What's the long term future for front end design?

[goma]

I don't have a degree in design but I like front end / design more than back end / DBs and coding. I want to go as far as using PHP and ASP but that's as far as I want to go back end. I'd like to concentrate on Flash and other front end technology and design in general. But I'm worried that there's not much of a long term future in front end / design. What do you guys think?

[tdev]

As long as you don't look at the "boom years" as a measuring stick the future will be like anything else ... if you're good/know the right people you'll do ok.

But, like "programming", most people will at least need 4 year degrees from "real schools" and good experience/portfolios just to set themselves apart for entry level or contract positions.

[richard_h]

If you're currently into Flash and are thinking of making the dive into PHP it's worth pointing out that PHP supports quite a few Flash functions (or Ming functions):
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.ming.php