New to Web Design - Freelance UK Forums

satman17 · 12-30-2007, 09:26 PM

Im in the early stages of learning web design, i have been given a copy of Dreamweaver8 and Fireworks8, are these still in use today or am i well behind? also can anyone give me good web sites where i can learn on line?

MickeyFinn · 12-30-2007, 09:36 PM

I am still using Dreamweaver 8. Anything before that and the use of font tags over CSS is a backward step but you will be fine getting started using version 8. Not sure about Fireworks as I have always used Photoshop but I am sure you will be fine.

You can't beat the Lynda.com tutorials I reckon, and if you were given the software then spending a few quid on training should not hurt:
lynda.com Online Training Library: Training

If you use torrents you might be able to find copies of these on torrent sites, not that I, or Freelance UK, would condone doing this...

satman17 · 12-30-2007, 09:43 PM

Thankyou for that, i do actually have the Garrick Chow essential training disc i purchased it off ebay. got a bit ahead of myself i think. i am thinking of starting again with the learning process but learning how to use fireworks 1st instead of DW.

MickeyFinn · 12-30-2007, 09:53 PM

Yeah, good to start with Fireworks and make something from scratch. Best way to learn for sure. Good luck! If you have any problems or questions then feel free to ask

philjohns · 12-31-2007, 09:36 AM

How much do you know about coding websites?

Dreamwevaer 8 automatically codes in HTML unless you code it by hand - xhtml is now the industry standard so you really want to be either coding by hand or using Dreamweaver CS3.

Visit these sites for more help...they've been a saviour to me:

XHTML Tutorial

CSS Tutorial

Creating a CSS layout from scratch : Subcide

And also, always check your websites using these:

The W3C Markup Validation Service

The W3C CSS Validation Service

MickeyFinn · 12-31-2007, 09:57 AM

Well I have DW8 here, opened a new document and at the top of the file it shows:

Code:

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Call me n00b if you like but that looks like XHTML to me...

And what do you mean "Dreamwevaer [sic] 8 automatically codes in HTML"?

Try looking here:
Common questions about Dreamweaver 8

Dreamweaver 8 can do whatever you want it to.

Was the "How much do you know about coding websites?" aimed at me? If so I have been making sites since 1999 initially with Frontpage (yeah yeah, funny I know but it was still an experience) and then onto Dreamweaver 2 or 3, can't remember which, then hand coding using Homesite and then back to Dreamweaver again in the last few years when the product improved. So I guess coming up to 9 years experience of site building.

I personally would not bother with validation at the early stages of learning site building, there is so much to understand these days that just getting something out is a great achievement. You can look at being syntactically correct and perfect in every element when you start making more complex sites.

Ardesco · 12-31-2007, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyFinn

I personally would not bother with validation at the early stages of learning site building, there is so much to understand these days that just getting something out is a great achievement. You can look at being syntactically correct and perfect in every element when you start making more complex sites.

oooo pet peeve!!!

I would encourage all newbies to validate from the start. That way you will see what mistakes you are making from early on and get used to doing it properly rather than bodging something together and then spending a couple of days fixing it so that it validates.

Nothing annoys me more than non-compliant sites that don't render properly in my browser of choice.

As for previous guy, nothing wrong with dreamweaver 8, nothing wrong with notepad either. Also you don't have to do xhtml nowadys, html still works fine for basic sites.

philjohns · 12-31-2007, 01:46 PM

Sorry MickeyFinn - I probably came across a bit too harsh...

I wasnt aiming the validation bit towards you, but like Ardesco said - validating from the start shows you any problem and you can learn to do it "propaly" from the start...this is just coming from my first hand experience becuase I am 16 and started coding website 6 months ago...Im now coding by hand using mostly notepad. Just thought Ide express my opinion...

And my bad if Dreamweaver 8 does code in XHTML - I havent used it for a while and always thought it used plain HTML.

satman17 · 12-31-2007, 06:14 PM

So can you validate by using DW8 ?

satman17 · 12-31-2007, 06:47 PM

So does DW8 Support XHTML? because i dont want to start learning it if it dosn't?

12-30-2007, 09:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
satman17 Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 12	New to Web Design Im in the early stages of learning web design, i have been given a copy of Dreamweaver8 and Fireworks8, are these still in use today or am i well behind? also can anyone give me good web sites where i can learn on line?

12-30-2007, 09:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
satman17 Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 12	yes Thankyou for that, i do actually have the Garrick Chow essential training disc i purchased it off ebay. got a bit ahead of myself i think. i am thinking of starting again with the learning process but learning how to use fireworks 1st instead of DW.

12-31-2007, 09:57 AM	#6 (permalink)
MickeyFinn Administrator Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 290	Well I have DW8 here, opened a new document and at the top of the file it shows: Code: <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Call me n00b if you like but that looks like XHTML to me... And what do you mean "Dreamwevaer [sic] 8 automatically codes in HTML"? Try looking here: Common questions about Dreamweaver 8 Dreamweaver 8 can do whatever you want it to. Was the "How much do you know about coding websites?" aimed at me? If so I have been making sites since 1999 initially with Frontpage (yeah yeah, funny I know but it was still an experience) and then onto Dreamweaver 2 or 3, can't remember which, then hand coding using Homesite and then back to Dreamweaver again in the last few years when the product improved. So I guess coming up to 9 years experience of site building. I personally would not bother with validation at the early stages of learning site building, there is so much to understand these days that just getting something out is a great achievement. You can look at being syntactically correct and perfect in every element when you start making more complex sites.

12-31-2007, 06:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
satman17 Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 12	Validation So can you validate by using DW8 ?

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12-30-2007, 09:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
MickeyFinn Administrator Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 290	I am still using Dreamweaver 8. Anything before that and the use of font tags over CSS is a backward step but you will be fine getting started using version 8. Not sure about Fireworks as I have always used Photoshop but I am sure you will be fine. You can't beat the Lynda.com tutorials I reckon, and if you were given the software then spending a few quid on training should not hurt: lynda.com Online Training Library: Training If you use torrents you might be able to find copies of these on torrent sites, not that I, or Freelance UK, would condone doing this...

12-30-2007, 09:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
MickeyFinn Administrator Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 290	Yeah, good to start with Fireworks and make something from scratch. Best way to learn for sure. Good luck! If you have any problems or questions then feel free to ask

12-31-2007, 09:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
philjohns Super Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 78	How much do you know about coding websites? Dreamwevaer 8 automatically codes in HTML unless you code it by hand - xhtml is now the industry standard so you really want to be either coding by hand or using Dreamweaver CS3. Visit these sites for more help...they've been a saviour to me: XHTML Tutorial CSS Tutorial Creating a CSS layout from scratch : Subcide And also, always check your websites using these: The W3C Markup Validation Service The W3C CSS Validation Service

12-31-2007, 01:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
philjohns Super Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 78	Sorry MickeyFinn - I probably came across a bit too harsh... I wasnt aiming the validation bit towards you, but like Ardesco said - validating from the start shows you any problem and you can learn to do it "propaly" from the start...this is just coming from my first hand experience becuase I am 16 and started coding website 6 months ago...Im now coding by hand using mostly notepad. Just thought Ide express my opinion... And my bad if Dreamweaver 8 does code in XHTML - I havent used it for a while and always thought it used plain HTML.

12-31-2007, 06:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
satman17 Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 12	So does DW8 Support XHTML? because i dont want to start learning it if it dosn't?