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• design vs develop
• hand coding
• web standards
• my tools
• code of ethics
• pricing policy
• ala carte plan

While there is considerable overlap between the tasks, web design refers to the process of definining the structure of a site and creating the graphics for it. Web programming refers to writing the behind-the-scenes code — using various computer languages — that makes a website work. Web development is a broad concept that encompasses web design and programming, while adding tasks such as database design, search engine optimization, and sometimes even web marketing.

Typically, a web designer is a highly right-brained individual with training in computer graphics who may or may not have any programming skills. There are a variety of WYSIWYG = "What You See Is What You Get"WYSIWYG products (like Dreamweaver, Frontpage or Firebird) that a designer can use to automatically generate the computer code needed to put up a website from his/her design. The code generated tends to be rather bloated, awkward and ugly, but usually manages to get the job done. Computers, oddly enough, lack the finesse to write good computer code. WYSIWYG editors can provide only basic functionality.

Web programmers, as a rule, are left-brained folk who shy away from the artistic side of web work. Programming is all about linguistic logic, functionality, agonizing detail, and geekspeak. But if you need a website that DOES something besides sit there and look pretty, you need a web programmer. The more specialized the needs of a website, the more this is the case.

Web developers are difficult to pigeon hole, but since I consider myself to be one, can use myself as a reference point. The distinguishing feature of a web developer is the ability to see the big picture and integrate left- and right-brained tasks. With large, complex sites, a web developer may function as a project manager, orchestrating a team of designers, programmers, writers, server administrators, database, and marketing people. On smaller sites, such as the ones I prefer to do as a team of one, my job as developer means coordinating my own collection of hats: overall design, grahics creation, programming, database work, copy writing or editing, and SEO. I find myself comfortably switching between left- and right-brained activities as required. It's similar to being an architect performing all the manual labor to construct the building he designed.

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