jkd — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 20:59:42 +0000

I'm 16 years old. I've been called everything ranging from too smart for someone as young as you, to being called a pure genius. I've had oppurtunities with book contracts regarding Javascript, and at the forums I regularly visit, have been told that people wish they knew half as much as I did. This extends beyond Javascript to virtually everything W3C pushes, and web applications work with Java, C#, etc.

I still don't get regular jobs though, but I think its more location than anything - I've been told that if I lived 6 hours south, I would be able to make 30k-40k a year part time (doing stuff in between homework assignments) for what I know and regularly do. Less of an age issue, and more of living out in the middle of Nowhere, northern Maine.

[Josh] — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 12:27:47 +0000

Again I agree. If I set up a webdesign business, sure if I got 4 or 5 orders a month that would be fine. But it's a Circular situation. If, which it think I am , your an average webmaster then the 4 or 5 will tell others, and withing a year could multiply up to 20 or 25 a month and then I would be overloaded with making web pages for Local Flower companys. Or making a Flash Game for the local community site. And that would interfere with my schooling. Sure as much as I would prefer to make Sites in school all day I know my schooling is important, even if it's just to get a degree in Computer Science, English, ICT and programming. Or whatever. Also, you have to have more than one on a team, I would never dream of employing an adult to work on my company (yet), nor would tehy do the same. And so I would have to hire someone my age to help with all the designs. But then your stuck because the 3 or 4 people who who just might be able to do the site arn't interested.

I'm sure that doesn't make sense. hehe.

The Webmistress — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 09:15:28 +0000

The point most of were trying to make Katie is that at a very young age you may well be able to create fabulous websites with great designs and validated code but where age does go against them is from a business perspective as many companies wont give business to anyone so young.

Katie_Venra — Sun, 01 Sep 2002 01:38:55 +0000

I dont think age has a lot to do with it.

I've been building sites for about 4 years now, and i'm 26. I do a lot of games related websites and have seen people of all ages make fantastic looking websites with little more than frontpage 97 and notepad.

It's got a lot to do with how well they can picture a website, if they cant imagine what it looks like in their mind AFTER its finished then they will end up blindly coding stuff.

[Josh] — Sun, 18 Aug 2002 16:31:57 +0000

I agree and disagree to alot of the points here. I started HTML programming about a year and a half ago, I've done many sites, about interests and such like. I do hate the fact that adults don't think we can do as good a job as they can. I've designed many websites. But my problem is that because I am still at school and such like, I don't ever seem to finish many sites. I can produce the code, the graphics, do a few of the scripts, but the content will usually loose me. I often just stop half way through a project and usually when I'm really pleased with teh design. But I stop, it annoys me like hell, because I WANT to finish the project. Honestly, Yes, I could completely code and design a website for someone, I don't think I could do it on a business scale but i COULD DESIGN and CODE.
I know I'm not the best of designers:
http://accursed.co.uk and http://greenhouse.cjb.net. But I enjoy it. And honestly If and a big IF, IF i really pushed myself I could do Design for a business scale.

So my strong and weak points that must show some "maturity", and thats my say.

companyreviews — Wed, 31 Jul 2002 23:36:33 +0000

It depends really, they still have great talent but they couldnt fit it into a web related job without alot of help to get to know the buisness side of it. i just turned 14 and i wouldnt know how to do the buisness side of it, so some points i can agree with and some i cant.

nike_guy_man — Sun, 21 Jul 2002 02:13:02 +0000

It's not the age, it's the accomplishments
I am 15... have coded since 11... and I won't do a job if someone cares that I'm young

I think you can't group people into stereotypes... young people aren't creative, young people are creative, young people are snotty, older people are snotty, older people are closed minded, older people are creative... etc etc

My crazy idea: Make an internet rating system based on accomplishments... you are 'age' 1 when you start programming, and experts are 'age' 99 or so... woh would implement it though?

Crazily,
Have a nice day (crazy too)

Abhishek Reddy — Sat, 20 Jul 2002 13:24:49 +0000

I guess I could also say that some of the younger clients (20-30yo) were far more open to a younger designer than were the older clients (30+). I suppose, traditionally, teens just don't fit in the "business image."

openmind — Sat, 20 Jul 2002 00:14:42 +0000

Hmmm....interesting discussion....

I gotta sit on the fence on this one, just watch out for splinters!

If I had styarted young (<25) I would probably be designing for a living instead of selling the damn sites. But the Internet is faceless. By that I mean if a 14 year old can talk, code and think like a 30 year old how you gonna know!!! I've been around these forums for a while now and it still amaze me how young some of the members are simply because they do not act their age!

I only wish I had started younger

Suzanne — Fri, 19 Jul 2002 22:19:45 +0000

The issue for me is experience. And like it or not, when you're older, you've had more time to gain that experience. Whether you have or not, of course, is why we have the interview process...