BF2S Forums [Questions] Computer courses for College

Im_Dooomed wrote:

And CSS is a data program that saves all your text, text size, text color and alignments for a web page, so that you can create different pages and it'll all be set the same right? Or is there more to it?

Cue Zimmer.

Just to give you an idea, this navigation menu is just CSS.

Im_Dooomed wrote:

I got A LOT of options for what courses to take for this Computer Degree and I was hoping some of ya'll can give me your opinions or thoughts on these. So here are the courses I'm thinking of doing:

Cascading Style Sheets
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Flash
Javascript
Data Driven Web Pages
Advanced HTML

I'm not sure exactly what the usage of data driven web pages is. And, isn't Javascript just about the same as Flash? They both are used to create animated graphics right? And CSS is a data program that saves all your text, text size, text color and alignments for a web page, so that you can create different pages and it'll all be set the same right? Or is there more to it?

The "Advanced HTML" and "Data Driven Web Pages" would be the first I would take, since you might consider the other five ride on top of the infrastructure that these two provide.

"Data Driven Web Pages" are what BF2s is built on.  That is, programming such as PHP and MySQL, which are core to most any dynamic website (such as forums, BF2s stat pages, user logins, etc).

I would go for data driven web pages

Out of interest what kind of degree is this?

I learnt PHP, MySQL, Javascript, AJAX, XML, XHTML etc etc on my own. I never thought of the need for "formal" training. Maybe my code is messy in places, but I always go back and clean it up when I learn more.

HTML is dying very fast, its used less and less, it's ugly and its strict. Advanced HTML in this era would be a pretty pointless course to take. When more promising courses like Perl ( it's powerful, but I prefer PHP ) and Python ( love it ) could be done instead.

To be honest, the only real formal training that could benefit you is from the design parts of it. Most of those can't be learnt properly without doing courses ( when I mean properly, I mean professional level, not fun stupid PS level ).

How can you say HTML is dying? It's the foundation of everything you do on the web. It's like saying the alphabet is dying. As someone said above, go for Javascript and Data Driven Web Pages. CSS would be good too. Don't waste your time with Flash, most of what I see it being used for these days is to stream video. If you're serious about web development, I'd recommend PHP to get you started, then moving up to something more powerful like Java or .NET. Let the die-hard PHP fans begin flaming now.

To clear up your questions/misconceptions above, Data Driven Web Pages should teach you how to bind data to your pages. This is critical if you want to interact with a database of any type and you will absolutely need this if you want to do this professionally one day.

As said above, Javascript and Flash are totally different. Flash is used for moving images and creating streaming animations. It was cool in 1999, but is mostly annoying now. It can be a lot of fun to use as a hobby, but Flash jobs are disappearing. On the other hand, Javascript is extremely useful. It's a scripting language used within the page for client-side processing, interacting with elements on the page, changing display properties and a bunch of other nifty tricks.

CSS isn't a data program, but rather a language for display properties. You can define CSS styles in include pages to keep your look & feel consistent across your site, or you can set style & classes inline as you see fit. CSS is heavily intertwined with HTML, DHTML and Javascript. In fact, most of what I use Javascript to do is alter CSS styles.

Good luck with your studies and I hope you continue down this path. We need more developers here so the jobs don't all get sent to India.

Im pretty sure the HTML one will be one XHTML. They are practically the same thing anyway, with a few minor differences.

OK! I signed up for these four classes, with the intention to drop one within a week:

Illustrator
InDesign
PhotoShop II
Fireworks

The course for Flash wasn't being offered, so I took Fireworks. If anybody has opinions on that lets hear them! Also, I am not sure if I should take Illustrator or InDesign so I took both with the intention of dropping one, and then picking up Data Driven Web Pages like a lot of you suggested. Although, I am still at a pretty basic level when it comes to web design, so I was wondering if taking DDWP is a little to advanced at the moment and maybe should be taken next semester... Although, I gotta find out if it'll even be offered next semester...

Vilham wrote:

Out of interest what kind of degree is this?

Its for Microcomputer Specialist. And, I only need 7 more credits with a 3 credit Arts and Science elective to finish it up!

chittydog wrote:

To clear up your questions/misconceptions above, Data Driven Web Pages should teach you how to bind data to your pages. This is critical if you want to interact with a database of any type and you will absolutely need this if you want to do this professionally one day.

