So I had a falling out with my friend of over a decade who manages my website. I love the kid with all my heart and I'll consider reopening a connection if he finally quits lying, becomes honest, and understands how his actions might have possibly hurt me, anyways...
He manages my personal website, how do I maintain it and make sure it stays on the air? I am an internet / computer novice. It was done through wordpress, and I have access to the account that pays for the domain, but what else do I need?
Thanks!
Asking friends to do stuff that falls within the realm of professional activity is okay when you are in college and/or starting out.
To my mind, it is inappropriate after that, because, on one side or another it blurs boundaries - the boundary between the personal and the professional - that are better left intact.
Personally, I have issues with it: Quite apart from the taking for granted of someone else's professional expertise, (which is what this may be if it continues for an extended period of time) - if you are not paying them, they are doing you a favour, and this can lead to other issues when there is a falling out.
Besides, some questions may arise:
1) How can you ensure that the work done is to the standard required? That is, if they are friends, and are expert (but not necessarily professionals) in the area in question?
2) How can you call them out on it if it is not done to the required standard, and still hope to retain the friendship?
3) If this goes on for a long time, how are you not taking advantage of their skills and taking them for granted?
4) What do you do in return for them? Or, rather, if the roles were reversed, would you be prepared to put your professional expertise at their disposal for an extended period of time for little or no return?
This is quite apart from the issues raised in your original post, but - with respect - while you do need to maintain the integrity and security of your website, I suspect that there may be more to the issue than has been discussed in your initial post. Or rather, there may be two sides to this story.
Put another way: I would not expect a friend to provide a professional service without adequate payment. On account of the friendship, and depending on how close or enduring it was (is), the payment would probably be considerably less than might be charged fully and professionally - i.e. there would probably be a generous discount - but I would expect to pay professionally for a professional service that ran for an extended period of time and called on their skills for that to be able to happen.
