question for successful web people..

[Critter04]

Couple questions actually.

Creating websites requires knowledge about XHTML and CSS (correct me if this is wrong). What other comp. languages are next on the list in terms of importance, and why? In other words, not that I have XHTML or CSS mastered, but what should I think about focusing on next?

Also, if someone could explain the difference between a web designer and a web developer, I would appreciate it.

Thanks, Crit.

[sierng]

Faq's or googles!!! :/

Anyway...

Bananana.. na na na .Na na.. make those bodies sing.. make those bodies SING!

[tZ]

We could probably debate all day the differences between a developer and designer. The two titles are so ambiguous that its better just to list your skill set and let others decide if your the right person for the job.

However, my interpretation is that a designer is responsible for the front end of a site. The front end of the site is everything that the user will see while interacting with it. Being able to handle this type of responsibility requires adept knwoledge of design principles, design software, html and css. If you have a well rounded and thorough understandoing of those key elements than I would consider you a web designer.

On the otherhand, if you work on the backend of the site your a web developer. A web developer is everything that the user doesn't directly see and the logic behind the interactive elements of the site. Being able to handle this resposnibility requires adpet knowledge of a server side language, ddatabase relations,html and in many cases unix. This is becasue most web hosts do not provide an interface to communicate with the server. Therefore, the terminal is normally the only way to communicate directly with a thrid party server (which the site may be hosted).

With that said, the ambiguity between the titles occurs when you know both. Once you reach this level of understanding the title seems to be more a reflection of which roles you prefer.

As a designer I already mentioned you need to have solid understanding of html and CSS. This is vital to considered a web designer in my opionion. Dreamweaver and aftereffects don't count. You should have a level of udnerstanding of both CSS and html that surpasses what software can provide and be able to write your own semantic html with a separation between presentation and structure.

However, to work on the backend of the site as a developer you need to know a sever side language such as php or asp. Furthermore, you should have a understanding of how to use either of those languages to communicate with a database such as mysql. Therefore, you should also be comfortable with the writting sql statements and securing a database. Another language that I am learning is equally as important as developer is unix. Unix can be used in development to manage files on the server. Having an understanding of it also provides a mode unstanding the file system and how directory sturcture for most machines operates. Which can be useful for troubleshooting and building the correct directory for the site.

This is fun:
http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200708/are_we_designers_or_developers/

[Critter04]

Everytime you answer a question for me, the quote at the bottom of your reply seems to make more and more sense.

P.S. if/when you are designing a website, do you normally code everything yourself? I've read on some forums that people prefer doing this. Since I started out learning HTML and CSS before even touching Dreamweaver, I kinda like this idea myself. Do people design like this, and if so, it it advised?

:) cheers. critter.

[tZ]

I code everything by hand in eclipse and cssedit.

The reason being that I have a better understanding of intentions than the software.

[Savvywebdesign]

Creating websites requires knowledge about XHTML and CSS (correct me if this is wrong). What other comp. languages are next on the list in terms of importance, and why? In other words, not that I have XHTML or CSS mastered, but what should I think about focusing on next? If you're thinking of what skills would make you money or make you a desirable job candidate, then my reading of job advertisements over the last 6 months suggests Flash would be the next most important thing to learn.

Otherwise, I'd guess you'd be looking at some sort of database language. But I'll let the other forum members argue about which one. :)

(By the way, I'm only answering this because no successful web person has answered it yet. :o)