desparatefor some web advice(long read!)

[corillo181]

Hi, I need help making a list of things that’s I need to learn.

I stared using PHP some time ago, my intention was not to learn PHP at all but to grab few codes understand them and make a website work, however, I stared to like PHP (programming in general) and so I was dedicating my timing to leaning PHP. I even got into programming school (DeVry uni).

The problem began when I found out that I "love" programming and making cool stuff. Man since then I been jumping on everything therefore learning nothing.

Mostly with web 2.0  integration, everything is changing at such a rate that I find it hard to stay focus about what I need to learn because I’m always reading on some new documentation...

I first tried HTML and found out that is going nowhere so I stared to learn XHTML found out that XHTML 2.0 is coming and a lot of changes are going to be made.

I stared learning PHP4 learned that PHP5 was out stared to learn PHP5 and now I found out that PHP6 is coming  :-\

If that’s not enough XML, JAVASCRIPT, AJAX and XFORMS seen to be the way things are going () more learning to-do...

Man where does it stop? Why don’t they settle down for 5 years until people can catch up (:|).

Besides all that I’m a junky for PHOTOSHOP, FLASH, AFTER EFFECTS, and 3ds Max. Those things are so cool I can’t stay away from them, therefore learning nothing because I don’t concentrate in one of them.

Oh plus at school they are teaching me C#.

MY QUESTION IS

If anyone in here have many years and experience with various program, what do you recommend? I don’t mind learning everything I listed I think everything is so cool I just want to learn everything at the same time.

If you can make a list from 1 to x,  1 being the main focus, of recommendations of technology to learn I will be grateful for your time…

That’s a lot of reading I hope no one get scared off. After all you in here mean you’re trying to help 

Thanks in advance to the people who will give me good advice.

 

[roopurt18]

Focus on one thing at a time and start with the ones you enjoy most.  If you enjoy the media aspect, from photoshop, after effects, flash, 3ds, etc. pick one and just work with it for a few months.  Work with only it.  Then pick a new one and focus on that.

 

When you decide you need a break from the media aspect of it, jump back over to programming.  Learn any programming or markup language.  Who cares if XHTML 2.0 is coming out soon?  It's still mostly based on XHTML 1.1.  If you program in PHP4 correctly all of your code should be directly portable to PHP5 and possibly even PHP6.

 

When you get tired of programming, pick up some books on databases, design patterns, object oriented programming, etc.

 

You need to work on one thing at a time until you are proficient at it.  By constantly jumping around from topic to topic you will learn only enough to get by, and that is a dangerous thing.  You will create projects that are messy and impossible to maintain.

 

Expose yourself to as much as possible, but do it one or two topics at a time.  You have no clue what your first development position will be, but it will dictate what you start to become a professional at.

[Daniel0]

Well, if you're into web development then (X)HTML and CSS and perhaps Javascript will be important. These three are basically the three layers of web pages (respectively content, presentation and behavior). You can read about the differences between XHTML 1 and 2 here, but for now I wouldn't bother. The browsers has to support it first and at the moment Internet Explorer's standards support sucks.

 

For PHP, just learn how to use PHP5's (it's far superior to PHP4 due it it's improved object model) features and just check what has changed in 6 when it's released. You can read about the differences between PHP4 and PHP5 here: http://www.php.net/manual/en/migration5.php

 

As roopurt also said, don't try to learn too many things at one time. It won't work out anyways.

 

Edit: Oh, and don't learn from old books teaching you things like accessing array indices like this: $user - it's wrong. And learn how to create table less layouts and how to separate HTML, CSS and Javascript (separation of concerns).

[corillo181]

thanks for the input guys, i guess i know what i must do now.

as roopurt18 recommended i have to go with what i enjoy the most, and that would be the programming aspect.

i think i do the media because i like to impress my friends.

 

and i did read the book, it helped me a lot on understanding objects.

 

and thanks Danile0 i guess is best to stick to whats out right now and not worry for whats next until it is out and fully supported, since i feel very comfortable with php, i guess i will get a better understanding of HTML and CSS, i do nice layouts, but i don't understand it very well.

 

thanks for advise i know it will help me greatly in my journey

[TheFilmGod]

start with html --> Css --> php

 

You really don't need to know javascript, unless you want fancy effects.