As said above, Javascript and Flash are totally different. Flash is used for moving images and creating streaming animations. It was cool in 1999, but is mostly annoying now. It can be a lot of fun to use as a hobby, but Flash jobs are disappearing. On the other hand, Javascript is extremely useful. It's a scripting language used within the page for client-side processing, interacting with elements on the page, changing display properties and a bunch of other nifty tricks.

So basically if I have an inventory of items on my website, and I want people to be able to pick an item and order it, Data Driven Web Pages has what I need to learn how to integrate all my data in an easier to use/access all the information on my site? Maybe? I just can't picture what Data Driven Web Pages will do for me.

I wanted to learn Flash so I can have images animated on my website. I want them to be able to rotate in a 3d effect, or I want a user to be able to click on the image, and rotate it themselves. So, does Flash allow that, or is that Java that allows a person to click an image and rotate it? You said Java is a scripting language, meaning, when I want it to accomplish a task, it has to be written out like in an extensive HTML kinda code right?

Im_Dooomed wrote:

So basically if I have an inventory of items on my website, and I want people to be able to pick an item and order it, Data Driven Web Pages has what I need to learn how to integrate all my data in an easier to use/access all the information on my site? Maybe? I just can't picture what Data Driven Web Pages will do for me.

In a nutshell, yes.

Im_Dooomed wrote:

I wanted to learn Flash so I can have images animated on my website. I want them to be able to rotate in a 3d effect, or I want a user to be able to click on the image, and rotate it themselves. So, does Flash allow that, or is that Java that allows a person to click an image and rotate it? You said Java is a scripting language, meaning, when I want it to accomplish a task, it has to be written out like in an extensive HTML kinda code right?

Flash will do exactly what you're saying here. You can do a lot of interesting stuff with Javascript too, but image manipulation is a lot tougher with it. Flash is definitely better for that. Also remember that Java and Javascript are totally different and used for different things. Javascript is used strictly for client-side scripting on web pages. Java is a powerful coding tool that can create all kinds of happy crap, not just web pages.

Vilham wrote:

Just remember that javascript allows you to do a LOT more things, java itself has hundreds of thousands of functions that people have made and stuck up on the internet, that gives you a lot of power. Whereas Flash is just image/text manipulation really.

Javascript and Java are two completely different things.

Zimmer wrote:

But Doomed, I am going to tell you right now, that flash is an unwanted product on the internet. Even for image manipulation. It's ugly, its heavy and it's not as dynamic as programming languages. I wouldn't touch Flash to make a site with a barge pole.

OK, you don't like Flash ... and, yes, Flash has its drawbacks.  However, to say that Flash is an "unwanted product on the internet" is utter nonsense.

Zimmer wrote:

OrangeHound wrote:

Zimmer wrote:

But Doomed, I am going to tell you right now, that flash is an unwanted product on the internet. Even for image manipulation. It's ugly, its heavy and it's not as dynamic as programming languages. I wouldn't touch Flash to make a site with a barge pole.

OK, you don't like Flash ... and, yes, Flash has its drawbacks.  However, to say that Flash is an "unwanted product on the internet" is utter nonsense.

No it isn't. Most people seeking a website either don't want flash or the design/coder will not use flash. Because it ugly and clutters up the site.

Example?

tcapsintl.com

8,000 euros paid for that. It's not even 6 months old. Flash is old, javascript and AJAX are the new thing. They are cleaner, faster and nicer to use.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say with that example, but without some facts to back up your claim, I really am having difficulty giving your opinion that "most designers/coders refuse to use Flash" any credibility.   

Oh, and AJAX is not necessarily a "new thing" ... Javascript and XML have been around just as long as Flash, but they have evolved ... Flash is also evolving.  (In fact, I was using JavaScript before I even knew that Flash existed).

Just because something has evolved doesn't mean they will overtake the current dominance of Flash.  I'm not dismissing AJAX, and I'm not even saying that Flash is better ... but Flash is still very strong in the market right now, and technology forecasting is next to impossible.  Any good coder needs to know all the current technologies.