HTML help needed...

[RTicUL8]

I just found out that I need to have a “Basic knowledge of HTML” as a prerequisite for a course that I’m taking in about a week. (emphasis on Basic)

I taken C, C++, VB, and OOP, but I’ve honestly not had a need to do any web programming until now.

What I need is a good recommendation for learning HTML in about a week.

Yea, I know “HTML for DUMMIES.”

Anything else???

[Glenn B]

Well, there is a lot of stuff out on the web. Some great articles... plan some time to do some reading. Also, a good way get an understanding of how things are put together is to "view source" of different sites. In your case, try for html site, and not php etc... See how they put things together. It can be fun.
Glenn

I just found out that I need to have a “Basic knowledge of HTML” as a prerequisite for a course that I’m taking in about a week. (emphasis on Basic)

I taken C, C++, VB, and OOP, but I’ve honestly not had a need to do any web programming until now.

What I need is a good recommendation for learning HTML in about a week.

Yea, I know “HTML for DUMMIES.”

Anything else???

[RichP]

This is where I started http://www.w3.org/ and went from there. I generally don't use any tools but do straight html coding using VI in a unix environment. I'm not big on a graphics rich environment. I Know nothing about IIS other than it tries to put their own spin on what HTML is instead of adhering to w3 guidelines.
For a quick reference download netscape communicator, it has a built in html composer called....composer. Learn to associate the code and tags with what shows in the screen. For a true experience pull down mandrake linux, kick off apache and use composer to run on your own web server.

[casm]

This is where I started http://www.w3.org/ and went from there. I generally don't use any tools but do straight html coding using VI in a unix environment.

x(Bajillion)

I haven't done any serious web development work in over five years, but this is essentially how I started out with it and still operate when I do have to maintain something. Screw GUI-based editors; they can actually be more difficult to use than working by hand.

[Glenn B]

vi? Have not used that in a long while now. When I first migrated to RedHat Enterprise.... I was baffled. LOL. No vi. Nano is pretty good though.

Anyhow, I would not get so extreme as to install any flavor of linux just to get quickly familiar with html. If he had longer than a week, it could be fun. However, there is nothing wrong with using windows to gain a basic understanding of html. Remember, he said "(emphasis on Basic)". No sense throwing in another OS as well, unless he is already familar with it. :)

Besides, he could always throw Apache on his windows box too.... if that was needed.
x(Bajillion)

I haven't done any serious web development work in over five years, but this is essentially how I started out with it and still operate when I do have to maintain something. Screw GUI-based editors; they can actually be more difficult to use than working by hand.

[casm]

vi? Have not used that in a long while now. When I first migrated to RedHat Enterprise.... I was baffled. LOL. No vi. Nano is pretty good though.

Nano's kinda neat. I've pretty much just stuck with vi since it's more or less the common-ground editor across OSes - Linux, Solaris, AIX, etc. all have at least some version of it. Besides, it's instinctive for me to type 'vi' when I want to edit something at this stage :)

Anyhow, I would not get so extreme as to install any flavor of linux just to get quickly familiar with html.

No, agreed. That wasn't my intent - I just wasn't particularly clear about it. People, IMHO, whould use whatever works for them. Notepad is just as effective at editing HTML as vi.

[RichP]

On the realistic side, if you know any unix shell scripting html is instinctive, just different tags which is handy item to have, list of tags with what the ouput looks like... and with vi I don't have to be bothered with a pesky mouse, just both hands on the keyboard, pot of coffe or jolt and start typing...

[Glenn B]

Agreed. Though vi is not part of RHEL these days. I was bummed.

Nano's kinda neat. I've pretty much just stuck with vi since it's more or less the common-ground editor across OSes - Linux, Solaris, AIX, etc. all have at least some version of it. Besides, it's instinctive for me to type 'vi' when I want to edit something at this stage :)



No, agreed. That wasn't my intent - I just wasn't particularly clear about it. People, IMHO, whould use whatever works for them. Notepad is just as effective at editing HTML as vi.

[RichP]

Agreed. Though vi is not part of RHEL these days. I was bummed.

So put it in, vi is on the dist for it, it's got it's own rpm and does have some dependencies but otherwise it's straight forward...

[casm]

So put it in, vi is on the dist for it, it's got it's own rpm and does have some dependencies but otherwise it's straight forward...

What is this 'rpm' of which you speak? I only know of `configure && make && make install'... ;)

OK, so I lied about that - I've got installpkg, pkgtool, etc. Can't believe they yanked vi as part of the distribution, though. That's just... *Heresy* in my book.

[Glenn B]

Doh. Too much going on. Not vi sorta..... what was I thinking? It was a different editor that used to be a default package. It is gone, and I do not even remember the name anymore. VIM is included:
~
~ VIM - Vi IMproved
~
~ version 6.2.98
~ by Bram Moolenaar et al.
~ Vim is open source and freely distributable


It had something to do with the license stuff, and RedHat going to "paid" software. Foffy on the details though.

So put it in, vi is on the dist for it, it's got it's own rpm and does have some dependencies but otherwise it's straight forward...

[RichP]

What is this 'rpm' of which you speak? I only know of `configure && make && make install'... ;)

OK, so I lied about that - I've got installpkg, pkgtool, etc. Can't believe they yanked vi as part of the distribution, though. That's just... *Heresy* in my book.

Personnally I'm a 'roll your own' type myself and one of the main things I make sure gets installed is all the libraries then I go get the latest gcc packages, openssl, libs, etc.... I *think* rpm=Redhat Package Manager but I may be wrong, I just came to me when you asked :laugh3:

[old_man]

If you already know some programming the Sam's line of learn it in 21 days will be a quick and easy way to go. It starts at zero and progresses in a quick logical manner. They teach, not just provide a language reference with all the trivial BS.

[XJ_ranger]

a good way get an understanding of how things are put together is to "view source" of different sites.

all of my HTML knowledge comes from doing this.

check yuccaman's website - some simple tables, links, and pictures there - that is really "basic"

then i searched on google a little for specific tags to see what they did and completely how to use them...

-Ranger

P.S. my simple webpage in my sig is also REALLY basic HTML...

[Yucca-Man]

check yuccaman's website - some simple tables, links, and pictures there - that is really "basic"Shoot, it better be basic - I write the whole stinkin' thing on Notepad.

If you're on Windows it's real simple. Find an HTML page you like, right-click the page and "View Source" so it opens in Notepad. Save that locally and open it again in whatever browser you use. Now play with the tags and see what they do...

[5-90]

Yeah - HTML can be done all in Notepad or Wordpad - or just write it in DOS Text Editor...

Does the school you're going to have a set of "self-paced" courses? I took a 1-credit HTML course at De Anza, it was self-paced and took me about a week and a half for a basic working knowledge.

You'll probably find HTML simplistic after your other programming, so it should be no trouble.

Failing that, look into a local community college (if you're not going to one) and see if they offer a short course - and go buy the book. It will be even simpler than HTML/Dummies, and it will probably get you there a little quicker...

5-90

[LRRH]

if you just need a simple HTML guide check out the Bare Bones guide. Pretty basic.


VI is the BEST text editor out there. I even run it on Windows boxes instead of notepad. And yes, extensive HTML pages can be written entirely in plain text.