Re: ASP

I once worked out a list of title definitions for my own
amusement, because of all the confusion around this.  Here are the
relevant fields:

* HTML Coder: a person who can hand-code in HTML, and is usually
proficient with CSS and possibly JavaScript.

* Graphic Artist: a person who can develop graphics both
conceptually (design 'look and feel' and well as individual
graphics) and in practice.

* Web Designer: a person who is proficient in both the above.

* Web Programmer: a person who is proficient in one or more
programming languages that are of use in web development.

* Web Developer: A web designer who is also a web programmer.


Of course, this skims over database designers, copy editors,
etc...the list is longer.  The idea I was trying to convey,
though, is that those ads are written by people who have no common
definition to guide them.  They may use the term 'web designer'
when needing primarily a graphic artist or a coder.

I can hand-code HTML 3.2, 4.x and XHTML, and CSS.  I write
commercial-grade applications in JavaScript, design databases as
far as 4NF using data modeling tools such as ER diagramming,
program in C, PHP, SQL and Perl (including complete, dynamic web
sites in both Perl and PHP), and I have created many of the
graphics in use on our clients' sites (although not recently, with
all the programming demands!)

With all this, you'd think I'd be qualified for many of the ads
you see, but I have had people tell me no due to my lack of
knowledge related to IIS and ASP or CF.  That's fair, because the
target platform is their choice.  It does, however, illustrate (at
least to me) that there is a huge list of possible skills in our
field...:).

Since each of the skills addresses only a part of an overall
site's needs, I think many employers, when looking for a webmaster
of a single site or a small number of sites, would rather hire one
person who can take care of the small tasks needed than hire 2 or
four people part-time so each can handle tasks within their area
of specialization.  For instance, maybe there is 6 hours worth of
ASP work this week, plus two new web pages that need content, some
graphics to design for a new section of the site and the style
sheets need tweaking to enlarge the subheadings in the site's
privacy policy.  I believe this kind of workload is the main
driving force behind those ads.

D

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kimiko Drew" <macruimmon(at)earthlink.net>
To: <hwg-techniques(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: ASP


At 11:07 AM 4/9/01 -0700, Peggi & Ben Rodgers wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I hope someone can help.  I keep seeing ads in the paper for web
designers
>with ASP experience.  Since I was layed off last December I'm
starting to
>worry a bit.  The last ad I saw asked for all the skills I have
except
>knowledge of ASP.


Hi all

I really have appreciated your viewpoints and perspectives on
matters in
the past, and am collecting great stuff to help me out.

But the above has me kinda puzzled.

Isn't there a "difference" between Designers and Programmers? I
mean, my
work is best described as Design work, even tho' I also can code
in HTML
and Javascript and CSS. But when it comes to databases, I turn to
a friend
who is a programmer and database developer who works in various
languages,
from PHP to Perl to C++ to older languages. We just don't think
the same
way, which is why we make a good team.

So, why do companies ask for Designers that program? Or web
programmers
that also design the look and feel of a site? Are they just
wanting a
person who is good at everything? Or am I missing something when
it comes
to the work of designing a web site?

I guess, consider me clueless on this subject, because it doesn't
make
sense to me... and I sure hope what I wrote makes some sense to
you all.

Thanks for your input. It really has been appreciated.


Kimiko Drew
macruimmon(at)earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~macruimmon/

a web designer in The Camarilla
White Wolf's Official Fan Club

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