In the interview with Eric Rodenbeck from Stamen Design, Rodenbeck talks about how he learned web page building from looking at the work of other designers and mostly using trial and error. I think that that is a valid way to learn about how other designers are doing these things but those who work this way all have prior knowledge of what they are learning. I think it would benefit designers to learn some basics of at least one web-designing program before even graduating. Although I agree that people should be responsible for themselves and learn these things on their own time, there is a lot that can be learned in a group environment.

In Loving the Limits with Geoff Allman he talks about web design as being different than print design in that print designers have a final product that they can actually hold and show and use in a printed portfolio. But web designers also have an advantage because they always have their portfolio as long as they can get to a computer, and also they can always update and bring their past projects into the current time and style, which is harder to do with print material. I also agree with the statement that design, especially web design, is responsive and context sensitive rather than fixed and static. With the web the designer can always change things about it if the current trends change. Currently the trend is generally simplistic, involves a lot of bright colors and pictures, and shows the product or service fairly plainly. One example is the Coach website. It uses pictures to illustrate fun and colorful but simple instances but has the product in plain view. It also uses Flash animation, which is very popular right now, but still stays very simple and always keeps the brand in mind.

I think that web design is becoming one of the most important outlets for graphic designers. Although the digital design world is always changing, it is important to work at knowing and being able to design with the trends and stay current on the technology.