How long does it normally take to learn?

[newbiewebdev]

How long does it normally take to learn what is needed to become a web developer?
Is there a certain order that I should go in in terms of what I need to learn first, and if so after learning HTML, where do I go from there?
How did you learn?

[Charles]

Read, mark, learn and inwardly digest:

The HTML 4.01 Specification (http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/);
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/);
The CSS2 Specification (http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2/).

Give your self a year for each.

[Stephen Philbin]

Consider learning the web development trade as a never ending process.

I've been learning for 16 months solid now. I'm aiming to have my first general releases out by around the 20 month mark. IF (and this is a considerably large sized if) my first general releases turn out to be up to scratch, then I'll probably make my first sale around the 24 month mark. It may come later, it may come sooner. It all depends on how I do with the remaining learning I have deemed to be required for the project, how quickly I can get it out, the quality of it and the alterations I'll have to make to my first product to meet the requirements of someone that wants to hire me.

Once I've got some paying work comming in, then I'll be able to afford to get back to more learning so I can build bigger and better things (and consequenty charge greater fees). If I miss my timing too much though or I don't get paid work soon enough, then I'll be out of work and have considerable debts I can't afford.

Having said that though, patience is probably the greatest investment you'll need to put into learning web dev.

[Poegle]

Having said that though, patience is probably the greatest investment you'll need to put into learning web dev.

Im a patient person, but I find it very difficult learning something, I can concentrate and get bored, especially if nothing comes out of it, like errors when i tried learning java script. I know this is a way of learning but I find it difficult, and im dissapointed i stopped learning php even though I didnt get too far with it, it would of been helpful.

So if you do go ahead with it, stick with what your learning even if it bores you, and if you get annoyed with errors, stick with it and enjoy the outcome when you get it right.

[jeff_archer7]

One never stops learning... in life and all its aspects, tis not a question of when is enough, so much as when one dies then the journey truly begins... life=learning a perpetual quest for knowlege

[Jupac]

well i learned photoshop in 5days and I sux so the longer you learn the better you get

[Wolfe]

Examples, examples, examples!
I tell people all the time that if you got some goodass examples along with alot of concentration and alot of dedication you can get this HTML thing under your belt in no time (I did).

Read up on HTML, make a basic page with all the basic text elements and such. Try your self further with <div>'s and stuff and then let's get down and dirty on design matters.
So here's a few sites you check out. If you can, download the HTML's and CSS's and go over them with an eagles eye. Then go get about 2 more pages, go over them and compare.

http://www.csszengarden.com/ - Gotta love this site (You can ofcourse use JUST "CSS Zen Garden" designs as examples -- users add new designs all the time!)
http://cssvault.com/ - good one
http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/css/ - Eric's got the brain, baby
http://css.maxdesign.com.au/ - Listamatic is one of the best

Now you won't learn how to redesign the whole HTML ifastructure but you can make web-pages. Feel me?