Let's forget about what dictionaries have written down to explain who a webmaster is. Taking it upon yourself as your occupation, who can you say a webmaster is?

a dog

I think over time, the term 'webmaster' has shed some of it's weight. Today, roles are more specifically defined like 'web developer'; 'web designer'; 'web content manager'; 'content manager' etc

In my opinion, today's webmaster is the person who is responsible for the day to day running of a website, the maintenance of a website if you like. He/she is not particularly interested in the content but how that content is presented, how it is laid out on the site and deals with issues which may come up from time to time. But he is not directly involved in the design/development of that website.

For small websites/firms, this role may not be clearly defined but for a large website (e.g cnn.com), the role of the web master has to separated from the web designer and whoever else works on the site.

In addition to what pie1 has said:

I think this is a loaded gun. You may have noticed that I refer to myself as a web developer. I shy away from being called a webmaster (or in my case webmistress because:

1) To me, a webmaster is one who does it all,with respect to a website, from server configuration, to monitoring server performance to troubleshooting, to coding, to designing and everything else regarding a website. All I do is code.

2) Call me weird but webmaster sounds like the overall guru akin to a kung-fu webmaster and I certainly, even after many years of coding, don't regard myself as such. There is a lot to learn, even based on what you already know. If I call myself a master then that implies to me that I should stop learning. As we all know, in this game, stopping to learn is the ultimate suicide.

I could be wrong but I think in the Nigerian context, being that, generally speaking, we love our titles, the term "webmaster" is just one of such that makes people feel good. Just like, "Dr. Alhaji Engr Chief xyz", "Webmaster" does ring a bell when added before the name of whomever is concerned.

Yawa-tide, where would you advice for a beginner to start to become a good webmaster

Again, with the webmaster title

I cdnt begin to teach you of how to become a webmaster but I could for a web developer:

A website consists of content (XHTML), presentation (CSS) and behaviour (JavaScript). Start XHTML. Follow that up with CSS, the Javascript. At each stage, give yourself a project to do. I would also advise you learn via Notepad. It is free and you don't have to worry about anyone giving you some "dump" for a free CD or ebook. Once you are done with these 3, you advance to stage 2: business logic.

This is where PHP/JSP/.net and all others come in. At this stage, you can then use a WYSIWYG like DW. Why? cos among others, it offer features like autocomplete and highlighting. Since you shd hv known how the code actually works by now, autocomplete shdnt be an issue. Again, you give yourself a project to do.

If you have any other questions, let me know. Others, please chime in.

@yawa and pie1ect

How did you both understand what I was driving at? I was just wondering at the name "WEBMASTER" and thought members of NL in the webmasters category could do justice to the name.

Finally, do you think NL should maintain the name WEBMASTERS for this category?  

I personally think that the webmaster name should be changed to "web development" and then under that, the various branches should have various boards (graphics design, user interface, etc).

But that's just me. Last time I checked, NL isn't owned by me so I guess I should wish myself good luck with respect to any changes being made

Well, if the moderators are reading, what do they have to say here "uspry and SAM_MILLA"? Do you recommend or , ? What's your opinions?

I could be wrong but I think in the Nigerian context, being that, generally speaking, we love our titles, the term "webmaster" is just one of such that makes people feel good. Just like, "Dr. Alhaji Engr Chief xyz

I agree with you.
As to change of name - I would change the name from "webmasters" as it doesn't really sound like the 21st century. It sounds too. . . tacky, if may be so bold.

I'm not bashing NL but the sub-forum could be more aptly named.
Having said that, kudos to Seun. NL is no small feat.

Does it mean that even the webmasters in this forum can't define their professions?

omni,

I would say, Yes. Here are the roles as I see them. Note that not everyone is a web designer in my eyes:

- Web Developer (Does front end work: JSP, PHP, CSS, XHTML, JavaScript)
- Web Designer (Does only graphics via PS or FW)
- Information Architect (Does wireframes of what each page of a site should have via MS Visio)
- Interaction Design (Determines how each page interacts with each other
- DBA (Obvious what this does)
- Software Engineer (Does the JAVA and other backend logic)

Of course this is based on my work experience and obviously not all companies have the same exact positions.

Other opinions?

Web Developer + Web Designer + Database Administrator = WebMaster

I'm learning now. There are more people in here so they should contribute. When it comes to attacks, they will know how to open their mouths but now, it is time for them to defend what they claim they are and they are on the run. Where are they

I'm I waking sleeping dogs?

here, here Omni.

Let us all put our money where our mouths (with wooden teeth ) are

Want to draw their attention here before opening a new thread.

@Quandrillo

That is a very wrong concept. There is a reason why professionals decided to define these jobs more clearly. Web developers and designers are more technically-aware than the webmaster colleagues. Webmasters, from my experience tend to be people with minimal web development or web programming skills.

So they are employed after the site has been developed to keep an eye on it, so to speak. To tweak one or two things, if the need arises. Webmasters are not web gurus as a lot of people are wont to be believe.

I think the idea of the "webmaster" is overhyped in Nigeria. I say so because I started my foray into the web development industry in Nigeria. We somehow portray the so-called webmaster as a know-it-all when it comes to creating websites.

This notion has to be revised. There should be more specialization and in return, we get more efficiency. I think this is the singular most important reason we still see many half-baked websites in Nigeria. One person (the "webmaster") designs everything from layout and navigation, graphics and colors, to usability, data handling and SEO and YES, you do get a website with no usability, weird color combinations, animated graphich flying all over the pages, forms that don't work, etc at the end of the day.

Tell them o, pie1ect.  I have been trying for 6 months to no avail 

At the end of the day, as I stated earlier, it's all about us thumping our chests.  We want a title, ala the british. "I am a webmah-stah".  Same reason applies to those who claim to be "gurus". There is a reason for the adage, "jack of all trades, master of none"

@pie1ect
Thank you so much for your immense contributions so far to this thread. You are really saying my words from the research I've made.

@yawa
You see why I said I was learning and that there are many in here so let them defend their foremost title "webmaster". They are on the run now. No wahala oooooo.

I still maintain and ask, who is a webmaster?

People will still talk and I think they can now consult encyclopaedia and dictionaries for what to say. But you know what? Someone will be going home with the title, WEBMASTER soonest

What a beautiful branded name

@Yawa ti de, This question is from a novice, but, are you saying I shld luk @ one or two of these areas, (Web Developer + Web Desig@ + Database Administrator) eye them and then give it all ive got without worrying about the other?

jonson mba,

What I am saying is, "jack of all trades and master of none" - just like in uni where you are exposed to all discliplines before you finally specialize in one or 2, you should be familiar with each step of the web dev process. Then be honest with yourself and focus on what you know you know best. In other words, know a little of everything but settle on what I would call your core. Take me for example: I know a little of everything so that in the event I land a job that requires what I don't really know, I don't lose the business because of it. Having said that, I have my core skills which are XHTML, Javascript, and CSS. One thing I am not good at, I will tell anyone upfront is graphics and I am quick to outsource that part of my project. Again, having said that, once I get the end-product, I know enough about Photoshop to massage what I get if need be.

Unfortunately, because of the nature of the beast in naija (from high unemployment to employers taking advantage of the situation, etc), over there, web guys are forced to know it all. In the end, what you get, at least based on some (not all ) of the work you see, for instance, on NL, is half-baked.

Hopefully, I have answered your question.

Yes you've done justice to it. Once again I'm greatful

But, don't you think this thread is a problem to many. They just don't know what to say again after the explanation of who a Webmaster is. I know what to do next. It will be a VS game. I think we'll know those that are webmasters and those that are web developers even web designers