Alright.. been at this web site thing since 1995… that\’s ancient in \’net years. Still, I struggle when asked to explain what I do. Typical conversation goes
like this…
\”What do you do?\”
\”I have an Internet business\”
\”Oh, you build web sites. My cousin\’s sister\’s twice-removed great aunt
wants to have a web site. Can you help?\”
\”No, I don\’t build web sites. I have my OWN sites.\”
\”Oh. So, what do you do?\”
\”Well, I\’m like a publisher, only online\”
\”Oh.\” (followed by blank stare and occasional drooling)
(realizing they don\’t get it) \”Like a magazine, only on the web. We have
our own original content that people come to the site to read. They can shop at our sites and we also have games they can play as well as other things to do.\”
\”Oh. So you charge people to come to your site?\”
\”No. We are advertiser supported. We also generate revenue from our
newsletters and affiliate links.\”
(At this point they are either totally confused and walk away happy or
they courageously(?) pursue the line of questioning further. After much
discourse, the find the hole goes deeper than they ever dreamed)
\”Oh. So what exactly do you do?\”
\”I don\’t know\”
I actually find \”I don\’t know\” to be the best answer on several levels. First of
all, my job description is too broad to nail down succinctly. Secondly, I\’m
not sure how I got here in the first place, making the answer all the more
realistic. See a dot.com story for the continuing saga that answers the question. And thirdly, it leaves them bewildered, wondering how I
have all this free time.