I think bringing Bertrand Russel into this is going a bit far. People aren't upset because Dustin's ideas shatter their stagnant world view, but because he presents them as having far more importance than they really do. AA is not doing as badly as it does because its homepage is messy.
It used to be that software was as close as you get to meritocracy. It seems that the web, and especially "web 2.0", changed that. We now have people like Scoble or Arrington who gain their status by pouring their energy not into building great stuff, but into ceaselessly promoting themselves. Many of us see this as crass and pushy.
Exactly. No one is mad about his wild unconventionality. He's not even being unconventional. He's just telling AA to make their site look more web2.0-y.
The criticism here is of Dustin's incredible arrogance in calling everyone at AA completely incompetent (which is patently untrue), and in his eagerness to make it a public controversy in order to shine the spotlight on himself. His web site is a virtual shrine to himself. Everyone knows that creating controversy draws public attention. Just check every 37signals talk or blog post. It works. All you have to do is vehemently argue that the experts are morons and that you know better, and people will pay attention. Some people don't appreciate the deliberate use of controversy to gain attention, though. That's the issue at hand.
AA is not doing as badly as it does because its homepage is messy.
The user’s experience is always more important than you think it is. First impressions are always more important than they should be.
In this case, I genuinely believe that AA will live or die based on the experience their customers have. Fixing their homepage is the start of a systematic change they need to make. However, if they don’t regain their customer-experience focus, I think it will doom them.
Fixing their homepage is the start of a systematic change they need to make.
As a guy who flys 10's of thousands of miles a year, I could care less about their homepage. I don't even use it, I usually go to Orbitz.com so I can get as many itinerary and price options as possible.
I'd rather AA offer better seats, or in-flight wifi, or the ability for me to pay an extra $10 to board in the first group when I am not in first class so I don't have to fight for overhead space.
Their website could be a fucking gopher site for all I really care.
It used to be that software was as close as you get to meritocracy. It seems that the web, and especially "web 2.0", changed that. We now have people like Scoble or Arrington who gain their status by pouring their energy not into building great stuff, but into ceaselessly promoting themselves. Many of us see this as crass and pushy.