My name is Chris M Johnson. I am a 22 year old jack-of-all-trades web worker currently based out of Rochester, NY. Being a jack-of-all-trades web worker means that on any given day I can find myself in the role of the blogger, the designer, the developer, the entrepreneur, or the student. Currently, while I finish my undergraduate degree I work part-time for Prudential Financial as a web application developer as well as freelance projects on the side. For a more professional look at who is Chris M Johnson, feel free to check out my resume.
The Blogger
Blogging is the popular trend in distribution of information on the internet. In this day and age, if you aren’t part of the blogosphere you are not making the most out of the internet. Admittedly, I was a late bloomer to the blogging world and have not quite mastered the art, but I think only a select few have.
Currently, I only blog here, but I have some thoughts on other blogs to develop my blogging portfolio.
The Designer
Charged with the beautification of any project, the designer can play a key role in making sure that all the functionality gets to the user in a useful and meaningful way. While I consider myself a developer first, I do have a background in design and art in general so I bring an interesting combination of form and function in to any project.
I have 3 years of traditional art training, including pencil, pen, charcoal, pastel, watercolors and acrylics. I also have 1 year of training in architectural design, bringing a different approach to design and organization. Also, I have 1 year of formal training in computer graphics, working with Photoshop and Illustrator. I do my best to pull from all of this training to bring a multi-faceted approach to any design problem.
The Developer
Sometimes confused with the designer when considering work on the internet. A developer is typically the unsung hero of any project because the majority of the effort put in is behind the scenes and not directly visible by the users.
When I first became involved with computers, it was the power that a developer has over a system as well as the anonymity a developer has. I’ve changed my ways a little bit over the years and am don’t always desire the anonymity that comes with being the proverbial “code monkey”.
The Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship is nothing new, but it is becoming all the rage as of late. The appeal of being your own boss and being in direct control of your destiny is very enticing. I inadvertently began my career as an entrepreneur. I got my first taste of the entrepreneurial life with my first job working in a start-up computer cafe. We got to pioneer many different projects and tactics from within the company to try and push what it meant to be a computer cafe. Soon after I began doing freelance web development work and the entrepreneurship bug has never gone away.
With the entrepreneurship minor at RIT I was given a chance to learn from so very knowledgeable professors which has really given the entrepreneurial spirit new life. I look forward to getting a chance to either bring one of my concepts to market or assisting others in making their ideas a reality.
The Student
I am a fifth year senior at Rochester Institute of Technology studying towards a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with minors in Entrepreneurship and Psychology. While most of my applied experience is on the web, I have also taken course work in the areas of software engineering, artificial intelligence, and computer vision.
The Name
The internet is a very big place and I was given a very common name at birth. Under the advisement of one of my well-respected professors, I developed a personal branding strategy to increase recognition of my brand on the internet. One element of this strategy was the inclusion of my middle initial when identifying myself. So far, I would say it is paying off. According to Google, I am #134 when searching for “Chris Johnson” but #1 when searching for “Chris M Johnson”.
The Site
I am a bit of a control freak. So when it comes to coding standards, this site, and all other sites I work on, are built with valid HTML and CSS code for maximum cross-browser compatibility. Also, I am a big believer in the semantic web and I do my best to markup my code to add semantic value to all elements.
Being a bit of a control freak also means that I have very specific way I want things to be handled when it comes to my content management system. While there are many options available, I have yet to find one that perfectly fits my needs. In the past this site has been powered by static files, two custom solutions, Chyrp, Textpattern, and Wordpress. Currently, Wordpress is the workhorse because it is the best fit for what I am after, but still not perfect.
This domain, registered in 2001 with Dreamhost, is not my first home on the internet. I have gone through many domains dating back to 1997. Looking back on many of my previous domains, I am a bit embarrassed and don’t like to re-count them, but I think this domain will be here to stay as my home on the web.