If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed or email alerts. Thanks for visiting!
You might remember my rant on a particular book on web design that attempts to guide you on using Vastu Shastra for designing websites. I was surprised to see that the book, WebVastu authored by Smita Jain Narang was featured in this month’s Wired magazine.
The story claims that she is “rapidly becoming one of India’s hottest Web designers” instead of genuinely talented folks. If that is true, I feel sorry for the gullible Indian (and international) people. The article also features her analysis of Slashdot, one of the premier tech sites on the web today. She gives it a thumbs-down and recommends some mumbo-jumbo changes to increase its popularity. Probably she is not aware that although Slashdot may not have a nifty design, it is one of the most popular sites on the web (probably due to its content and not just fancy design). I like to think that the Wired reporter, Lisa Katayama may have sarcastically inserted this ‘analysis’ just to give you an idea of WebVastu’s frivolous claims. If it was meant in all seriousness, then we see a prime example of India’s seemingly mystic and spiritual tag being exploited to make a quick buck.
I hope people see through WebVastu’s dubious claims. My earlier post is ranked just below Smita Jain Narang’s website [on Google search] so hopefully people scroll down and compare two differing perspectives before making a choice. I have already been receiving several click-throughs from the searches on the web.
Update: Siddhartha at Sepia Mutiny takes up the case of Web Vastu but strangely he doesn’t sound as skeptical as I am but nevertheless has load of sarcasm to offer.
Abi at Nanopolitan submitted the Wired Story to Slashdot and the comments (295 and counting) are taking on Smita Narang’s claims.
Technorati Tags: webvastu, web vastu, smita jain narang, Wired, vastu shastra, web design, website design
by Patrix | on Thursday, October 26th, 2006 at 2:34 pm | 
Art and Architecture, Rants, education . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:14 pm reply
Well.. guess she hasn’t taken a look at maddox’s website - The best page in the universe.
http://maddox.xmission.com/
October 28th, 2006 at 9:47 pm reply
The difference between science and superstition is that science tries to reason/answer certain questions. Even if it cannot, it keeps trying, on the way answering many more questions.
A surprising thing is that web vastu does not involve any of the basic purposes for which web was created. To be able to get through it should at least answer the basic questions of web, rather than only sounding as an ad.
November 2nd, 2006 at 1:53 pm reply
[...] Wired thought it would be entertaining to ask Smita for her thoughts on the geek iBible, slashdot. I think it might be entertaining to ask other designers for their thoughts on Smita’s website…sorry, Smita, but I’m not really feeling the vastu. And, I worry about the dubious effects these types of claims have on the Indian design industry. Perhaps ancient science does have a lot to offer to web design - I just hope that this isn’t Atkins for the web, desi style. Get more thoughts from Patrix or see Slashdot comments around WebVastu. sandeep 11/02/2006,10:52 am|marketing, design| [...]
November 2nd, 2006 at 3:19 pm reply
Thanks for sharing that link, Vishnu. Hadn’t seen it before.
Abhijit, vastu is not at all related to the workings of the web. Lets say, its like fitting a square block in a round hole. IMO, she is a scam artist who is taking advantage of the gullible superstitious lot.