Web designing or Web developing?

I was recently reading a blog regarding web design which was arguing why text has taken a back seat to design ...

First of all I need to clarify my perspective: I, myself am a DEVELOPER, not a DESIGNER. I do not have what people call "an artist's touch", and definitely do not long for it. I consider myself to be what makes a DESIGNER design, what makes a BLOGGER blog, what makes an ACCOUNTANT account etc. I am what makes a machine move if you want... Relatively speaking.

My experience and education has taught me one thing: If your product is worth it, it will succeed. Especially in the Internet world, if a company with the homepage of Google can succeed, everyone can...

The blogger goes on to talk about the way a designer should write his text, the style of narration etc. I'm definitely not in the bandwagon of good designing principles etc. But I also do not undermine the power of a good design. I do believe however, that:

- If you are a good blogger and do not have a template created by a 12-year-old, you will not fail.
- If you have a good product/service and do not have a template created by a 12-year-old, you will not fail.

- If you DO NOT know what you are doing, a good design will not help you.

I am firm about the "IDEA" factor. it's all about what you have to offer. If you like what you offer and pay attention to it, you are bound to get a chance. It is when what you are looking for is immediate success and/or do not really care about your service when you go looking for presentation styles...

Perhaps talking about design is out of my range. Perhaps I have grown up so as to respect functionality rather than presentation (thank you mum!).

If you go 50 years back, newspapers and magazines would NOT be as good-looking as they are now if they didn't pay attention to DESIGN.

But then again... They still deliver the same service, don't they??