Hi, I would like to start learning PHP and HTML to make my first steps in website development and designing, but I would like some input on the resources I need. What I have in mind is getting this book: http://lpmj.net While it covers a lot of things, especially since it includes MySQL, JavaScript and CSS learning too, I don't think it will help me learn HTML. Of course, I could give this one a try combined with something else that you suggest. What do you say? Regards, Aris
Well I don't really like books you will get drawned in codes but videos are cool because its like you have a private tutor teaching you and you can watch it anytime anywhere... Here are some video tutorials for you: http://ude.my/8t9i and http://ude.my/8t9l
From the reviews I read in those two websites you gave me it doesn't seem that it's worth all this money, since it's not cheap at all anyways. But thanks for the suggestion, I might give some online videos a look. Any other advice?
one of the best sites to learn HTML/CSS is www.htmldog.com Code (markup): This site teaches you what you need to get started with HTML/CSS and also some good practices. For PHP I suggest this site http://devzone.zend.com/6/php-101-php-for-the-absolute-beginner/ Code (markup): It's a bit old but still valid. Very good resource to get started. Another good site is http://net.tutsplus.com/ Code (markup): You can find many tutorials for various coding languages, some free some you have to pay.
Thanks a lot for the suggestions, I will definitely take a look. But my concern is that old learning tutorials might have outdated and obsolete information, for example with the introduction of CSS3 some things must have changed regarding the way CSS works. Same goes for PHP. I know you said that PHP tutorials you linked me to is old but valid, however will I have trouble learning newer and more modern methods of PHP coding after reading that? Regards, Aris
No, you won't have any trouble. This course will help you to learn the basics. Don't forget to use the PHP reference on php.net. There you can find deprecated functions, their newer counterparts and their uses.
Well its good if you are starting from scratch but if you have already HTML & CSS knowledge you can develop yourself with w3schools alone.
To learn programming (PHP - HTML is content, not programming), Algorithms & Data Structures.pdf is about the best course ever written. (It's by the same guy who invented Pascal, Ada and Modula2.) Once you know programming, PHP is pretty trivial. And if you study the language itself a bit (just look at it on any tutorial site - you should be able to pick it up. HTML? There are plenty of tutorial sites on the web. As with anything else, you're not going to be an expert in a few months. (Or years - I've only been doing this for close to 40 years, and I still learn something every day. If I live long enough I may become an expert.) Before you consider w3schools as a valid source, look at http://w3fools.com/ W3schools.com is a good memory tool if you forgot something, but it's not a good site to learn from.
Alright, I will take your word for it, thanks. I understand that tutorials and courses won't teach me more than the basics of how things work and experience is the only thing that will help me improve myself. I study maths at university, and I must say that we don't really look into this kind of stuff. Someone like me who wants to advance more into programming is limited a lot and has to do his own research. Things like theoretical informatics and all programming related courses are considered trivial. So I thank you for helping me out and directing me to a direction related more towards my field. I'll read this book first and then get into PHP and other programming languages used in web development. And thanks for the information about w3schools- I'll look be more careful if I decide to use that as a resource.
I'd discourage you from learning unless you go down the professional route. Unless you're a prodigy or want to develop for personal purposes, how are you going to compete with those with degrees and years of experience?
I'm not sure, perhaps I'll put a lot of effort and try to improve my skills, and we'll see how that goes. Otherwise, I could just sit all day and do absolutely nothing until I die because of the thousands of blood clots that will appear in all my body due to inactivity, because there is nothing in the world that I am currently capable of doing and not actually have competition by professionals, experts and prodigies who have spent their whole lives improving themselves to become what they are, or were. Learning something in order to make money is not the only motivation to do it. By the way, in my university we have some stunning prodigies, but they study more than you can imagine. Being a prodigy doesn't mean that you know everything, but it means that you have the talent and put more effort than anyone else.
I understand what a prodigy is, you're not the only person who went to university. My point is that you can only learn so much from online material. Nothing beats being taught personally. The thing is I see so many threads like this and they're mostly made by lazy third world wannabe-developers who don't put the effort in and drastically devalue the work by those who are serious, not that I'm suggesting you're like this. If you're ready to put the time and effort in, more power to you and good luck.
If I had the resources to get myself taught by someone else, I would do it, because as you said it is easier to have things explained rather than trying to figure them out yourself. But since I don't, then I'll just try harder and learn better. Thanks for the wishes.