What Next?

Deji · 11-07-2009, 06:32 PM

I'm nearly 15 y/o, home educated and for the past 2-3 years I've been stuck on the internet tryna learn a load of stuff for some reason...I feel like a workaholic. But basically, I started by trying to get towards the near-impossible goal of learning C++. So as part of my unique learning technique, I decided to learn everything apart from C++... The Logic being that every coding language I learn, the next language should be a little easier. Kinda how I'd imagine that learning French would help to learn Spanish and then that would make Italian easier or something. It's been going well, but every time I attempt to start learning C++ again I hit a block. For one thing, C++ tutorials have started to become too simple at the beginning and then suddenly really hard after they get past the bits that I already know... And another thing is that I've always learnt best by experimentation, which with C++ isn't that easy since it needs to be perfect. I also need an idea of a program to try to make and I honestly can't think of what I'd wanna make with C++.

So I continued learning other things. My main hobby was recoding Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas which has really helped in my understanding of how programs work and has lead me to learn basic hexadecimal. My interest in the game also lead me to create a website about it but I'm unsure whether posting the link here would go by the forum rules. I learnt HTML and spent months making a website in the really slow HTML-only way (I was new to it at the time) and along the way I made discoveries on the other internet languages... I also had a few people on the internet who guided me along the right path and now my website has been remade (for the 4th time) properly with HTML, CSS, PHP, bits of Javascript and SEO'd with the help of .htaccess amongst other things. Plus I have a IPB Forum Board installed and have picked up on how to use a MySQL database. So now I'm really into web design, too. I returned the favors to one of the people who had helped me by designing his website for him.

And along the way, like most people who use computers a lot have gotten into Tweaking Windows and knowing quite a bit about changing XP, configuring the BIOS and getting rid of viruses the manual way. Plus anything else that I may have bumped into, I have learned about.

So I like to think that I have a lot of options open. I'm finding Web Design to be something I'm getting quite good at, but there's billions of websites and billions of designers, I'm sure. I'm still not that hot on Programming besides from some Basic... Basic (Visual Basic). And I really don't know what to do next. I've really been waiting to set up a paypal account so I can buy hosting to build some websites on.

Well, so far I know...

HTML, XHTML, PHP, Javascript, XML, CSS, MySQL, AS2, Simple Visual Basic, Basic Hex and a few other thing I may have forgotten. So what next? I'm not sure what I should try learning or improving on. I've got plans for a course to do, but still... I think most of my learning will happen in my own room. At the moment I'm designing and making a Tech website which will feature loads of tutorials on stuff I know so far which I may end up attempting to launch or maybe sell if I manage to make it well. Problem is that at the moment I have no way to pay for hosting so I can't test PHP in the website unless I maybe set up a server on my computer... And that's a long process that I think isn't necessary...

DarrilGibson · 11-13-2009, 04:19 PM

If you're running Windows XP, you can download Virtual PC and evaluation copies of Windows Server products to host your own web site and test PHP and play around with it if that's what you'd like. Others won't be able to see it, but it's an ideal learning environment and all free.

With your experience, it sounds like you might enjoy using VIsual Web Developer Express (it's also a a free download). It allows you to use ASP .NET (and code behind pages to do actual coding). You will likely be surprised at how easy some of the things are to do with this if you've been doing them with HTML and Javscript. Again, you don't have to pay for this, but can instead learn as you go.

Good luck at what ever you choose.

Darril Gibson

Deji · 11-14-2009, 07:14 AM

Thanks... I think I'd be better off with an Apache server since I have the most experience with that.. But ASP is windows only, right?

ebackhus · 11-15-2009, 02:19 PM

I prefer Apache and PHP over IIS and ASP.

