The evolution of SAAS website designers
The first designers appeared about 15 years ago. Not so long ago, but not recently, considering that the first site appeared in the ninety-first. Since then, they have undergone many changes and now most of the designers work on the SaaS model (English Site as a Service - site as a service / service). This means that a site can be created using a web application that is developed and maintained by a service provider who himself monitors its performance and updates software and hardware. Maintenance of the system, technical support, and sometimes some other work are included in the payment, which is usually charged to customers monthly. In this case, the end user does not acquire a license for the program, which allows him to save a lot. But at the same time you need to understand that the designer is, in fact, the rent of the site, and not its purchase.
From the point of view of the developers, the SAAS model completely excludes the possibility of unlicensed use of their product, since the client simply does not have access to the program as such.
As a rule, the service includes 3 elements: CMS, domain (second or third level) and hosting. Separate items can add design and additional features (modules, plugins, extensions, etc.). As a result, we get a turnkey website.
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Often, everything new comes to us from abroad, and SAAS is no exception. While in the CIS countries, this technology is not very common. For domestic companies, this model seems unreliable (as well as outsourcing in general). It is better to have something of your own, with the ability to fully control it. In addition, informatization has not yet reached any firms in Russia, let alone the choice of a specific model.
However, in Western countries, recently SAAS designers are becoming increasingly popular (with their help, about 200,000,000 websites have already been created).
The last few years, the development of the site constructors industry has been aimed at simplifying, cheapening and specializing, expanding opportunities. Flash is used less and less, and the old HTML versions are replaced by HTML 5, CSS3 is being actively implemented. Developers are trying to solve one of the main problems of designers - the limited functionality and design. Not only the “stuffing” has changed, but also the “cover” - new design options have appeared, following the mod (lately it's HTML5 style), the layouts have become adaptive. Also, attention is paid to improving SEO-optimization of sites created with the help of designers (earlier PS didn’t like sites on designers very much, now PS are suspicious of them, but everything is not so bad anymore). In general, the same changes occur as in traditional web development.
There were narrowly focused designers. So, there are designers who specialize in:
Of course, universal designers are developing, the most famous of which are Wix, Nethouse, Ucoz, Fo, Setup, uWeb, Jimdo, a5, Umi, Redham, Nubex, and others.
Ratings of designers can be found on almost every site, one way or another connected with this topic. But everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance, because the question of choosing the best is first and foremost a question of criteria. And the criteria are not always given. You must agree that the same designer can be in the first place for those for whom simplicity and convenience are important, and in the latter for those for whom the variety of functionality is important. If the goal is to make an online store, then the leader will be one designer, and if the blog is something completely different. As a result, it turns out that "the best site builder" simply does not exist.
The overwhelming majority of website designers in our country (more than 90%) are foreign services, whose interface is simply translated into Russian. All such services have a big minus - they are not adapted for Russian users. Yes, they are translated into Russian, but translation is often lame - many terms are English words written in Russian letters, they are incomprehensible to those who do not know English. Another disadvantage of such designers is the lack of integration with Russian services. These include Yandex services, which are very popular with us (Metrics, Direct, Mail, etc.), soc. networks (Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, Mail) and others. Online stores often have problems with payment (in foreign solutions PayPal unpopular in Russia is used). There are several Russian designers, but, as a rule, they are much poorer in functionality than their foreign counterparts.
You can find many articles that list the pros and cons of both options, and even more controversy about what is better in the end. But if earlier designers and web studios were actively competing in the site building market, now more and more often there comes an understanding that these are just different things, created for different purposes and intended for different target audiences. Comparing them without taking into account the specific situation is as meaningless as choosing between a car and a motorcycle. Of course, a large company that needs a professional website with an individual design, the development of unique modules and further support of the website should no doubt go to a web studio. But the newly created rock band with lead singer Petya at the head will be well-suited to the site on a free-made designer. In short, designers are needed by those, and only by those who need a website quickly, simply and without problems, and the rest are welcome to individual development.
We will write a separate article about the shortcomings of the designers (they are definitely there, and there are not a few of them), and in this article we will allow ourselves to speak out in their defense, dispelling several myths.
1. Designer - this is unprofessional.
It is difficult to agree with this statement. A website created with the help of a designer may indeed look unprofessional (and this is the fault of its creator), but non-professional designers are very rare. As a rule, the designer develops a large team of programmers, web designers, designers, marketers and other professionals (just professionals). Then it is tested by hundreds and thousands of people. Improvement of such a service occurs constantly, both before and after its launch into operation, round-the-clock monitoring is carried out. But what website you will make with the help of the designer - it only depends on you. There are very good examples (not to distinguish from the site to order), and sometimes vice versa, I want to cry at the sight of the next “masterpiece”.
Some designers have a service to set up (fill, design) the site. That is, in fact, they themselves make clients websites based on their constructor. It turns out pretty well, and at reasonable prices.
Web studios, by the way, are also different, some of them have much lower-level professionals than designers, although there are very good (and expensive) studios, you can't argue with that.
2. The designer is bad because it requires monthly fees.
Yes, as well as any other site requires monthly expenses for hosting, domain (annual) and site administrator (if there is one). If you do not want to pay monthly, then you can make a payment immediately for a long time - in this case, many designers also offer a discount. And some designers provide the opportunity to pay the site forever (buy it).
3. Constructor - this is unreliable.
Not always. There are designers who work very long and steadily, unlike some hosters. Plus, if any problems arise, they are not immediately solved by the client, but by the technical support of the service. In general, the question of the reliability of the designer must be solved separately in each case, as well as the question of the reliability of the hoster. However, if you can simply change the bad hoster, then the site on the designer will not work, you need to turn your head on from the very beginning.
