Learning Webdesign from the bottom up

...where to start?

[strabismus]

I have basic HTML skills, hence, should I start with

Frontpage?

Dreamweaver?

Should I learn .net? Or ASP? or PHP!

Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks,

M

[Animated]

you wanan do it professional firt of all learn html then do you wanna be more of a web designer or web developer?
dreamweaver is good and knowledge is power the more you know the better

[mack]

To increase your learning I woudl try and keep it simple. You said you already have HTML experience, I woudl recoment you remain with a text editor and advance your skills by moving towards CSS.

The mix of HTML/CSS will certainly help you advance your skillset.

The next step should be towards scripting. PHP. Perl or asp etc. This will allow you to make your sites active.

Mack.

[strabismus]

thanks for the replies chaps

firstly - web design v web developer. Is Developing encompassing dynamic features scripting for databases?

Is designing just designing layouts?

As for learning HTML, is this important. IE Would it not be more time efficient to use Frontpgae in split view to see the code I had generated?

Really really could do with knowing the best way forward please.

Thanks...

M

[Animated]

well to me a web designer would be someone who just design the website layouts and knows some html and a web developer does more then just that they do server side scripting like such as for dynamic web sites with php,asp and such.

[draggar]

Hello all, I'm extremely new to this site (less than 12 hours into it) but I've already learned invaluable information that has pushed me to revamp some of my sites. (Thank you all).

OK, now to the OP. I was in your shoes a few months ago, I still don't have any "paying" clients yet, but I'm in the process of revamping my sites from strict HTML to CSS and PHP. What helped me?

First, a series of books, 'Visual Quickstart Guide'. I've recently bought the books on PHP, HTML/XHTML/CSS, PHP/MySQL, and XML. I've also purchased (from my college days) HTML4 (yes, they're old), PERL/CGI, DHTML, and JavaScript2. These books are inexpensive (usually running you $20-$40 each) and are probabaly the best guides that I've seen out there yet. Each book has example scripts and walk you though each step of the script. I'd buy the whole series if I had the money!

Second was "playing" with scripts. I'd take friend's scripts (with permission, of course) or download scripts from free-template sites, such as [oswd.org...] and manipulate the code to see what each little bit does. Only until recently was I comfortable with playing with CSS and (very basic) PHP to create my own site from scratch (using Notepad to create the pages). My first creation (from scratch) was <url removed>. I know, it's extremely basic, but we don't have much to add to her site at this time, but I am planning on re-vamping the HSX site (mentioned above) along with another site that I have created for my wife's dog club.

I will warn you, though, learning is an addictive drug! You learn a little and you'll want more. You learn more, and you still want more. Next thing, you'll find youself face down in the coffee shop at your local Barnes and Noble with a stack of books all around you, it won't be a pretty site, but after a few weeks of rehab (usualy including a camping trip, cruise, or just general R&R, or just a HUGE movie marathon including all 6 Star Wars movies or all 3 Lord of the Rings movies in one shot) you'll come back and make some killer sites that would make anyone proud. :)

[edited by: encyclo at 2:28 pm (utc) on Feb. 27, 2007]
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