Let me tell you a little more about myself

I have a lifelong history in computing with many years of experience in the field. I’ve been fascinated by the internet since I first set eyes on a web site and I really enjoy front-end web development.

Born in 1973, I have seen the world of home computing develop throughout my life. From learning to program on my Commodore 64, to creating databases on the school’s BBC Micros, to writing the majority of my University essays on an Amiga 500, to owning an early Windows PC so I could access the internet, I have always had a strong affinity for home computing.

I obtained Computing GCSEs and A-Levels when at school and then studied Computing and Artificial Intelligence at Sussex University. It was here I was given my first email address, back in 1991, and taught how to use the University’s Unix-based computer system to create computer programs that exhibited signs of intelligence. I have stayed in Brighton and Hove ever since.

After graduating I worked for American Express as a developer in the statementing department. I used a propriety application that turned a customer’s monthly card use into a printed bank statement. The skills I acquired in converting this user data into printable, well-designed unique statements have many similarities to those used for today’s front-end web development.

I had always kept one eye on the birth of the internet and the World Wide Web, and as soon as it was affordable I linked my PC up to my phone socket and connected to an ISP. The early days of the web were patchy and slow. I can remember the first time I Googled a search term, and for the first time saw relevant search results.

I did notice that some websites seemed to be so well designed yet others were awful. Some gave you the information you wanted quickly whilst others made you wade through layers of non-intuitive navigation to find what you wanted. Some took ages to load and were full of large unnecessary graphics whilst others seem quick and graceful. I was determined to find out why this was, and so began my interest in becoming a web developer.

It was clear to me what made the good sites good and the bad sites bad, I knew I could make websites that were built the correct way. I started creating websites in my spare time, building an early blog, writing my own content management system using PHP. Due to my past computing experiences it all came relatively easy to me and after a few requests from people who had seen my work and wanted their own websites I decided to give up my full time job and go freelance.

In 2005 I set myself up under the moniker King Websites and started creating websites professionally. I was an early user of WordPress and so was able to deliver bespoke CMSs at a price much lower than local software houses. I followed the latest coding trends, made sure my sites worked on all the available browsers, and delivered quality solutions to design agencies, web designers and direct to small businesses themselves.

Since then I have hundreds of websites under my belt and many satisfied clients. I continue to enjoy working with creative people in turning their designs into well built websites. Please take a look at my portfolio to see what I’ve been working on recently.

John King