For most people a simple question. Not for me.

I find recently (because of the change in companies) myself answering this question at least three times a day. For the most part, like most questions, I try to answer it in such a way which it will be understood.

If I suspect that you will have no clue on what I am about to say, I will give the obligatory “Web Developer”, “Software Engineer” or “Technology Manager” token response and most likely be on my merry way.

But at work, where I am surrounded by my peers where people need to know what I REALLY do (and more so what I’m about), it is more difficult.

If you do know about technology (at least its existence) that response is not very descriptive at all and misleading because inside all those roles there are lots of things that I do not do.

In the past I used to start spewing at the mouth about being a developer of web standards, accessibility and semantics. But like many of you right now, eyes start to glaze over and attention is quickly lost.

Recently, I have just started with the “Umm, I’m a Web 2.0 guy.” and I seem to be getting a better response.

Sometimes I get an obligatory nod with “kool” and the distinct impression that the person really didn’t care. Asking what I did was more of a formality and there is a good chance that the person still has no clue what I’m talking about. Fair enough – no breath wasted.

But more often than not people seem interested in knowing more about what that means and ask. This is where I try to elaborate and often I get a quick round of 10 questions on my opinion.

I hate the fact that I am using a cliché’ buzz word to tell people what I “do” but hey -- if it works, don’t fix it right?