Does being new to this
thread qualify me to introduce myself? I ask because I've been a Coffee Cup customer for years.
And yet I remain a newbie. This Web stuff is built upon such a simple architecture that it is bound to grow, change, expand, partially collapse & retrench, and then grow again. (For example, open standards are taking over Flash's traditional turf.) Maybe such explosive change makes all of us perpetual newbies.
My academic background is electrical engineering, computer science and general business management. I've made my living in marketing and sales, which is fun and lucrative.
By age 48, I had made enough $$$ to underwrite a modest retirement.
So I tried retiring. I couldn't stand it.
I spent the summer of 2011 researching computing-related franchise businesses. They weren't for me either. (I think I'd better not name names on this forum. Write if you'd like to talk about that.)
Since it's no longer possible to find and assemble electronic components to build cool stuff the way it was when I was a teenager (circa 1968), I'm squeezing my 59-year-old brain through the knot hole of learning Web-related technologies, including site construction (which breaks down into tons of topics all by itself), software-as-a-service, SEO / SEM, self-publishing, e-commerce and database work.
I'm building a consulting practice to assist local businesses, the little guys that giant Web and brick-and-mortar companies increasingly walk all over.
Some History
I did a stint in politics, including building my very first site to benefit the local state representative. (Yes, I used CC's HTML Editor.) The site was pretty simple. I adapted one of the fluid layouts included with the HTML editor, added a little PHP for navigation and header & footer, and included some minor CSS pizzaz. Now that my state rep. friend has retired, the site lives on, re-purposed to present his scholarship program for local students. See
repbobhargraves.com.
I used a freeware open-source (PHP-based) Content Management System / Framework to build my next site, this one to benefit a local political town committees. (I think I'd better keep out of trouble by mentioning neither the CMS nor the political party by name. You can write me about that, too.) The templating system of that CMS allows for dropping in page markup and styling with little trouble, so the HTML Editor also went along for the ride.
I operate a mixed Windows / Linux peer-to-peer network so that I can play with the technology, particularly to see how various browsers render sites across various operating systems.
I've bought just about everything that CC sells, but I've used little of it. (I want to encourage these CC guys because I like the way they operate.) I should start using more CC products shortly in my new venture.
Next Steps
-- Move the CMS-based site to the newer technology offered by the CMS software provider. Turns out that they changed the user-level stuff considerably, so this will be challenging.
-- Help this new client I accidentally landed. I'm not ready, but of course I'll NEVER be ready. (See second paragraph above.)
-- Build a site promoting my own business.
Lots of work, lots of fun.
I'm keen on mastering the HTML 5 transition. Hope Coffee Cup will be there to assist.
halfnium -AT- alum.mit.edu
Yes, I looked just like that in 1962.