Creating a website

**jdoggivjc** · 01-21-2012, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

What's the best/easiest way to work with a website? Just deciding if I want to learn HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. When I was using Wordpress, using one of those was optional, but I decided it would be useful to learn more. Thanks

I know very little about Wordpress, but knowing HTML and CSS is dead useful, especially when the Dreamweaver tools aren't cooperating with me.

Amazon.com: HTML, XHTML, and CSS, Sixth Edition (9780321430847): Elizabeth Castro: Books

I used an older version of this book back when I took a web development class at ISU. Taught me everything I needed to know in HTML and CSS and I still reference it to this day.

**marothisu** · 01-21-2012, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

Anyone have good tips on explaining the monthly hosting fee to my wife?

lol what do you need to explain to her other than that hosting allows you to actually have an operational website?

**marothisu** · 01-21-2012, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

What's the best/easiest way to work with a website? Just deciding if I want to learn HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. When I was using Wordpress, using one of those was optional, but I decided it would be useful to learn more. Thanks

The good thing about HTML/CSS/Javascript is you can make pages locally and test locally. I.e. go into Notepad, make a page (type in your HTML, CSS, etc), save as an HTML file, and then open up the page in your web browser. If you don't have any server-side requests going on that you made yourself (i.e. J2EE, PHP, etc) you'll be fine. I doubt you'll have any of that.

So, there's tons of free resources out there and there's tons of books. It's really up to you. IMO you should learn your basic HTML before anything because really, CSS is all about HTML styles, and Javascript you will be modifying HTML elements. When you get to Javascript, I would recommend learning JQuery. It will allow you to do cool effects on your site without much coding work.

Trial and error and free resources for this one. There's tons out there..

**Cyclonepride** · 01-21-2012, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by marothisu

The good thing about HTML/CSS/Javascript is you can make pages locally and test locally. I.e. go into Notepad, make a page (type in your HTML, CSS, etc), save as an HTML file, and then open up the page in your web browser. If you don't have any server-side requests going on that you made yourself (i.e. J2EE, PHP, etc) you'll be fine. I doubt you'll have any of that.

So, there's tons of free resources out there and there's tons of books. It's really up to you. IMO you should learn your basic HTML before anything because really, CSS is all about HTML styles, and Javascript you will be modifying HTML elements. When you get to Javascript, I would recommend learning JQuery. It will allow you to do cool effects on your site without much coding work.

Trial and error and free resources for this one. There's tons out there..

Thanks for the help. I guess I'll try learning HTML until I get that down, and then move on to CSS.

**Cyclonepride** · 01-21-2012, 11:11 AM

Another quick question while I'm at it- how do you save a notepad document as an html file? Is that in the naming of it? My only option appears to be to save it as a .txt file, and the quick sample that I did shows up with my html language in it.

**JUKEBOX** · 01-21-2012, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

Another quick question while I'm at it- how do you save a notepad document as an html file? Is that in the naming of it? My only option appears to be to save it as a .txt file, and the quick sample that I did shows up with my html language in it.

Pretty sure you just click "Save as," change the "Save as type" to "All Files" and name your file and put the file extension at the end.

**jdoggivjc** · 01-21-2012, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

Another quick question while I'm at it- how do you save a notepad document as an html file? Is that in the naming of it? My only option appears to be to save it as a .txt file, and the quick sample that I did shows up with my html language in it.

Save it as (name of file).html and hit enter and you're all good - it won't default to .txt.

**marothisu** · 01-21-2012, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclonepride

Another quick question while I'm at it- how do you save a notepad document as an html file? Is that in the naming of it? My only option appears to be to save it as a .txt file, and the quick sample that I did shows up with my html language in it.

Go to File -> Save As, then choose All file Types, and type in say whatever.html

However, Notepad sucks and there are alternatives out there. I recommend either Notepad++ (Notepad++ v5.9.8 - Current Version) or Textpad (TextPad Downloads). Maybe Notepad++ because it has syntax coloring.. i.e.: