I’m not a web designer but it is becoming apparently clear that I need to understand XML and HTML when I work on my company’s merchant account website. Even though I only have to make changes to the copy and head tags on the website, it would just make sense for me to know exactly what I’m doing. Usually when something more “difficult” pops up, I send it on to our in-house designer who knows how to hand code and understands the basics way better than I do.
Since I want to show that I am a valuable employee, I would like to be able to do the majority of the things the designer does (except designing logos and headers). I decided to start looking into taking some classes and “getting my knowledge on.” Of course, I started searching online hoping that I would get some good free information. Here’s what I found:
1. XML Tutorial at W3Schools.com: This is a free online tutorial and it looks pretty substantial. The website indicated to me that I need to have an understanding of HTML and JavaScript first. Yikes! I have a lot to learn.
2. XML Basics – An Introduction to XML at XMLFiles.com: It tells me that after studying the chapter presented on their site, I will know what the difference is between HTML and XML and that I will begin to know how to use XML. This sounds promising!
3. XML Tutorial at quackit.com: This site assures me that XML is easy to learn even if I don’t have much experience with HTML or databases (uh-oh, databases?) but the information will be easier to understand if I know both of these, as well as CSS. Ouch – I’ve just added another technology to my “need to learn” list!
I’ve determined that I need to delve into HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and XML and I am going to get as much as I can out of the free information online. Database technology might be something for the future, but we’ll see. I wish I had known at the age of 18 that I was going to love VPNs and the internet this much. If I had, I would have received my degree in computer programming, not communication. Wish me luck!