11-07-2009, 06:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
Deji Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 22 OS: Windows XP SP3	What Next? I'm nearly 15 y/o, home educated and for the past 2-3 years I've been stuck on the internet tryna learn a load of stuff for some reason...I feel like a workaholic. But basically, I started by trying to get towards the near-impossible goal of learning C++. So as part of my unique learning technique, I decided to learn everything apart from C++... The Logic being that every coding language I learn, the next language should be a little easier. Kinda how I'd imagine that learning French would help to learn Spanish and then that would make Italian easier or something. It's been going well, but every time I attempt to start learning C++ again I hit a block. For one thing, C++ tutorials have started to become too simple at the beginning and then suddenly really hard after they get past the bits that I already know... And another thing is that I've always learnt best by experimentation, which with C++ isn't that easy since it needs to be perfect. I also need an idea of a program to try to make and I honestly can't think of what I'd wanna make with C++. So I continued learning other things. My main hobby was recoding Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas which has really helped in my understanding of how programs work and has lead me to learn basic hexadecimal. My interest in the game also lead me to create a website about it but I'm unsure whether posting the link here would go by the forum rules. I learnt HTML and spent months making a website in the really slow HTML-only way (I was new to it at the time) and along the way I made discoveries on the other internet languages... I also had a few people on the internet who guided me along the right path and now my website has been remade (for the 4th time) properly with HTML, CSS, PHP, bits of Javascript and SEO'd with the help of .htaccess amongst other things. Plus I have a IPB Forum Board installed and have picked up on how to use a MySQL database. So now I'm really into web design, too. I returned the favors to one of the people who had helped me by designing his website for him. And along the way, like most people who use computers a lot have gotten into Tweaking Windows and knowing quite a bit about changing XP, configuring the BIOS and getting rid of viruses the manual way. Plus anything else that I may have bumped into, I have learned about. So I like to think that I have a lot of options open. I'm finding Web Design to be something I'm getting quite good at, but there's billions of websites and billions of designers, I'm sure. I'm still not that hot on Programming besides from some Basic... Basic (Visual Basic). And I really don't know what to do next. I've really been waiting to set up a paypal account so I can buy hosting to build some websites on. Well, so far I know... HTML, XHTML, PHP, Javascript, XML, CSS, MySQL, AS2, Simple Visual Basic, Basic Hex and a few other thing I may have forgotten. So what next? I'm not sure what I should try learning or improving on. I've got plans for a course to do, but still... I think most of my learning will happen in my own room. At the moment I'm designing and making a Tech website which will feature loads of tutorials on stuff I know so far which I may end up attempting to launch or maybe sell if I manage to make it well. Problem is that at the moment I have no way to pay for hosting so I can't test PHP in the website unless I maybe set up a server on my computer... And that's a long process that I think isn't necessary... __________________ Web Designer/XP Tweaker/Amateur Programmer/Virus Eliminator (lol)

11-13-2009, 04:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
DarrilGibson Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 6 OS: Windows 7	Re: What Next? If you're running Windows XP, you can download Virtual PC and evaluation copies of Windows Server products to host your own web site and test PHP and play around with it if that's what you'd like. Others won't be able to see it, but it's an ideal learning environment and all free. With your experience, it sounds like you might enjoy using VIsual Web Developer Express (it's also a a free download). It allows you to use ASP .NET (and code behind pages to do actual coding). You will likely be surprised at how easy some of the things are to do with this if you've been doing them with HTML and Javscript. Again, you don't have to pay for this, but can instead learn as you go. Good luck at what ever you choose. Darril Gibson Last edited by Basementgeek; 11-13-2009 at 06:08 PM. Reason: Removed links

11-14-2009, 07:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
Deji Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 22 OS: Windows XP SP3	Re: What Next? Thanks... I think I'd be better off with an Apache server since I have the most experience with that.. But ASP is windows only, right? __________________ Web Designer/XP Tweaker/Amateur Programmer/Virus Eliminator (lol)

11-15-2009, 02:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,243 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Re: What Next? I prefer Apache and PHP over IIS and ASP. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.