Getting Started - Web Design
- Started
- Last post
- 31 Responses
- fadein110
^ as above. only use code editor and site management features. and have tried other code editors but always come back to it. works for me.
- nocomply0
As for the comments on Dreamweaver vs other text editors... I still use DW as my primary code editing application, but like ukit2 I use code view and close all of the extra features/widgets.
I've been using it for years and it's simply proven to be the most efficient tool for me. I've tried others for a day or two but have always come back.The auto-complete is a key feature that I can't live without and other apps haven't done it as well.
- To me this sounds counter intuitive, unless you see things like the Matrix.qTime
- qTime0
So roughly what % of Web Design jobs require you to code as well as design?
I have a working knowledge of HTML and CSS but don't feel I'm up to scratch to take a position that require me to do the front code end stuff too.
- by front end code do you mean javascript? jquery? or HTML/CSS layout from a PSD?vaxorcist
- bothqTime
- None day to day in my experience, but I'd never hire someone with no coding ability.animatedgif
- If they dont understand the medium, limitations and how things are built then how can they be trusted to design within itanimatedgif
- itanimatedgif
- animatedgif0
^ it isn't bad but it isn't good either. If you close all the design stuff etc and just use the code editor then you may as well just save some money and get a better editor that is a lot more powerful.
Decent text editors do more than just syntax highlighting an autocomplete. They're highly scriptable and extendable.
- ukit20
Dreamweaver actually isn't bad if you just use it as a code editor (close all the panels and turn off the Design view). The idea of learning Dreamweaver's own template system in order to write code is a waste of time though.
- vaxorcist0
Dreamweaver has a template system, but it ties you to Dreamweaver and was in my previous experience years ago, easily corrupted if moved around the file system....
BUT.. .you don't have to know much PHP in order to make your own simple template system...
for example, the include function:
<? include("head.php"); ?>
<p>body copy here</p>
<? include("foot.php"); ?>and the echo function
$title = "hello there";
echo $title;- Dreamweaver template is a disaster.
Try to maintain a site with that crapi_was
- Dreamweaver template is a disaster.
- vaxorcist0
One nice thing about text editors rather than other methods... once you learn one text editor, if you're forced to use another one, the learning curve is 15 minutes....you may miss a feature or two, but you can be productive anywhere by FTP'ing down the files and fixing stuff at a friends house or the client location..., you don't have to go back to your own computer/...
- vaxorcist0
I haven't used Dreamweaver in years, but I think it's kind of like training wheels on a bike... once you learn HTML, you may not need to go back...
that said, DW can come in handy as a cut-paste-fix-the-MS-Word-HTML trick every so often...
...but learning more than a but of DW can be counterproductive, as you're memorizing menu stuff rather than learning actual HTML / CSS principles...
- animatedgif0
Ruby is more for applications and requires a dedicated server (real or virtual) to host anything on. You would most likely be using a PHP based CMS. Depending on the sort of work you want to do you might not need to know much server side at all, just templating languages if you use a system like wordpress.
Dreamweaver is weak and antiquated, stay away from that and learn a proper text editor like Sublime Text, Textmate, Espresso or Coda.
- eoin0
So ... am I wasting my time learning Dreamweaver? Does anyone use it?
- LukeO0
I'm thinking of using Treehouse over Lynda.... they give the impression of being more focused on web design/dev, possibly more intuitive as well. Can anyone vouch for that?
- newuser0
What should one learn if they already know basic html/css?
- omg0
I think in web design, if you first jump into a good idea.
- nocomply0
The world of responsive design is changing a lot right now, but most people agree that this book is great: http://www.abookapart.com/produc…
In fact, I believe that's where the term "responsive web design" came from.
The stuff that's written in there is still really good info, but keep in mind that it's already almost 2 years old.
- CincodeMayo0
@nocomply - Totally agree with you about responsive. I'm obviously far from it, but once I have a better grasp on HTML/CSS, what would I use to learn/build responsive sites?
- if you go down the wordpress route for backend then the new built in theme is responsive and easy to adaptfadein11
- Maaku0
Here's a little presentation about responsive web design. I haven't seen it yet, saving it for later on tonight:
- nocomply0
Also it's worth mentioning that you're going to see/read/hear a lot about "responsive" web design and mobile-optimization and such.
That's definitely good stuff to learn, as it's going to become more and more important each year. But if you're starting from square 1 I wouldn't worry about it until you have a decent understanding of HTML and CSS and how those technologies work and what they do. With that kind of understanding, the mobile stuff will start to make more sense.
- ideaist0
1. Build a site with HTML5 Boilerplate:
http://html5boilerplate.com/- Keep it simple.
- Text & image.2. Using your site above, implement some jQuery and/or Javascript elements to familiarize yourself with the framework:
http://jquery.com/3. Repeat step 1 & 2 a few more times so you have a solid grasp.
4. Using the backend of your choice (I use WordPress) with a naked theme (I use Starkers) begin incorporating PHP in order to implement CMS:
http://wordpress.com/
http://viewportindustries.com/pr…5. Profit...
; )
Seriously though, this has been my route as an ex Flash guy who dabbled in HTML & CSS years ago to make a X-FIles website...
Godspeed!
- <ukit2
- i have used starkers a few times, love itprophetone
- www.wordpress.org not .comfadein11
- Forgiveness please @fadein11...
; )ideaist