From the point of view of the developers, the SAAS model completely excludes the possibility of unlicensed use of their product, since the client simply does not have access to the program as such.
As a rule, the service includes 3 elements: CMS, domain (second or third level) and hosting. Separate items can add design and additional features (modules, plugins, extensions, etc.). As a result, we get a turnkey website.
')
Often, everything new comes to us from abroad, and SAAS is no exception. While in the CIS countries, this technology is not very common. For domestic companies, this model seems unreliable (as well as outsourcing in general). It is better to have something of your own, with the ability to fully control it. In addition, informatization has not yet reached any firms in Russia, let alone the choice of a specific model.
However, in Western countries, recently SAAS designers are becoming increasingly popular (with their help, about 200,000,000 websites have already been created).
What's new / Innovation
The last few years, the development of the site constructors industry has been aimed at simplifying, cheapening and specializing, expanding opportunities. Flash is used less and less, and the old HTML versions are replaced by HTML 5, CSS3 is being actively implemented. Developers are trying to solve one of the main problems of designers - the limited functionality and design. Not only the “stuffing” has changed, but also the “cover” - new design options have appeared, following the mod (lately it's HTML5 style), the layouts have become adaptive. Also, attention is paid to improving SEO-optimization of sites created with the help of designers (earlier PS didn’t like sites on designers very much, now PS are suspicious of them, but everything is not so bad anymore). In general, the same changes occur as in traditional web development.
There were narrowly focused designers. So, there are designers who specialize in:
- promo sites or landings (for example, Landingi, LPGenerator, Flexbe, LP, Borstch and others);
- online stores (Insales, Merchium, PlatzCart, Skynell, CartEnergy, Shoptus, Malle, Sellbe and others);
- Mobile sites (Mobilizetoday, Oycii, Wen, Lark, Mpedia, Wapego and others).
- blogs (hostenko, inblog);
- forums (Mybb, Forum2x2);
- educational institutions (Maam, Edusite, a2b2, Km-school).
Of course, universal designers are developing, the most famous of which are Wix, Nethouse, Ucoz, Fo, Setup, uWeb, Jimdo, a5, Umi, Redham, Nubex, and others.
The best site builder
Ratings of designers can be found on almost every site, one way or another connected with this topic. But everything is not as simple as it seems at first glance, because the question of choosing the best is first and foremost a question of criteria. And the criteria are not always given. You must agree that the same designer can be in the first place for those for whom simplicity and convenience are important, and in the latter for those for whom the variety of functionality is important. If the goal is to make an online store, then the leader will be one designer, and if the blog is something completely different. As a result, it turns out that "the best site builder" simply does not exist.
Site builders in Russia
The overwhelming majority of website designers in our country (more than 90%) are foreign services, whose interface is simply translated into Russian. All such services have a big minus - they are not adapted for Russian users. Yes, they are translated into Russian, but translation is often lame - many terms are English words written in Russian letters, they are incomprehensible to those who do not know English. Another disadvantage of such designers is the lack of integration with Russian services. These include Yandex services, which are very popular with us (Metrics, Direct, Mail, etc.), soc. networks (Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, Mail) and others. Online stores often have problems with payment (in foreign solutions PayPal unpopular in Russia is used). There are several Russian designers, but, as a rule, they are much poorer in functionality than their foreign counterparts.
Designer or web studio?
You can find many articles that list the pros and cons of both options, and even more controversy about what is better in the end. But if earlier designers and web studios were actively competing in the site building market, now more and more often there comes an understanding that these are just different things, created for different purposes and intended for different target audiences. Comparing them without taking into account the specific situation is as meaningless as choosing between a car and a motorcycle. Of course, a large company that needs a professional website with an individual design, the development of unique modules and further support of the website should no doubt go to a web studio. But the newly created rock band with lead singer Petya at the head will be well-suited to the site on a free-made designer. In short, designers are needed by those, and only by those who need a website quickly, simply and without problems, and the rest are welcome to individual development.
In defense of SAAS constructors
We will write a separate article about the shortcomings of the designers (they are definitely there, and there are not a few of them), and in this article we will allow ourselves to speak out in their defense, dispelling several myths.
1. Designer - this is unprofessional.
It is difficult to agree with this statement. A website created with the help of a designer may indeed look unprofessional (and this is the fault of its creator), but non-professional designers are very rare. As a rule, the designer develops a large team of programmers, web designers, designers, marketers and other professionals (just professionals). Then it is tested by hundreds and thousands of people. Improvement of such a service occurs constantly, both before and after its launch into operation, round-the-clock monitoring is carried out. But what website you will make with the help of the designer - it only depends on you. There are very good examples (not to distinguish from the site to order), and sometimes vice versa, I want to cry at the sight of the next “masterpiece”.
Some designers have a service to set up (fill, design) the site. That is, in fact, they themselves make clients websites based on their constructor. It turns out pretty well, and at reasonable prices.
Web studios, by the way, are also different, some of them have much lower-level professionals than designers, although there are very good (and expensive) studios, you can't argue with that.
2. The designer is bad because it requires monthly fees.
Yes, as well as any other site requires monthly expenses for hosting, domain (annual) and site administrator (if there is one). If you do not want to pay monthly, then you can make a payment immediately for a long time - in this case, many designers also offer a discount. And some designers provide the opportunity to pay the site forever (buy it).
3. Constructor - this is unreliable.
Not always. There are designers who work very long and steadily, unlike some hosters. Plus, if any problems arise, they are not immediately solved by the client, but by the technical support of the service. In general, the question of the reliability of the designer must be solved separately in each case, as well as the question of the reliability of the hoster. However, if you can simply change the bad hoster, then the site on the designer will not work, you need to turn your head on from the very beginning.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/249021/
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