camram
09-07-2011, 03:50 AM
I've always been into computers, mainly the hardware side but web development has been something I've always done, too. I was using Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Flash back in '99. Unfortunately, these programs can sometimes cripple you because I only know basic HTML...
<html>
<title>example</title>
<body>Hello, world!</body>
</html>
'stuff like this...
I also know a little Visual Basic because I took a beginner class in college for an elective and I did pretty well in that, too.
Now I have a liberal arts degree and no real skills. If I could do it over again I would probably do a CS degree.
What are the hot languages right now? What's the easiest language to learn?
I tried self-teaching myself Java way back in high school but that might as well have been written in secret code. I had no idea what to do. I'm looking to learn a language to help make myself more employable. Any suggestions?
oracleguy
09-07-2011, 04:40 AM
Well what do you want to do? It is a pretty diverse field; the ideal languages to learn vary.
camram
09-07-2011, 05:21 AM
I'd like to focus on web development. I kind of realized how much I did not know when I installed WordPress on one of my domains and had the hardest time modifying a simple theme. CSS makes no sense to me and I do not have the budget to buy Dreamweaver.
I do have a copy of WebPlus X4 but I dislike it's not a real editor.
oracleguy
09-07-2011, 04:50 PM
You don't need Dreamweaver, any decent text editor like Notepad++ is sufficient for web development. If you want to do web development then HTML & CSS is the best place to start. Then mix in some JavaScript and a server side language like PHP.
Alex_Boylan
09-07-2011, 08:36 PM
I was 9 when I started HTML, but I really only knew how to insert buttons, textfields, etc. Hardly anything. But, I enrolled in a course for HTML and CSS; it really helped me to understand the mechanics of both codes. If you're interested in this course, go to the following URL, they offer a whole section for web programming (but each course is approximately $400). If you can't afford this, then W3 Schools is helpful.
URL: http://www.oreillyschool.com/certificates/web-programming.php
I wish you luck with your studies.
Edit: If you take the certificate programs (from O'Reilly School of Technology), you will have the option to receive a certificate from the University of Illinois.
camram
09-08-2011, 03:08 AM
Is taking a class the only way? I'm so deep in student loans I really can't afford anything.
oracleguy
09-08-2011, 04:58 PM
Is taking a class the only way? I'm so deep in student loans I really can't afford anything.
If you are capable of learning on your own there are plenty of tutorials on the internet. Plus forums such as these that you can ask questions on. And I bet your local library has technical books you can check out.
Spookster
09-10-2011, 01:47 AM
What are the hot languages right now? What's the easiest language to learn?
I tried self-teaching myself Java way back in high school but that might as well have been written in secret code. I had no idea what to do. I'm looking to learn a language to help make myself more employable. Any suggestions?
What good is it to learn a language if you haven't learned basic computer science and software engineering fundamentals. The languages are just tools. It does no good to learn all the tools and not how to make anything with them.
I can go learn how to use all kinds of saws and hammers but it doesn't mean I'll be able to build a house.
