I’m probably not quoting the movie ‘The Indian in the Cupboard‘ just right but I am reminded lately of the scene where the Indian rebukes the little boy for playing with the magical cupboard when he didn’t fully understand what it could do.
When you offer yourself to others as a service provider without having a full understanding of the scripts and software required, you’re like that boy in the movie. You’re playing with magic that you do not understand.
I’ve been in that pair of shoes many times. You know just enough about something to be dangerous to yourself and others – but you know more than most so there’s always someone willing to pay you a little something to help them out.
But what happens when you get in over your head? When the hack goes wrong? When the style sheet proves mightier than your html code? Now you’re in trouble.
I’m not discouraging anyone from trying new things but be careful about what you offer to do for others.
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I love that movie and that quote, and that is a great application of it!
Oh Kelly, you really hit the nail in the head there. A service provider should always learn these things on their own time, unless a client approves it then that’s another matter. But to accept a job where you are clearly winging it, you’re learning at the expense of the client and that’s not right.