Alex Eckermann

In the 7 years since I first coded HTML I have come across a few problems and bumps in the road to where I am now. I have self learnt HTML, CSS, PHP, ASP and Javascript along with other numerous coding languages. Just recently I have been focussing on typography and design so I may offer that service, website design, to my clients.

There are just a few things that I want to mention to some new web developers that I have gone through and experienced.

Drop the dodgy $5 hosts
I have been shafted by a host once before and it almost cost me a client. These hosts are generally the ones you see that offer $5 hosting and have all these features that are very enticing. But many of them are just young people, many are teens, with a hosting reseller account that want some quick cash, which does usually work.

They just don’t offer the stability or reliability that you get from an actual host like Media Temple. If the reseller doesn’t pay their bill to where they buy the reselling from then there goes their account and yours too or your clients website. It can be a mind field of reseller accounts and dodgy service. My main tip is to stick with the slightly more expensive but better quality hosts like Media Temple, Dreamhost or 1&1, all of which I have dealt with and am happy with their services.

Early learning = Early Success
My plan was to cram in as much experience and knowledge now so I could get the jobs I wanted straight out of school. It will definitely help me get a web developer job with a large spread of coding languages under my belt.

I went to a design agency as a work experience expecting to be given simple office jobs but as it turned out I was coding PHP scripts and got hired as their web developer. That experience has not only started my career but gave me an insight into business and learning design from the staff there. I was only given that opportunity because of my prior learning.

But thats not without sacrifices, that being mainly spare time to go out. It also made me be the family ‘Computer Guy’ which at times can be very annoying.

Anyway thats just a few little things that I wanted to express in my blog. I will hopefully be writing some more blog posts in my spare time.

Do you have any of your own tips or experiences of web developer woes? If you do drop a comment.

Written By: Alex Eckermann -  Permalink