(x)htmlphpscript?

[DirtDawg]

Hey all. I've decided I want to get into some web design, but am a little confused about languages. I have a book on HTML, and I found 2 books on Javascript and one on XML at my local thrift store ($2 a piece!).

So, I've read up on the javascript, seems fairly straightforward (though a little akward in syntax), but it seems HTML can do many things javascript can do at this point. I've dug through the XML book a bit ("XML for the World Wide Web, peachpit press), but it seems like it may be more powerful than what I need (Plus, I'm not exactly clear what it's for ). I also keep hearing about PHP, which I always assumed was something like XML.

I just wondered if you guys could give me some opinions. What do you use and what are some of the benifits/disadvantages with using XML/PHP/Javascript/straight HTML, etc, etc. Your input would be most appreciated. Thanks 8)

Some background: I'm intermediate in HTML and Python, know a (very) limited amount of C.

[Jad]

First there is much different between XML/PHP/Javascript/straight HTML
PHP is a server side programming language
XHTML is a markup language
same applies to XML
JavaScript is a client side programming language..
Now, if you want to get into webdesign think what you need to learn about it
XHTML
CSS
Search engine
Recommended books

Designing with web standards (http://www.zeldman.com/dwws/)
Search Engine Visibility ( http://www.searchenginesbook.com/)

Eric Meyer On CSS (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0735714258/qid=1111218378/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-1147286-8058534?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

Recommended web sites
Web Standards Group (http://webstandardsgroup.org/)
Web Standards Planet (http://www.w3planet.info/site/)

and finally go with standars and go with coding don't let WYSIWYG control you.

[DirtDawg]

Right on. Thanks for the links. 8) It looks like most things can be done with html, css, and some javascript. That's sort of what I suspected.

[Jad]

If you are new to markup language try to stick with XHTML,

[TjaBBe]

Right on. Thanks for the links. 8) It looks like most things can be done with html, css, and some javascript. That's sort of what I suspected.

You can use PHP to generate your pages on the server. This way you can make dynamic content for example, gotten from a database.

You can use PHP in combination with all the other things you mention (you can just make PHP to generate XML files). It is a bit more difficult to learn then plain XHTML and CSS, but it can certainly make your webpages much more powerfull!

[oracledarren]

I personally use as most web devs do and that is a combination of xhtml and php, primarily cause php is free and if you are used to C/C++ constructs it is easy to pick up.

:)

[dataw0lf]

I do not advise using JavaScript if you can help it. It's inconsistencies cross browser / platform, it's terrible syntax, and, well, it's cheesiness. And, remember, it's client side. If anything in your site is dependent on JavaScript, it's broken if the browser has it disabled (whether purposefully or accidentally).

[DirtDawg]

I do not advise using JavaScript if you can help it. It's inconsistencies cross browser / platform, it's terrible syntax, and, well, it's cheesiness. And, remember, it's client side. If anything in your site is dependent on JavaScript, it's broken if the browser has it disabled (whether purposefully or accidentally).

I've heard alot about the cheesiness of javascript (many people hate it). Judging from the books I found, there doesn't seem to be too much that can be done with javascript that can't be done with html at this point. It seems like javascript is really good if you plan to have ads on your site with rotating pics and marquees etc, etc. I did notice the syntax is horribly annoying, but overall I can't imagine javascript is a bad thing to learn. Maybe it's good to use it sparingly however.

I've read more of the xml book I got. I believe xml allows you to catagorize your page, allowing easy information extraction. Unfortunately my imagination isn't strong enough for me to figure out why one would do that.

I probably won't need PHP (again, I'm not entirely sure what it's for in the first place). I'm also thinking most of what PHP does could be done with Python (which I already have at least some grasp of). Either way, thanks for all the input everybody.