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> GitHub is NOT trivial, and it is extremely browser centric. Trying to just download a file is an exercise in frustration if you're not familiar with GitHub. Copying a link to your clipboard that can actually be used to download a file is next to impossible, unless you already know how to use GitHub.

> I can fully understand why the competition organizers specifically forbid the use of GitHub in their rules.

These concerns and specifically banning GitHub (the version control platform) were never mentioned by the organizers. The only reference to GitHub is in a section explicitly about pre-built template and sites like Wix that generate websites. At the very least we ought to recognize that the rule is ambiguous and ought to be amended.

) H. Framework systems, such as Drupal, Joomla, Wordpress, Bootstrap, or other current technologies may be used; however, pre-built templates and themes for these sites are not permissible. If a framework system is used, a statement affirming that the template or theme used on the framework was built by the team must be posted on an “About” section or page.

) I. Template engine websites, tools, and sites that generate HTML from text, markdown, or script files, such as Webs, Wix, Weebly, GitHub, Jekyll, and Replit, are NOT permitted.

One fallacy of web design, of any design, is that in order to be “good” it must be easy.

Sometimes there is a learning curve. Conceptual hurdles abound with a complex tool like GitHub. Working through hurdles help you grow as a technologist and as person —but having the right attitude going in, that’s on you.

A contest isn't about teaching the people running the contest new tools. The contest is about different groups (or people) competing on a level playing field.

Also, nobody ever said that design can't be, or shouldn't be complex. But web hosting is simple. You put files in a directory and point a web server to them, and it just works. If it doesn't, that's a failing of the designers.

Complexity of design and complexity of delivery are two totally different things, and complexity of design has (or should have) absolutely nothing to do with complexity of delivery.

> It's extremely frustrating when people CHOOSE to not understand something.

Indeed. From context it's obvious that site generators were banned, so that participants would have to actually code a solution and not just install Wordpress with a handful of plugins. Too bad retards who can't tell the difference between Wordpress and Github somehow ended up mentoring kids.

The judges don't have to use Github. OP was disqualified because the judge noticed either the Github banner on the page or github in the url.

> GitHub ... is extremely browser centric.

This is a strange criticism if we're talking about a website competition.

I have no idea why you think the opposite, but it makes perfect sense that web-centric things be disallowed in a website competition. The contest is about content, not about tools.

No, it doesn't make sense. You use a browser to view and interact with a website (which is what the competition is about). So why would Github being browser-centric be a ding against Github when the competition is browser-centric?