Newbie
Posts: 13 
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Location: Ottawa, Canada
January 22nd, 2006, 08:14 AM
CALLING ALL WEB DESIGN EXPERTS!
I want to learn how to build and design web pages. I have borrowed a book from a friend that gives me the run-down on writing HTML code from start to finish, yet when I do an Internet search online, I see that many webpages offer you quick and easy (readymade) ways of building websites in which code isn't required (I guess because they've already written the code and it's like you are stepping in half-way through?)
Is knowledge of html outdated or still appreciated?
Basically I want to learn web design because I am a print journalist looking to expand my skills into multi-media - web design and publishing.
Can anybody please advise whether I should learn HTML coding, or whether I can still learn a lot of tricks and tips and design good web pages using the ready-made sites?
Here is one free website space and server site I found:
http://www.freeservers.com/
I'm not sure which category this would fit into however - html or readymade code?
There are many more free servers out there. Lastly, can anybody recommend some good ones that also include a simple and interactive teach yourself web design lesson?
Thanks for your advice and help.
CALLING ALL WEB DESIGN EXPERTS!
I want to learn how to build and design web pages. I have borrowed a book from a friend that gives me the run-down on writing HTML code from start to finish, yet when I do an Internet search online, I see that many webpages offer you quick and easy (readymade) ways of building websites in which code isn't required (I guess because they've already written the code and it's like you are stepping in half-way through?)
Is knowledge of html outdated or still appreciated?
Basically I want to learn web design because I am a print journalist looking to expand my skills into multi-media - web design and publishing.
Can anybody please advise whether I should learn HTML coding, or whether I can still learn a lot of tricks and tips and design good web pages using the ready-made sites?
Here is one free website space and server site I found:
http://www.freeservers.com/
I'm not sure which category this would fit into however - html or readymade code?
There are many more free servers out there. Lastly, can anybody recommend some good ones that also include a simple and interactive teach yourself web design lesson?
Thanks for your advice and help.
Newbie
Posts: 5
January 22nd, 2006, 01:07 PM
This is an interesting topic...I view it along the lines of needing to know how to build a car in order to drive one.
In this age of Web 2.0, Blogs and CMS, the need for an author to understand website coding decreasing rapidly.
Sure, if you want to customize your site, you should know how to lay it out etc. But, if it is only to publish content then things like Blogger, livejournal and wordpress do a good job with low barriers to entry.
If you want to learn how the web really works, get some web space and go to www.w3schools.com for online tutorials.
This is an interesting topic...I view it along the lines of needing to know how to build a car in order to drive one.
In this age of Web 2.0, Blogs and CMS, the need for an author to understand website coding decreasing rapidly.
Sure, if you want to customize your site, you should know how to lay it out etc. But, if it is only to publish content then things like Blogger, livejournal and wordpress do a good job with low barriers to entry.
If you want to learn how the web really works, get some web space and go to www.w3schools.com for online tutorials.
Newbie
Posts: 23
January 25th, 2006, 04:51 AM
It sounds a lot but once you get into it it's fun. honest!!!
Diana
web designer.
Quoting
not only do you need to learn HTML but also CMS, JAVA, Flash, photoshop, illustrator and mysql. The sites you are talking about are for people that don't know how to design web sites. If you want to do a couple of sites for yourself then go ahead with the sites that are already done, probably using frontpage or something. If you want to make a living from it you need to learn the mentioned programmes.
CALLING ALL WEB DESIGN EXPERTS!
I want to learn how to build and design web pages. I have borrowed a book from a friend that gives me the run-down on writing HTML code from start to finish, yet when I do an Internet search online, I see that many webpages offer you quick and easy (readymade) ways of building websites in which code isn't required (I guess because they've already written the code and it's like you are stepping in half-way through?)
Is knowledge of html outdated or still appreciated?
Basically I want to learn web design because I am a print journalist looking to expand my skills into multi-media - web design and publishing.
Can anybody please advise whether I should learn HTML coding, or whether I can still learn a lot of tricks and tips and design good web pages using the ready-made sites?
Here is one free website space and server site I found:
http://www.freeservers.com/
I'm not sure which category this would fit into however - html or readymade code?
There are many more free servers out there. Lastly, can anybody recommend some good ones that also include a simple and interactive teach yourself web design lesson?
Thanks for your advice and help.
