitely wouldn't take the author's design advice, though.
> Also also: you're building quite the straw man there. No one said the article was killing anything, illing anything, or making anyone cry.
jspthrowaway2 was paraphrasing other comments on this page. When this article was newer, all of the top comments where about how terrible the design is. Here are some direct quotes from other comments on this story:
> the fact that this person is trying to promote this exact idea makes me ill
> I'm crying. Why is this the #1 story? And how can a person with such a hideous looking site give design advice?
> We're supposed to take design advice from a site that looks like a car accident? No thanks.
Your comment was the direct inspiration for mine and I hated everything about it. It wasn't good enough for you to share your opinion as a designer, you had to attack the author personally because she had the gall to design a bit even though she wasn't a bloody designer. Really attacking the messenger. Half of me suspected you and others reacted as you did because she's a woman, to be quite honest, even though I know that's probably untrue; that just tells you how much I loathed your comment.
Suffice to say, this thread is reflecting pretty badly on you as a person and you should reconsider your attitude.
Accusing me of sexism is completely out of line. I attacked the author professionally because I don't think she's right about design. Professionally, I lauded her programming and writing accomplishments in another comment, and I'm sure she's perfectly qualified to write about those topics. I'd gladly learn from them. Personally, I have no idea who the author is. I'm sure she's a wonderful person.
Regardless, I'm done here. I'd be happy to have a civil discussion on the matter, but it's clear you're not capable. Passive-aggressively calling me sexist while hiding behind a throwaway account is trolling, plain and simple, and tolerating you isn't worth my time.
There was no passive aggressive accusation made; I simultaneously shared with you what came to mind when I read your comment, then gave you the benefit that you weren't being that low. Read for comprehension, please. I'm just sharing with you my thought process on your original comment, which was entirely out of line. I'm not making that up: my first thought was "this reaction is due to her gender, isn't it?" which tells you how far out of line it was. That's the only reason I'm sharing it. Slow down, guilty conscience; I'm not accusing you of sexism.
I cycle through throwaways so that I don't reflect awfully upon myself as a person when someone misunderstands me as intentionally and flagrantly as you have. See, now, I know never to consider you as a designer on any project I ever do, based on your elitism and how you've behaved in this thread. I have a $20 in my wallet that says I'm not the only one, I'm just being vocal about it. That should be important to you, since you're a freelancer. You don't get the same privilege with me, which is why I prefer anonymity.
> trolling
Har. I get accused of this a lot, and I'm starting to read it as "yeah? well? your mom!" in my head. If I were trolling you, you wouldn't know it and certainly wouldn't be able to accuse me of it. I think it's because people are surprised I have the audacity to tell them what's wrong with them, and it makes them uncomfortable; so, by default, I must be an evil troll.
The rest of Hacker News upvoted my comment -- basically a direct shot at you and the other mediocre designers that were made uncomfortable by this article, and the most upvoted on any account I've ever had (what does that tell you?) -- and even after reading it you ran back into this thread being an elitist jerk to everybody who was trying to have a productive conversation about the article. You, and elitist people like you in any walk of life, are cancerous, and I'm investing time telling you that so you can stop doing it. Stop doing it.
Also: 24 Ways' design has, and has had, an excellent design for years and years. The colors are a bit interesting, but the typography and layout is wonderful.
Also also: you're building quite the straw man there. No one said the article was killing anything, illing anything, or making anyone cry.
I definitely wouldn't take the author's design advice, though.