Web development help (I want to learn a little more)

[OMGBurgers]

Hey all,

I was just helping my brother do his website for all his artwork and stuff before he goes back to college.  I'm pretty good with just using something like frontpage/dreamweaver & i'm pretty good with flash, but there is still a lot I could do, but I can't because I don't know which direction to take.

I started programming in basic back in my middle school days, and slowly got into c++ for a bit.  I have yet to do any programming of any sort really in about 4 years.

I'm wondering what would be best to start to learn, or pick up on a little so I can do some 'neat' little things on my web pages when I need.  Last night I got into some javascripting to do some basic things like moving/resizing/hiding layers and doing opacity changes and fade in/outs on components.  I'd like to be able to create some nice popup-menus and all if the occasion arrives, and I would hate to use someone elses generic 'free code' when I could do it myself with a bit of study & practice.  Is javascript the way to go, or is there a better language I could learn that has a bit more power?

I don't know much about web scripting/programming at all really lol, just html & flash, and I'm not 'that that' amazing at flash ;x.

Would be good if anyone has any input .

I can get ahold of most software pretty cheap if I need any.  My brother has a lot from school that he don't even use, and gets it pretty cheap.

[Tidus]

the best scripting out there right now in my opinion is PHP.  It is a glorified version of HTML and can do many things in comparison to HTML.  JavaScript or Flash is just something that compliments webpage scripting.  The true scripts lay in HTML or PHP.  So go PHP.

[TrailMyx]

I wish I had some helpful insight to share with you OMGB.  I do this only because I have a gun pointed to my head.    Web development is about as fun as poking that spot that the doctor said not to poke for me.

*ouch*  darn it, I can't stop poking it!

[Hardyz]

Javascript is failz!  It is usually very buggy and some people turn it off.  However, java script is really simple and can run on like any web hosting site.  If you want something more powerful such as php you need to run your own server generally.  PHP is good though.  I use lots of java.

[Freddy]

I tend to let others doing the web coding for me

[TrailMyx]

Ruck, you'll have to let me know how you got SMF to integrate correctly with e107.  I still haven't figured that out. 

[12TimesOver]

OMG, if you are indeed interested in Java programming you should check out http://www.javaranch.com.

What I know about the topic could barely fill a thimble compared to someone like TM who does this for a living but what you chose to learn first is really directed by what it is you want to do. Most of the web-based business applications that come into the company I work for are .NET with integrated Java and VBScript. If you are looking to eventually program for a business app dev shop that might be a good place to start. On the other hand, PHP seems to be the WWW choice if you are more interested in maintaining dynamic web environments. Straight out desktop application programming might send you down the C++ or C# route. VBScript is really used mostly for network administration and/or web programming.

So really, where do you want to go today? <---- hehe, I had to say it...

[Tidus]

Ruck, you'll have to let me know how you got SMF to integrate correctly with e107.  I still haven't figured that out. 

Okay you need to download this one first.

http://www.simplemachines.org/download/?bridges


Then read this article on it.

http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=216417.0

I would keep your site unwrapped like you have it.  The bridge will automatically install a new site link called Forum for you that will use the e107 (you need to use that link to get them to integrate).  You will need to get the true path to your SMF with it too.  I found mine under admin->  Server Settings -> SMF Directory.  It will not take your users from SMF over to E107... but anyone who registers on your e107 once they visit the link that was created for your forums will be able to log into E107 and forums.

My suggestions to anyone who uses this site and then later makes and e107 user.. make them the same user and  password.  And maybe that will cause the integration a bit smoother for you.

[TrailMyx]

I think this was the key to why it didn't seem to work for me
"
you need to use that link to get them to integrate
"

[TrailMyx]

What I know about the topic could barely fill a thimble compared to someone like TM who does this for a living...

ROFL, I doubt I could top off the thimble!

My actual vocation is electronic hardware design, so I spend most of my day designing circuit boards, VHDL, Verilog, analog SPICE simulations and embedded firmware.  I only dabble in the software, but with the CompEE degree anything is possible. 

[Hardyz]

OMG, if you are indeed interested in Java programming you should check out http://www.javaranch.com.

What I know about the topic could barely fill a thimble compared to someone like TM who does this for a living but what you chose to learn first is really directed by what it is you want to do. Most of the web-based business applications that come into the company I work for are .NET with integrated Java and VBScript. If you are looking to eventually program for a business app dev shop that might be a good place to start. On the other hand, PHP seems to be the WWW choice if you are more interested in maintaining dynamic web environments. Straight out desktop application programming might send you down the C++ or C# route. VBScript is really used mostly for network administration and/or web programming.

So really, where do you want to go today? <---- hehe, I had to say it...

Yeah if you want to do it for a living I'd go w/ .NET first than java.  Those are the main things businesses use these days. 

[Hardyz]

What I know about the topic could barely fill a thimble compared to someone like TM who does this for a living...

ROFL, I doubt I could top off the thimble!

My actual vocation is electronic hardware design, so I spend most of my day designing circuit boards, VHDL, Verilog, analog SPICE simulations and embedded firmware.  I only dabble in the software, but with the CompEE degree anything is possible. 

lol if only my friend who was a Comp EE had the slightest idea about coding lol

[TrailMyx]

lol if only my friend who was a Comp EE had the slightest idea about coding lol

That's a shame because the thrill of being a CompEE is the assumed ability to handle the hardware and the software.  I think your friend was sleeping through the other important classes. 

[Hardyz]

lol if only my friend who was a Comp EE had the slightest idea about coding lol

That's a shame because the thrill of being a CompEE is the assumed ability to handle the hardware and the software.  I think your friend was sleeping through the other important classes. 

lol he couldn't grasp the concept of programming...He claims he knows like assembly, but I don't think he does.  He was always begging me and someone else to do his software developing hw.  I liked hardware, but I don't think I can take as many classes as he did.  Way too many credits.  I like the easy road. 

[OMGBurgers]

Just getting back online, the internet has been down for a bit (Stupid comcast F'ed something up).

I've messed briefly with some .net like over the last year randomly.  The company I used to work with had some online database/application they were working on, and I had to sometimes mess around.

Javascript I messed with a little, and I don't really care for it at all.


I'm not really looking to learn this for a career.  My last job I was doing a bunch of 3d design & blueprinting in Solidworks.  It was pretty damn fun, but the place kinda killed all desire of me ever wanting to do that again or much on a computer as a career haha.  I'm lost when it comes to a career path really.  :x


I'm just developing a simple website for my brother, but needed to do a few things that I could'nt figure out with just standard html.  So I went javascript for now and I ONLY learned what I needed haha.  I got what I needed done, even though I don't really care for javascript at the moment (Some of it was being a bitch, for some simple stuff.  Either that or I'm just an idiot.  Hmm...).

He wanted to sign up for a blogging site to use to post up new material / updates etc.  But I told him it would be lame to buy a domain & pay for hosting, and then blog at some free blogging place with adds and just have it in some frame or something lame.  So I found a few php blogging applications and installed them.  I'm messing around with them to see which one is the easiest for him, that has the most customization available to make it match everything else.  Darn internet being down has made it hard haha.

I may mess with some php though while I'm on my huge 'vacation' haha.  Never know when a little experience could help me eh?  Thanks for the input, I'll post a link to what I got once it is more presentable.