[thelist] What tools should I use?
M. Seyon
evoltlist at delime.com
Mon Sep 12 14:21:45 CDT 2005
Message from jcole1513 (9/12/2005 07:11 AM)
>Hi:
>I'm pretty new to web development (supporting one website for about a
>year), and would like to know what direction I should take for becoming
>a full-fledged web developer. Specifically, I would like to know what
>are the arguments for using open-source tools (Apache, PHP, MySQL,Linux)
>over, say, Microsoft environment (IIS,ASP,.NET, SQL server).
A slightly different perspective here.
I don't know what your background is, so I may be suggesting things you
already know, but a very significant aspect of web development has very
little to do with development technologies, especially as you begin
developing and maintaining multiple commercial sites.
I offer you these three suggestions:
1. Project Management
The nitty gritty of coding is all well and good, but without a strong sense
of managing time and resources you can quickly swamp yourself. An ability
to lead a project means you can step back from the actual code, in certain
instances, and see where you can hire contracted workers to develop
specific widgets that you aren't technically capable of developing on your
own. This means you do not need to know every single technology at an
indepth level.
This may not be for you, of course. Some people are much happier being chin
deep in code than being chin deep in managing coders.
2. Know the Business Side
Get into the board room. I know several developers who are technically very
strong, but they have never been exposed to a board room. All of their
experience is at the level of taking a spec produced by someone else, and
creating an application. They have very limited ability to support a client
by identifying problems within the organisation and proposing viable
solutions. They also tend to have a lifetime's worth of grousing about
"this stupid client insists I do x" or "I know it's stupid but that's what
the client wanted". But they have never, or rarely, interacted with a
client at the decision making level to understand where these specs come
from, or to correct the spec before it becomes cast in stone.
This also relates directly to "should I use PHP or ASP" type questions, as
that is not a developer-centric decision to make. A successful developer
will assess the client's needs and requirements and be able to implement
the most appropriate language/technology, not the language/technology s/he
is most comfortable with.
Again, some people would much rather never see a client, but I personally
would advocate for at least some knowledge of how things work at this
level, even if you move away from it at the end.
3. Understand the Value of the Community
The community is probably the strongest asset of the Internet. Case in
point, you came to evolt with your question didn't you. ;-)
Understand enough marketing that you can identify your client's potential
community, and how to put those people to work to increase the value of
your websites. Amazon isn't the top e-commerce site simply because it sells
books. Slashdot isn't just a bunch of geeks bumming around instead of doing
real work. Craiglist isn't another old classified ads service. Etc.
And a bonus, my only comment directly related to your question:
4. Pick Your Poison, Stick with it
Don't try to learn every single technology out there. Pick the ones you
really think you need to know. Learn them inside out. If it's not in your
list of core skills, outsource it.
Obviously be aware of the others, have a basic understanding of them. But
don't waste time learning PHP for 3 months, ASP for 3 months, ColdFusion
for 3 months. Unless you really want to, that is.
regards.
-marc
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