What Influenced My Degree/Career Choice?

There were many factors that influenced my degree/career choice although personally the decision wasn’t that difficult. I guess what really persuaded me the most to pursue a degree in Web Design and Development was something I heard eons ago (okay maybe not that long ago, but it feels like it) by radio show host Art Bell. Whether you liked him, or thought he was a total loon he did make a lot of sense in one area. He quoted Confucius stating, “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” (Confucius 551-479 BC). Web design and development is just such a job for me. Even though I don't think earning my associate’s degree in Network Administration Management was the incorrect choice; in fact I think it is quite the contrary. By learning to design computer network infrastucture I feel it gives me a better understanding on how the internet (which is nothing more then one large computer network) works. My associate's degree in Network Administration has made it possible for me to troubleshoot networking problems, and the ability to set up security measures on my web sites that most other people would overlook. However, because I was able to take web design courses as electives. I discovered I had a knack for designing web sites and the tasks involved in said design. Unfortunately, I was taking the courses for web design when it was still in its infancy. When I completed my degree in Network Administration Management, I did graduate with honors. However, I learned that wasn’t too adept with sub-netting or designing secure network infrastructures over cross-platform clients. I did learn, however, I was very good a developing web pages. I decided to pursue a degree in web design, but as luck would have it couldn’t as most of the courses I took were electives for my original degree. However, I was allowed to pursue a diploma and finish my web design courses. During the completion of my Web Design Management diploma the need for dynamic web pages was barely beginning to become common place. The differences between dynamic and static web sites are twofold. First is the fact that dynamic web pages allows a visitor to interact with a web site. For instance Face Book, and even the Steven-Henaberg web sites are dynamic. The second difference is that much of what goes on a dynamic site is what is called “server-side” programing. In laymen’s terms this means most of what a person does utilizes the computing power of where the web site is hosted, and also utilizes applications (or programs) on the server where the web site is stored. This is opposed to say a static page which by definition is a web page (sometimes called a flat page) that is delivered to the user exactly as stored, in contrast to dynamic web pages which are generated by a web application (Information dserived from Wikipedia; www.wikipedia.com). This basically means that the web site is literally downloaded onto the computer used by the person viewing the site and provides information. A static web page has very little interaction value; it basically provides information and nothing else. The site itself is static, meaning it can’t be changed; what you see is what you get. Like looking at a painting in a museum, you can’t change its features to suit your needs. For instance you can follow links to other pages, but you can’t create profiles, purchase auctioned off items, or even lacks the ability to upload pictures for others to view immediately. Currently I have created, and maintained, several static web sites. In fact my web page for my DJ business is static. What I lack is the skill to create and maintain dynamic pages. Thus, this limitation makes my marketability in the field of web design very limited. Since my goal is to be able to have a job where I can do work I love, and one where I can do said job in my jammies and slippers I need more skills. This is the reason I chose my particular degree and career path. There are many freelance web designers out there, and others who work for a particular company. To be honest to create and maintain a web site doesn’t require more than an internet connection and a computer. There is a bit more to it than that, but at the heart of it all is those are the two basic core necessities. I figure with my fifteen plus years of experience in web design already, and a strong working knowledge of server side programming I stand to become a very good candidate for designing and maintaining web sites. My ultimate goal is to do a job I love, and well doing it in my jammies and slippers won’t hurt in the least either..