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andy_aoye Member Posts: 35 From: Portland Maine USA Registered: 05-01-2007 |
Hi, I am hoping to do web design for income. but I'm not sure how or if I can. I do know HTML and X-HTML as programing languages. I use Site spinner for a Web design tools. and use Gimp, Truespace and other programs to help on graphics. I am hoping to just make simple code-lite Web pages or sites (for right now. am learning as much as I can in web programing.. I'm not sure what to charge or how to charge. or how to even go about the process. my hopes are to spend 10 hours on a site and earn 100$ If anyone could help me in this area it would be great. ------------------ |
MastaLlama Member Posts: 671 From: Houston, TX USA Registered: 08-10-2005 |
I've been doing just what you're wanting to do since 2000 (and working for myself doing it since 2002). You'll probably want to learn non-mark-up language like PHP or ASP so that you can use databases and forms and such. Who is your main target market for your services? |
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andy_aoye Member Posts: 35 From: Portland Maine USA Registered: 05-01-2007 |
My target is small businesses. Probably people who have a product or service they want to offer. ------------------ |
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MastaLlama Member Posts: 671 From: Houston, TX USA Registered: 08-10-2005 |
Can you be more specific? Personally, I think you should start out with a particular industry or service as your target in mind. Then, once you get a foothold you can branch out. |
Faith_Warrior Member Posts: 490 From: So.Cal. Registered: 09-05-2006 |
Products? Like e-commerce? I’d probably recommend either Perl or PHP (People Hate Perl). Additionally, HTML, CSS, MySQL and possibly AJAX. trueSpace is good for making web graphics, as for Gimp (I do like Gimp), if you are still learning how to make professional level graphics you should look into PhotoShop mainly because there are a lot of books and millions of tutorials/guides on how to make just about anything. A good second choice is Paint Shop Pro and third I’d say Gimp… but it could easily fall into second place depending on how good you already are with making graphics. Pay may vary, $10 an hour is very low for pro work but it all depends who you are doing the work for. |
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andy_aoye Member Posts: 35 From: Portland Maine USA Registered: 05-01-2007 |
I guess I realy don't know much about web design. Mayby designing web sites for Churches and Ministries. ------------------ |
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MastaLlama Member Posts: 671 From: Houston, TX USA Registered: 08-10-2005 |
AJAX is just bloated javascript...you don't wanna have the client download 30k of javascript just so you can make a popup! Churches and Ministries are a good start. They usually can't pay as much but will help you get your foot in the door. Do a few good church sites and maybe a member of a church is looking for a website for their company! On the other hand, sometimes Christians (especially ones you know on a personal level) are the worst to work with and expect everything for nothing! So, I caution you with this route. Also, most people I know are either really good at the graphics and so-so with the functionality of website or the opposite. I've only met 1 or 2 people that were stellar at both. You may want to find a partner to team up that has an oposite skill set to yourself to round out a good team. Can you show us your portfolio? |
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Faith_Warrior Member Posts: 490 From: So.Cal. Registered: 09-05-2006 |
quote: It’s Asynchronous JavaSchript and XML (AJAX). All the craze and is not used for pop-ups as you suggest but it’s greatest advantage is in the user interface where pages act more like applications rather than webpages. By it’s usage, you can generate HTML locally within the browser, thus AJAX can appear to load quickly while using less payload coming down due to a much smaller packet size. http://dmoz.org/Computers/Programming/Languages/JavaScript/AJAX/ http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/AJAX:Getting_Started @ andy, buy books, read. |
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andy_aoye Member Posts: 35 From: Portland Maine USA Registered: 05-01-2007 |
I wish I was a master at one feat. I'm so so with graphics and am just learning programing, mayby one day ill be a master programmer, but right now I'm still learning the basics of programming. Instead of buying books I'm going to this website to me it seems like a great site. Has anyone else heard of it? ------------------ |
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MastaLlama Member Posts: 671 From: Houston, TX USA Registered: 08-10-2005 |
I use w3schools alot, i also use http://www.ASP101.com , both are very good sites! Another good one is http://www.DevGuru.com . |
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Faith_Warrior Member Posts: 490 From: So.Cal. Registered: 09-05-2006 |
There really are good books to study, most of the books like at Barns an Noble are written professionally and a solid teaching aid (some used in colleges). If you mark up the books with a highlighter and take page notes you can use them as a reference later. I usually recommend SAMS books “teach yourself blah blah in 24 hours” but there are many books to choose from. Also IDG Books makes really good [quick reference] books, those are the yellow books usually found on a rotating book stand e.g. “Linux for Dummies” but cliff note size etc.. Also good to check out your local community college, most have classes on web development and even cert programs if you need certification which is always nice as a resume’ entry for later when you try to land jobs for high paying companies. To take classes does not mean you are required to work for a degree, there are cert classes and also NC community classes simply for self improvement/training. Really good place to find network opportunities with other people. Ultimately, you will always be learning something, holds true for web development or game development. I’m trying to improve on a dozen different skills (as a lead game developer/project owner) for game development, myself, and there is pretty much no ending in sight to the mountains if info needed to sift through which is always being revised. Oh, and AJAX really isn’t a “programming language” more of a markup language (hybrid of JS and XML) . But like I said, just a suggestion to check into. Something like PHP and MySQL is pretty important to start with. Some good training videos on MySQL at www.3dbuzz.com |
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MastaLlama Member Posts: 671 From: Houston, TX USA Registered: 08-10-2005 |
quote: It’s Asynchronous JavaSchript and XML (AJAX). All the craze and is not used for pop-ups as you suggest but it’s greatest advantage is in the user interface where pages act more like applications rather than webpages. By it’s usage, you can generate HTML locally within the browser, thus AJAX can appear to load quickly while using less payload coming down due to a much smaller packet size. http://dmoz.org/Computers/Programming/Languages/JavaScript/AJAX/ http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/AJAX:Getting_Started [/B][/QUOTE] Like I said...bloated Javascript, at least most of they AJAX libraries that are out there for purchase. We use our own AJAX style things at work but we're not loadind 30k of Javascript for the client to insert a new table row. (better example than a popup) |
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Faith_Warrior Member Posts: 490 From: So.Cal. Registered: 09-05-2006 |
30KB is nothing though, if you are talking one of these flash sites that are 2MB per file and greater than I would agree, but 30k is hardly even the price of a jpeg. A lot of really interesting sites/tools using AJAX, I think it has great use, you don’t like it at all, oh well we’ll just call it a disagreement I guess. Some sites using AJAX are applestore, ask, ebible, gmail, msn spaces, yahoo… oh gee the list is extensive. Here is one in particular I like a lot http://www.ajaxtrans.com/ |
GUMP Member Posts: 1335 From: Melbourne, FL USA Registered: 11-09-2002 |
As for looking for work: guru.com |
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andy_aoye Member Posts: 35 From: Portland Maine USA Registered: 05-01-2007 |
Thats a great website.. guru.. thanks very much.  ------------------ |