Noob questions

[Sk8terboy]

Hello everybody :)


I am 23 years old and I recently decided to do my major in web development. I have some experience in visual basic and a little in C++. I started learning XHTML through a book a couple of weeks ago.

Classes begin on October and i am trying to prepare my self as well as possible. There seem to be a ton of web programming languages. I have no idea what else i should be looking at so any suggestions would be very welcome.

Thank you.

[skilled1]

if you already have experience in C++ and VB, then your base knowledge is object oriented scripting, i would suggest javascript and python if they have it available.

[metalman3d]

I would either try for php or asp.net... both laguage skills are extremely valuable.

[skilled1]

actually, it is all about l.a.m.p.

linux apachee mysql python

[Grayback_87]

I tried to put apachee on this comp but it's not working out so well. PHP doesn't want to work. (httpd errors) :s

<- COmputer's are only as stupid as their user. :p

[wh666-666]

As well as XHTML its important to have an idepth knowledge of HTML, javascript and Perl (im actually doing computing courses etc that have a section of it for webdeveloping as part of the course and i have work questions of how to manipulate basic javascript if you want, although its not hard to download example questions).

I would say PHP and ASP.NET as well and look at SQL as its always useful to know about SQL for not just designing but coding a site as well.

(These are all you really need initially to pass a course although learning how to code in as many different languages as possible is great but takes a while and is something you can do after your course)

[Sk8terboy]

Thank you for the replies guys.

I was reviewing the course descriptions, they include ASP.NET using VBScript, PHP, PERL/CGI, JSP and Coldfusion. Other than these they seem to heavily emphasise Java(not janascript), HTML and Java are the only languages which have standalone classes, Java has two of them and a project.

I was under the impression Java was a multipurpose language, what do you think of it in terms of web development?


wh666-666: I thought XHTML is basically HTML with strict rules. What is the difference?

[wh666-666]

Yes XHTML is a stricter and cleaner version of HTML bringing together HTML and XML but Ive known people who can quote various bits of XHTML but arent too confident with basic HTML so i was probably stating the obvious but a thorough understanding of HTML would be essential.

In terms of webdevelopment I think java is ok, not confident myself with coding java but i dont tend to use it too much. Java applets are good but if you can do the job with HTML/XHTML/Javascript in a smaller file size then i prefer to do that instead of creating applets but yea i can quite see why it would be an essential on your course.

[skilled1]

I would focus on ColdFusion, and PHP, Python over Java

[drhowarddrfine]

At one time, Java was the most used web development language on the net. It seems to be getting some competition depending on who you believe but, in my area, if you don't know Java you can't get a job.