Total novice where do I start?

[PMC]

Hi!, I am new. I need an overview of how website, and even the internet itself works. I also need a list of development tools available to design software and websites for windows platforms. My background with computers is old school home computing TRS80, Apple, Atari, Dos, Early windows, and control system software (PLC and motion control for factory automation). I am a very capable windows user, with little understanding of how things work in this internet world.

Just beginning to learn all this, and any advice would be appreciated. Are there resources that you could point out to fill in the blanks for someone with my perspective?

And here are two very broad questions I need help with.

1. What are the best software packages available for windows application development (all current platforms)?

I've used early Visual Basic (for win 3.11), and was comfortable with it. Thats' the extent of my windows programming experience.

2. What are the best software packages for website design?

I define "best" as providing the most power and flexibility for the buck and producing clean error free results.

Many Thanks,
Paul C

 

[handeyman]

I just started my first site also, all I have used so far is dreavweaver, filezilla, photoshop, and the tools that my hosting service comes with. I use http://jymweb.com as a host they have been great so far, they helped me learn how to build my site with there guides, and support.

 

[PMC]

I'm going at this slow with eyes and ears wide open. I'm a nuts and bolts guy who wants total understanding of the details. I just started an HTML tutorial online I linked to from here somwhere. Very impressive.

Where's a good list of keywords and syntax for the entire HTML?

I bet there are hundreds of various standards depending on OS. What standards do I need to know in order to have maximum compatibility?

I'm gonna look at dreamweaver and other top down approaches. That combined with a good text editor and HTML references should be a good start.

PC

 

[handeyman]

im a little confuzed on what your saying. Im pretty sure every os can read html fine, its about how the browser reading it. Which as long as its compatible with firefox, IE, opera, and safari, you are fine. If you use dreamweaver and test it out in your browser youl be fine for compatibility i think, standards u should no, is html and php

first thing I did was find a good template, a good site for free templates is http://zymic.com

 

[weblord]

to answer your questions:
:imho:

1. What are the best software packages available for windows application development (all current platforms)?

im also using visual basic and visual c++ go with them upgrade them as well.

2. What are the best software packages for website design?

best for me is Macromedia dreamweaver and fireworks. for coding in php/cgi i use homesite.

Where's a good list of keywords and syntax for the entire HTML?

start with these few free resources and paid ones:
http://www.goodkeywords.com/

How to find good keywords?
http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/search-engine-optimisation/good-keywords.shtml

old version of good keywords is what im using:
http://www.toolsforselling.com/v1/2/keywords.htm

What standards do I need to know in order to have maximum compatibility?

try these resources on that as well:
http://www.w3.org/
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/wilbur/

recap about html standards:
http://www.htmldog.com/guides/htmladvanced/recap/

HTH

 

[Keral_Patel]

Start with google.com

Search for web design pages. Look at them and think how that effects and system works.

Try to imagine. If you don't have an idea, then just click on view source of the page.

Try to save the page if it deos allow. and open it in dreamweaver or something.

Play with it.

In a week you will desing your first homepage I can bet on it.

 

[LeetPCUser]

I would say a definate program you will need is either Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. GIMP is free and you can find it by searching for it in Google. It has the same look and feel of Adobe Photoshop, but it is free. It is basically the same except for a few differences. So, if you are just starting I would use GIMP for imaging.

As for desiging goes...

If you are starting to learn HTML then I would use TextPad. You can download it for free by searching Google. This is nice for all coding systems and defines color very nicely. I do my coding in Dreamweaver. This is made by Macromedia and costs some money. If you want to play around with design and coding then Macromedia Dreamweaver is the way to go. It also does coloring and is very useful.

Note however if you do a visual coding it will work in Internet Explorer, but might not work in other browsers. I would recommend playing around with visual first then learn how to code what you just designed visually. The nice thing is you can design it in Dreamweaver then play with the code to figure out what it did.

Hope This Helps,

 

[PMC]

Thanks ... and some clarification

I appreciate all the links. My time is limited for the next two weeks, so I've not chased them all down yet. I have photoshop and the dreamweaver demo downloaded. I haven't installed and run dreamweaver yet, but will probably Tuesday. Just fixed a bunch of problems with my email and found out I don't have SP2 installed yet. Looks serious, so I'm gonna back everything up on CD first, then get SP2 working ... blah blah blah ... you know the story. I miss my atari.

Anyway, in my last post i used the term "keyword" incorrectly in this forum. What I should have said was:

Where's a good "language reference" and syntax for the entire HTML?

I haven't even googled it yet, I thOUght I'd ask the experts first. These forums generally yield better information than I can wade through and find googling alone ...

Thanks Again
PaulC

 

[jimws111]

Hey Paul, about a month ago i was much in the same boat. The first thing i did was to go to (www.cwru.edu/help/introHTML/TCh1.html) is really helped me to understand the code and web concepts. Then I went to (www.how-to-build-websites.com/lessonOne.htm) this gave me ideas and good concrete plans fotr setting up my first site, which i am currently working on, with Dreamweaver. Its simple and seems to be just the thing for me. try it and see.

 

[weblord]

Where's a good "language reference" and syntax for the entire HTML?


Thanks Again
PaulC

http://www.w3schools.com/tags/default.asp
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/

 

[dojo]

Here are some articles for beginners. Hope they help ...

 

[prem_manikandan]

paul google is the best and right place to search your answers to yuor queries but you can go to www.how-to-build-websites.com thats where i learned it all but its easy and you will pick it up

 

[Rohit]

No idea

 

[peter phillips]

No idea

If you don't have any idea about a particular topic, don't bother posting this. Just leave the thread.