Comments on: How to learn the Web development skills that will keep you working

By: howto web develop

howto web develop — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:05:05 +0000

My Top 1 list of how to be a web developer:
1. Develop on the web.

By: Free CSS Templates

Free CSS Templates — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:03:51 +0000

Great article. I have most of the skills. The only one that I don’t have and really need to get into is widget development. Just never had the time for it.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:58:58 +0000

@Jon:
Good point, and I don’t disagree that there’s much more to this stuff than just tweaking a script or two. What I meant to suggest (and perhaps I didn’t do it well) was that the “price of admission,” so to speak, is not high, and that there are enough resources available on the Web that a reasonably intelligent person with some aptitude, some drive and some direction can figure out the nuts and bolts of this stuff in time. But I also agree that an eye for (and skills for) great design are often the key piece. In my experience, it’s a rare person who has both great technical skill and great design sense. Thanks for your comment!

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:07:54 +0000

Some very good pointers on the top skills to have… but to say that all you require is that “you know your way around PHP enough to make simple modifications to a script” is at the very least over-optimistic and at worst just plain wrong.

There’s a big difference between changing the counter on a site from saying “visitors” to “visitors since this site opened”… and being able to modify and work with one of the fantastically complex frameworks around. Programming knowledge, perhaps not. Architechture (and I don’t mean being able to spot some fine Georgian pillars from 800 yards), design and good style are the important parts.

Anyone can throw a few bits of PHP together and get something that works quite nicely… I’ve done it myself, I’ve watched 12 year olds do it. A little PHP (or any other language) won’t get anyone a long term job… there are far too many 15 year olds who can call themself proficient in PHP/ASP for that. It’ll be decimated by script kiddies within hours of launch, but anyone can do it…

Which, at length, is where my point lies… a knowledge of the underlying systems is the important aspect. Whether you know PHP or not doesn’t matter, it can be learned in under 2 months (again, I’ve just watched 200 students learn java in 2 months… half with nothing more than a GCSE in ICT). Programming can be learned quickly, by anyone. Good design: that gets, and keeps you, a job.

Jesus, I didn’t ‘arf ramble there. I hope you get my point anyway, if you cut out the repetition and blab

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:28:43 +0000

@Pete:
Drupal is very cool, indeed. Haven’t spent enough time figuring out version 6 yet, but I installed it locally and like some of the user interface enhancements very much. I manage a Drupal site now that is still on 5.3, so I need to get moving…

By: Pete White

Pete White — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:45:56 +0000

Learning Drupal was the best thing I ever did.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:22:49 +0000

@ilovephotoblogs: Thanks very much–glad it was helpful. I need to spend more time learning new skills, too–so much to learn, and so little time, it seems…

By: ilovephotoblogs

ilovephotoblogs — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:10:39 +0000

Great resource. There are many new skills I would like to learn/develop to create a web presence which is unique from the crowd. I do have a far bit of programming experience, but need to focus my energies to become more adept with PHP, AJAX, and CSS. Thanks again for a well written post and helpful links.

By: How to learn the Web development skills that will keep you working–Part 2 | Underpants Office

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:50:53 +0000

[...] you missed the first part of this two-part article, go read it now–it contains a wealth of links that you don’t want to miss! –Doug) Photo: [...]