3 ms·

Years ago there was a job title at Microsoft called "Web Developer". I refused to give people this title or hire people into this role, because it was clearly a

by wrs 15y ago

Years ago there was a job title at Microsoft called "Web Developer". I refused to give people this title or hire people into this role, because it was clearly a dead-end job. The era of "Web Developers" -- people who can make an HTML page work but don't have fundamental software development skills -- lasted only as long as the Great Wheel of Client-Server Development took to make half a revolution. Now the client has software on it again, and...surprise, you have to be a "Software Developer" to work on it, not a "Web Developer".

prawn 15y ago
See, I'd call those types "Web Designers" and use "Web Developer" for someone who does a mix of frontend/backend for the web.
- wrs 15y ago
  To be clear, I'm talking about how someone defines themselves and their profession. Be a "software developer" or a "software designer". Don't put yourself in a "web" box, because the web will be implemented differently in a few years...like software always is. There's a professional skillset that developers and designers should have that is far deeper and more general than this year's popular web technologies. If you have that skillset, your career is a lot more secure. If you're a software developer/designer, and you think of yourself as a "web developer/designer", you're selling yourself short. And if you're beginning your career, know that you'll need learn how to develop/design software, not just "web".
  - prawn 15y ago
    Might be different in different regions and sizes of business - I don't work for a large business, I run a small business. I have called myself a Web Developer (if anything; usually I don't give myself a title) since 1995 and got by OK. There has been more than enough work for 15+ years. If the technology changes a bit, we either adjust or we don't, right? Maybe it's a lot different in large corporations?

by wrs 15y ago

prawn 15y ago

See, I'd call those types "Web Designers" and use "Web Developer" for someone who does a mix of frontend/backend for the web.

wrs 15y ago
To be clear, I'm talking about how someone defines themselves and their profession. Be a "software developer" or a "software designer". Don't put yourself in a "web" box, because the web will be implemented differently in a few years...like software always is. There's a professional skillset that developers and designers should have that is far deeper and more general than this year's popular web technologies. If you have that skillset, your career is a lot more secure. If you're a software developer/designer, and you think of yourself as a "web developer/designer", you're selling yourself short. And if you're beginning your career, know that you'll need learn how to develop/design software, not just "web".
- prawn 15y ago
  Might be different in different regions and sizes of business - I don't work for a large business, I run a small business. I have called myself a Web Developer (if anything; usually I don't give myself a title) since 1995 and got by OK. There has been more than enough work for 15+ years. If the technology changes a bit, we either adjust or we don't, right? Maybe it's a lot different in large corporations?