Web Design Tutorials - What do YOU want to see?

[Lenny]

A follow-up from my last thread (http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/45828-how-many-of-you-would-be-interested-in.html), I'm wondering what type of things people would like to see in Web Design tutorials, and how best to do it.

My initial thoughts were: general basic HTML to start with (tables, links, colours), moving on to more advanced HTML, and then stylesheets (CSS), a bit of Javascript, with the possibility of ASP and PHP later on.

The way I was considering doing it was a post or two introducing the theory, with a worked example of a site to show it in practice. Maybe a different site each week, or one site that evolves over time.

The question I put to people is this - is there annything else you'd like to see in terms of tutorials (if you're not sure, describe something and I'll try and translate it into the HTML elements), and are there any other ways you'd like to see things done (maybe five minute videos showing, very quickly, how to do things, with a voice-over by yours truly)?

 

[Commonmind]

Well, maybe you could do something more specific to what people 'round here may be interested in doing. I think it's safe to say lots of folks want to learn how to set up a blog, or a site with which to communicate their ideas or (I'm guessing) to post excerpts of their stories, etc. Why not focus on how to set up a CMS, like Joomla for instance, and then go in depth with how to customize it -- both how it looks and functions. Just thinkin' that maybe if everyone had some context it might make the tutorials a little easier to follow and set them apart from the plethora of other tutorials out there.

 

[Erin99]

You're nearly at 1000 posts, CM!

Here's a celebration in advance:

Anyway, I recall Brian saying he's going to add a blog feature to this site sometime in the future, although right now he's too busy. Apparently we'll each have our own blog in our profile.

But you can design websites easy enough using WYSIWYG editors. Even Microsoft Word does it, if you don't mind it's bloated code full of <span></span> tags. Dreamweaver's great for creating websites. Plus, it lets you preview your site in WYSIWYG mode, or code mode, or both.

And Len, I'd definitely be interested in learning CSS. I only have a basic knowledge of it at the mo, so all my sites have used tables instead!

 

[Lenny]

In an ideal world, Dreamweaver would be free and available to everyone. But, alas, it is not. I have found a free program (that works on all OS) which isn't too bad, so I'll link to that for people who have nothing.

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CSS is definitely on the cards, Leish. Any preferred methods of how I'll 'teach' it?

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Well, maybe you could do something more specific to what people 'round here may be interested in doing. I think it's safe to say lots of folks want to learn how to set up a blog, or a site with which to communicate their ideas or (I'm guessing) to post excerpts of their stories, etc. Why not focus on how to set up a CMS, like Joomla for instance, and then go in depth with how to customize it -- both how it looks and functions. Just thinkin' that maybe if everyone had some context it might make the tutorials a little easier to follow and set them apart from the plethora of other tutorials out there.

Set them apart? And you say tutorials written by an emu aren't unique?!

Personally, I despise using ready-made blog sites (Blogger, for example), and prefer a more personal touch - that is, a website designed specifically with the creator in mind. Obviously it's a bit harder, as you've got no comments section set up, or an easy way to publish new things (rather you've got to code your own and make new pages for each new blog), but it is unique.

I've never used a content management system, though I have heard of Joomla. I'll have a lookit, and may write some tutorials for it (unless you want to try your hand at it), but for now I want to concentrate more on teaching people how to actually build websites in HTML, rather than how to click buttons to choose colours and fonts and leave the rest down to some sort of automated builder.

 

[Commonmind]

CMS's give you all that freedom, without requiring you to build the sometimes very complicated content delivery/maintainence system that you would for a normal website. I despise ready-made blog software as well, even Wordpress (which I have used and still do use on ocassion) rubs me the wrong way.

Either way, whatever route you take, here's to being taught by an Emu!

(And though I would absolutely love to write some, I'm so busy building my own site and working on finishing up my book that I'm giving all my spare time to my little rugrat and his maternal cohort)

OMG, this is the 1000th post!

Thanks Leish...wooohooooo!!!!!

 

[Highlander II]

I've been wanting to get more info on ASP and maybe either DHTML or XML, but, then again, I'm an overachiever.

 

[Culhwch]

Well, I'd say the start is the best place to start. I have a grounding in the basics (tables, colours, all that jazz) but anything beyond that is beyond me. So a logical progression from the basic to the advanced would be my cup of tea.