GoDaddy and more IT mis-information

GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com) has apparently revolutionized how developers create content for mobile devices like smart phones, pdas, etc. Amazingly enough, all you have to do is host your website with a domain ending in ".MOBI" and it will magically optimize your content for the handheld user. Check out the comments directly from their October 2006 newsletter:

"Millions of people have the potential to visit your Web site from their mobile devices -- are you ready for them? With NEW .MOBI, the world's first mobile-optimized domain, you can reach out to an entirely new, high-tech audience that's waiting to connect with you. ..."

I've been a loyal GoDaddy customer for several years. Before their infamous commercials and godaddy girls. But that's irrelevant to my intended rant.

This is a minor infraction, but another one nevertheless, in the dumbing-down of the perception of IT to the general public. Granted, the general public isn't interested in the details of such technical matters, but it just burns me up to see this misrepresentation of technology. Granted, if Hollytwierd didn't dumb it down in their shows (pick one: 24, Alias, and although I've never seen it, I presume CSI:Wherever also), they'd lose the audience quickly, I'm sure.

However, the IT firms (GoDaddy included) which are advertising overly-simplistic (or patently misleading) solutions to complex business technology concerns causes an expectaction that no vendor can live up to without explaining away the misconception. Considering that it's on TV or the Internet, it must be true, right?

In the case cited above, GoDaddy will basically lie about how to get a website up for mobile device consumption and I'll get to be the pessimist in my clients' office explaining how it's just not that simple (or cheap) when he wants to do such a project.