I want to learn how to build and design web pages. I have borrowed a book from a friend that gives me the run-down on writing HTML code from start to finish, yet when I do an Internet search online, I see that many webpages offer you quick and easy (readymade) ways of building websites in which code isn't required (I guess because they've already written the code and it's like you are stepping in half-way through?)
Is knowledge of html outdated or still appreciated?
Basically I want to learn web design because I am a print journalist looking to expand my skills into multi-media - web design and publishing.
Can anybody please advise whether I should learn HTML coding, or whether I can still learn a lot of tricks and tips and design good web pages using the ready-made sites?
Here is one free website space and server site I found:
http://www.freeservers.com/
I'm not sure which category this would fit into however - html or readymade code?
There are many more free servers out there. Lastly, can anybody recommend some good ones that also include a simple and interactive teach yourself web design lesson?
Thanks for your advice and help.
It sounds a lot but once you get into it it's fun. honest!!!
Diana
web designer.
Executive Member
Posts: 9,534 
January 30th, 2006, 08:31 PM
The following is the first website I attempted. It is simple but it conveyed what I wanted at the time I did it. I was living on Gabriola Island and quite a few people we knew asked what the island was like. I used a free download of Frontpage Express and a bunch of photos that my wife and a couple friends had taken. It took several days because I tend to skim over directions. It all depends what you want to do. I wouldn't dream of trying to make a living doing web pages. There are other web editors out there now that are better than Frontpage Express. Frontpage 2000 is quite a bit better and it's easier to use. Like I said, "It depends on what you want to do".
http://members.shaw.ca/toad_stool/index.htm
The following is the first website I attempted. It is simple but it conveyed what I wanted at the time I did it. I was living on Gabriola Island and quite a few people we knew asked what the island was like. I used a free download of Frontpage Express and a bunch of photos that my wife and a couple friends had taken. It took several days because I tend to skim over directions. It all depends what you want to do. I wouldn't dream of trying to make a living doing web pages. There are other web editors out there now that are better than Frontpage Express. Frontpage 2000 is quite a bit better and it's easier to use. Like I said, "It depends on what you want to do".
http://members.shaw.ca/toad_stool/index.htm
Newbie
Posts: 13
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Location: Ottawa, Canada
February 2nd, 2006, 08:57 PM
Diana - thanks for your expertise. What is a front page? And can you explain how the other programs all come into play?
It's interesting because Juan says he wouldn't dream of trying to make a living from designing web pages, yet from what I hear it pays well, and there is a large demand for it.
Can anybody suggest any good online web design tutorials?
Thanks for the interest and assistance.
Diana - thanks for your expertise. What is a front page? And can you explain how the other programs all come into play?
It's interesting because Juan says he wouldn't dream of trying to make a living from designing web pages, yet from what I hear it pays well, and there is a large demand for it.
Can anybody suggest any good online web design tutorials?
Thanks for the interest and assistance.
Executive Member
Posts: 9,534
February 2nd, 2006, 09:43 PM
Frontpage Express is a web editor. It's purpose is to let you build a web page without being an HTML "expert". Just go to google and enter "frontpage express downloads" and you can download it for nothing. The web page I've shown was done entirely with frontpage express.
Frontpage Express is a web editor. It's purpose is to let you build a web page without being an HTML "expert". Just go to google and enter "frontpage express downloads" and you can download it for nothing. The web page I've shown was done entirely with frontpage express.
Newbie
Posts: 19
Location: Vancouver B.C.
Location: Vancouver B.C.
February 3rd, 2006, 12:33 AM
There is quite a difference between webpage and website.
For a nice looking webpage, all you need to know are HTML, CSS, and a little bit of Javascript, nothing you cant get from a little google search.
However, a reasonable website is an entirely different idea. Normally, on top of everything above, you have to know VBscript, Javascript or PHP, and at least one form of SQL, plus a general idea of server administration.
w3schools is a fairly decent beginners guide to most of the stuff I mentioned above.
There is quite a difference between webpage and website.
For a nice looking webpage, all you need to know are HTML, CSS, and a little bit of Javascript, nothing you cant get from a little google search.
However, a reasonable website is an entirely different idea. Normally, on top of everything above, you have to know VBscript, Javascript or PHP, and at least one form of SQL, plus a general idea of server administration.
w3schools is a fairly decent beginners guide to most of the stuff I mentioned above.
