Learning web design, HTML, CSS, etc...

[KennyZ]

When I first started SEO, I came from a sales position. Sales is not my strong suit. Im much more of a technical type of person. So we thought that I would do well in this type of work. However, the only thing I ever knew about the internet was how to surf it.

Now I learn pretty quick and I think Im more naturally skilled for technical stuff, I just need to learn.

What is the best way to learn web design, HTML, CSS, XHTML, etc... anything, EVERYTHING I need? Should I take college courses? Or are the online tutorials enough for someone to master these things? Or should I just do both??

Did you guys all go to school to learn this stuff??

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[boxxertrumps]

I write valid xhtml and this is what ive done.

I started out reading "HTML for idiots" from the school library. it was written in '96 so it wa kindof outdated... got me started though....
then the tutorials at www.w3schools.com

ive looked around here, disecting peoples documents and examining them.

just go to a bookstore and find a bunch of web design books to read.

[Twey]

Learn by doing. Read a tutorial, set yourself a few projects, get started (using the tutorial as reference), and solve the problems you find along the way.

I write valid xhtml

You say this like it's a good thing

[GhettoT]

If you have a local junior college, I would suggest looking into taking a web design class. Usually costs for these are minimal (maybe $50 + materials fees), and at most JC's the college has deal with different software companies so you get free SW just for taking the class.

-GT

[chechu]

When I was working in a hotel during the night, I had all the time to surf. I started by copying codes, see what effect they have online, and try to addapt them to my wishes. In the meantime I read forums without posting things.

Look, learn, copy, adapt, try. And if it doesn't work after that, then ask in a forum. Certainly depends in what time you wish to be good. If you want this to be your profession: go to school, surf, read.

[codeexploiter]

start with some small site projects (even dummy projects will do) and then learn various tools/technologies available in the web world.

Set some small aims and achieve them behind your set period.

As Twey mentioned you can't have experience without doing something

All the very best for your learning process

[Twey]

I started by copying codes, see what effect they have online, and try to addapt them to my wishes.

I don't think this is a good idea. Editing a script and writing one from scratch are two very different tasks, even in the same language, and just because one can do one doesn't mean one can do the other (for example, I'm a lot less proficient at modifying other people's code than writing my own, so I tend to stay away from the "help me modify this script" threads unless I intend to rewrite the whole script).

In the meantime I read forums without posting things.

Forums, newsgroups, and IRC channels are all good learning resources too.

[codeexploiter]

Originally Posted by Twey

Forums, newsgroups, and IRC channels are all good learning resources too.

Can you provide some good ones? so that everybody can use those kind of resources i think.

thanks in advance

[Twey]

Forums: well, duh
Newsgroups: I'm not particularly into these myself, although I read them occasionally. Mike recommends comp.lang.javascript. www.authoring.* are handy too.
IRC channels: ##javascript, #html, #css, #web.

[dog]

I would suggest looking into taking a web design class. Usually costs for these are minimal (maybe $50 + materials fees), and at most JC's the college has deal with different software companies so you get free SW just for taking the class.

I'm not sure if $50 for some free software is necessarily a good deal. There's lots of freesoftware that doesn't cost anything. I did learn some webdesign things at school but I learnt a lot more outside of school.

I think the best thing about going to school is that you dedicate time to learning and you have people setting objectives for you. Especially when it comes to webdesign, you can do these things outside of school too.

I don't think this is a good idea. Editing a script and writing one from scratch are two very different tasks,

Personally I learnt a lot from looking at scripts online and trying to understand them. I don't think there's a front-end-webdesigner out the who doesn't "View Source". However, I would also agree that to really understand what you're doing you have to be able to reproduce the script from scratch.

A lot of my intial 'small aims' came from seeing something online and saying, "How has that been done? ...i'm going to learn how to do that."

Mike recommends comp.lang.javascript. www.authoring.* are handy too.
IRC channels: ##javascript, #html, #css, #web.

Personally I don't understand any of that
What are IRC channels and that's the rest of the crazy jazz above about?