About
I started off studying Mathematics but soon found my true path – creating stuff for the Internet. I’ve always liked dealing with online software. I like building things from scratch and I like contributing to open source. I’ve programmed in PHP and PERL and have extensive knowledge on how Flash and AJAX applications work. I work on a daily basis with popular technologies like XML, CSS and JavaScript.
You can view my resume where you can find more information about the skills, experience and goals I have. Or view my oDesk profile for some certified credentials by a third-party.
My story so far…
Web Developer for Optus
October 2008 – November 2009
Optus is a major telco in Australia. There, I worked for a bit over a year in high-profile projects where I took challenging tasks, admittedly outperforming expectations. My activity was span from pure front-end markup and JavaScript re(design) to more back-end tasks like file structure and template logic. I grew my organizing and planning skills as a developer and my work had an impact to a large audience but I didn’t want to pursue a career in the corporate world as I had trouble expressing my creative nature.
Freelancing in Sydney
September 2007 – October 2008
I begun working as a freelance web developer once again, mostly because I had many personal projects hanging around for a long time and wanted to dedicate some of my time to them before I devote myself to another full-time position. During this time I released online services like Feed Anchors and Template Blocks and started my own game development studio, Am-I. I was preoccupied on various web-related projects but always looked for freelance opportunities on advanced web development. I had the pleasure of working in short-term roles for BullRoarer, to setup their web design department, and Alpha Salmon, as a senior flash developer.
Web Developer for MODUS Corporation
September 2006 – July 2007
This was my first stop when I arrived at Sydney. I almost stayed a year with these guys and I got to learn how web design worked in a different kind of environment.
During my time there I did advanced flash development for online applications, occasional PHP coding and a daily usage of shell commands and website administration. Other duties involved the coding of HTML emails, CSS (re)design, development of multimedia CD presentations, XML coding…
My job was limited but at the same time of high volume. I had no involvement in closing the jobs or dealing with client feedback, not even in the creative design of the projects themselves – I just did the work that I was given to do, nothing more nothing less. At all times I tried to deliver a bug-free, standards-compliant product. So, my work there should be judged on that level, and the consistency of the implementation from the original concept.
After leaving the office, I continued doing some freelance work for them for a short period of time, until a couple of unfinished projects where completed.
Note: Some of the projects I got involved with during this time are available in my online portfolio and have the indication “This work was done for Modus Corporation” at the bottom of the entry.
MODUS (www.modus.com.au)
- Contact info:
Phone (Australia): 1 300 88 66 59 – Fax: 61 2 9906 7623
- Head Office:
211 Pacific Highway, St Leonards NSW 2065, Australia
Freelancing in Greece
November 2002 – August 2006
After my University studies, my partner in life Maria proposed we should start our own web design firm. I had already been doing it for years as a fanatic hobbyist and I did want to be involved in Internet-related projects as much as possible – so, despite the infamous online crisis of the time, I agreed.
Now, a two people web design studio is not actually a company, it was more like doing freelancing – subcontracting small parts of work from bigger projects. Maria handled the business relations and I dealt with the actual development. I wore many hats while freelancing, from graphic design to SEO optimization.
At times the pressure was too much and we didn’t have many options to pass responsibility to someone else. So, I built some of my skills the hard way. This is not uncommon though. Dealing with such new technologies, and academic studies having a hard time catching up, means that most of us creating cutting edge applications have to learn by trial and error on real live projects.
Despite that, we had the chance to work on some interesting web projects, creating business websites and online services that benefited many people. This by itself is an accomplishment. We stayed in business for 4 years in which time we got to learn how to run a web business and increased our development skills like never before.
We made enough money to pass by but to be honest not enough to see any significant change in our lives. So, we made the decision to search for better business opportunities elsewhere – in my birth country, Australia – thus ending this period with a drastic move.
Learning Years
September 1998 – March 2002
This is the period when I learned all the basic concepts of how the web works and what I can create for it. I used to spend countless hours on the computers of my Uni (trying to save as much from the dial-up connection I had at the time) – I actually remember being thrown out a couple of times because I was using the computers “for fun”.
Little did they know that this was strictly educational for me. I used to download PERL scripts and read the code like it was Cosmo (if superficial reading was my thing anyways). I was like a learning sponge, sucking up web knowledge. By then I had already decided that this was the way for me. The Internet made me above all happy.
It wasn’t just a career move. It was the exodus I was looking for from the small minded and low expectations people I found myself surrounded with, even in university. I got to live the first golden age of the Internet – an open playground where nothing was standardized, and the prospects where almost ideal. The work of imaginative and creative people online helped me evolve at much higher rates than I would otherwise.
I mostly did small brochure-type websites these years, which gave me a few good extra money to pay-out my university bills. I also launched a few online services, mainly for the Greek audience.