On 03/13/2012 11:44 PM, Johnny wrote:
<snip>
One thing I would add that I feel separates the good from the great web
developers is having a passion for, and ability to create elegant
interfaces. Beyond rock solid programming and technical skills, you
need an artists sensibility to be a great web developer. So follow your
passion as Sean said, but make sure it includes a passion for beautiful
and simple user experiences or you will be one of the thousands of web
designers and pseudo designers that crowd the web (especially small
business sites) with so much ugly.
There are a great number of tools out there that make creating beauty
much easier than it used to be, but without the eye, it may not matter.
This is marching further afield, but I have to respond to that one.
Design, like anything else, is a skill that can be acquired. Some folks
might have a bit of a head start, but spending some time reading, doing,
and getting feedback, and you'll be able to hold your own. You may not
be able to bootstrap yourself to be a Herman Miller, but you won't suck
at it any more.
I went through this process this fall -
http://dague.net/2011/12/04/you-dont-need-to-suck/ that's got a number
of great books that help you get started if you want to hold your own in
the design front.
Design isn't just for software either. The Design of Everyday Things is
a book that anyone that makes anything should read. You'll never look at
a light switch or a door the same way again.
-Sean
--
Sean Dague Learn about the Universe with the
sean at dague dot net Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association
http://dague.net http://midhudsonastro.org
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