Hi, I'm doing a project for school wich requires me to ask/interview a web developer and ask the advantages and disadvantages of the job. If there are any web developers here could you post what you think the advantages and disadvantages are. Cheers.

"Never underestimate the power of the dark side!"

Well, I develop a website but not for a business. Its a personal site, but its not about me. Actually, its a Legend of Zelda fan site called Zora's Domain. Would you like me to help you out, or would you like someone who does it for a company?

We are Microsoft; resistance is futile.

I started in web development for a side job about four years ago, mostly using Perl. Then I moved to PHP & mySQL, still creating websites for small businesses as a side job. Once I graduated from college I started working as a full time ASP & ASP.Net developer for a magazine company. I've since quit that job and now do application programming for a living, but I still continue my PHP & mySQL side business going.

Here are some of the advantages:
1. It's a business that is easy to do in the comfort of your own home, whether you're doing it as an independent contractor or for a corporation.

2. There are lots of resources out there on each of the technologies - it's easy to find examples of what you want to do, since it's probably been done before.

3. The technologies you work with are geared towards developers of intermediate skill...It doesn't take a computer dork to learn PHP, HTML, ASP, CSS, etc. They're all simple languages that can be picked up in a few hours.

4. There is lots of web development work out there...Particularly if you're willing to learn JSP or ASP.Net. Jobs for ASP & PHP programmers aren't as common and don't pay as much.

5. Web development is fun...you get to be both creative and technical, and have a visually stimulating final product that you can show off to all your friends and family.

Here are some of the disadvantages:
1. Nowadays, everybody and their dogs can make websites, and everybody and their cats thinks they're good enough to do it for money. The market is flooded with developers with little real development talent, so you have to figure out how to set yourself apart from the amateurs...They can do it cheaper than you, so you have to prove you're better and the extra money is worth it.

2. Web Development combines two nearly mutually exclusive talents...Graphic design and computer programming. Lots of people are good at one and fair at the other, but I personally don't know anybody that is really good at both. To do it for a side gig, you have to be able to compensate for your inability either as a programmer or as a designer. Personally, If a client wants a super-visually pleasing site, I contract that work out to a graphic designer.

3. There is not a lot of stability in web development companies. Dot coms come and go like J-lo marriages.

Hope this helps - I'll probably think of more things later.

-SN

Web development is fun, challenging and you can do it from home.

BUT...

Be prepared to loose touch with reality. Don't expect non tech people do understand what you're talking about and be prepared to suffer bad eyesight.

Visit tm4b.com if you would like to send sms or bulk sms.

SN summed it up VERY well.

The main problem is that everyone thinks they can do web design these days. Unfortunately, not only do you get a BUNCH of amateurs because of this, but you see the same thing from the business owners as well.

I have dealt with many business owners who think they don't need professional web design because their 2nd cousin's aunt's son does web design on the side.

Furthermore, it's very hard to make a decent living doing just web design. If we call a decent living $50k per year (at least here in California that's an okay living, ha ha0, the market is so saturated with web designers that it would be very difficult to make $1000/week doing just web design.

Of course, throw in graphic design, programming, etc., and you could pretty easily make a decent living.

The main advantage to web design is job security. The Internet is not going anywhere in the forseeable future. If you can make a good living, are good at what you do, and stay current as far as technology is concerned, you will most certainly have a job for many years to come.

Thanks for the help guys.

"Never underestimate the power of the dark side!"