Newbie needs help

@angelarsneeNov 23.2002

I am a CIW student (no one I’ve met yet seems to know what that is); I have the self-study suite. Right now I’m trying to get started with the server administrator series and need a functioning copy of Red Hat Linux 7.0. I know it’s an old version, but that’s what I need.

In the meantime, I’m also in the process of learning FrontPage 2002; I have The Definitive Guide by Matthews and Poulson. The more I read, the more I think I need to switch to Dreamwever. Every page is the same: you can do this with Front Page but …. you can do that with FrontPage but …. you can do everything with FrontPage but …

I’m seriously thinking about dumping Windows altogether and migrating to Linux and Dreamweaver. Any comments, opinions, suggestions?

I am a 46-year old single-mother who lives in the boonies, just got divorced, hate my boss, but I know I can do this with a little guidance and direction; I can’t afford to go to school. All I know is that I love the code; I sometimes dream about it. No one around here has a clue what I’m talking about. Can anybody help?

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@Beach_BumNov 23.2002 — #One person's view - and you will get many more I am sure.

No matter what tool you use after you get into it you will end up doing most of the coding yourself. I also started with FP, but quickly moved to where I wanted my code to look and act just the way I wanted. To do that - you do it yourself. Good coding techniques are the key to consistency and easy maintenance (use of style sheets, external scripts, etc.).

Having said that - FP is a basic tool - so if you want to stick with tools - switch.

As for Windows - the real question is what else you run on your computer.

@angelarsneeauthorNov 23.2002 — #I know I will end up writing a lot of the code myself but an editor can save a lot of time in the process. It may not be an editor but don't you use some sort of tool? Maybe Homesite? The problem I find with FrontPage is that I change the code and then FP changes it back to what it wants. Dreamweaver doesn't do that. You can tweak all you want with Dreamweaver and it the changes stay put.

As for what else I am running on my computer, nothing else at this time. I have Windows 2000 Professional and Office 2000, but I never use any of the programs, I'm always in FP or in the Internet. When I have to write anything outside of FP, I use Corel WordPerfect. My son only uses AOL Instant Messenger.

One luxury I have right now is that I have two PCs. So my thought is that maybe I'll turn the "other" one into my unix web server.

All thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.

@Beach_BumNov 23.2002 — #to answer your question - yes I do use an editor - I still use FP as an editor. but just because I already was using it. I just grew around it.

As for FP changing things on you - that is probably because you edit the same objects in both the normal and html modes. can't do that. but it does leave the code you write alone - if you leave it alone in the normal mode.

It also will change the code if it detects syntax problems. Sometimes that is good and sometimes that is bad.

avoid using the FP "special effects/features" in the normal mode. you do not want to be tied to FP code.

but as I said - if you want a tool to do your work for you (more than editing and syntax) and you are willing to accept what it gives - then I would switch tools. you will outgrow FP very quickly also.

As for your two PCs, if i had a working Win2KPro machine I would keep it. You have enough on your plate to learn.

@StefanNov 23.2002 — #I'm seriously thinking about dumping Windows altogether and migrating to Linux [/QUOTE]

And you want to start out with an old crappy bloated distribution filled with securityholes?

If you want to learn about Linux I would recomend http://www.gentoo.org

Secure, fast, excellent tutorials/guides and always up to date.

@CharlesNov 23.2002 — #[font=georgia]I don't know what a CIW student is either, but I gather that you are trying to pick up some marketable skills. The world is over full with people who can use Dreamweaver and Front Page so you need to find a different need and fill that. In the United States businesses and governments are just waking up to the fact that the Americans With Disabilities Act applies to electronic media. Their web sites and their intranets are law suits waiting to happen. In some cases they are already happening. The article is a little old but see http://www.icdri.org/CynthiaW/applying_the_ada_to_the_internet.htm for a brief review of the state of the laws in this matter.

An accessible web site is really easy to make, but you cannot use a WYSIWYG and you cannot use the old methods. You need to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the HTML 4.01 Specification (http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/. You will also need to spend a lot of time with Cascading Style Sheets, Level 2 (http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2/).

The W3C guidelines have three levels, A, double A and tripple A: what you must do, what you should do and what you can do. The US Department of Justice is only holding people to level A but you really should try for at least level double A. For the applicability of the ADA guidelines and the guidelines see http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/tal712.txt and http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm.

A good place to start is with a little document [i]Dive Into Accessibility[/i] http://diveintoaccessibility.org/. It's a good introduction to the concepts and a simple 'how to' for the ADA Guidelines. [/font]

@angelarsneeauthorNov 23.2002 — #You assume to much. First you assume that I am not sensitive to American with disabilities, then you assume that I am not familiar with W3C standards. The reason I need to be able to tweak my code is to make it standards compliant, i.e., make the site accessible to all, including those with disabilities. Windows will not allow me to do that without a great deal of effort, if at all. Linux and Dreamweaver are both fully standards compliant. You also assume there enough webmasters in the world. You would like to think there are enough lawyers, and doctors and accountants in the world too, but you will note that the law schools and the medical schools and the accounting schools are full to brimming; and the graduates still find clients enough to make a living.

Perhaps next time you might think twice before replying to a posting you really don't understand. Practice a little more, preach a little less. I have been a paralegal for 29 years and don't need you to teach me the law on ADA. How many years did you attend law school?

@CharlesNov 24.2002 — #[font=georgia]You asked for "comments, opinions, suggestions". Please forgive me for providing some.

Dreamweaver's ability to produce level A accessible pages is a matter of some dispute but it is quite clear that it cannot produce level double A accessibile pages. (See "Guideline 3. Use markup and style sheets and do so properly." http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/#gl-structure-presentation)

I don't understand what using Windows has to do with one's ability to meet the accessibility guidelines. All you need is any old text editor. I happen to like HTML kit, but that's just a matter of choice. And once you get the hang of it, accessible pages are easier than inaccesible ones.[/font]

@Zach_ElfersNov 24.2002 — #In my opinion, I think Windows is the best. My Dad was thinking about Linux too. You can download from the internet and use it with Windows.?

@cxemaNov 29.2002 — #Charles let me support your statement about HTML Kit. I have been using it for quite a while and found it to be the best around when coding.

Perhaps we suddent be so sensitive angelarsnee, at the end of the day we all try to help.

later?

@punkasstripinDec 06.2002 — #use ultraedit!! it rocks.

@angelarsneeauthorDec 07.2002 — #OK, I give up (well, not exactly). But I have put FrontPage away and am now working with a plain HTML editor (as recommended previous in postings) and writing all the code myself: NotePad and HTML Kit. One stupid question though: I'm working with a style sheet and everything is working great except I only get thumbnails when I insert images. I know the secret to making the image show up is saving the image file in the correct folder. I've tried different folders, but no luck yet. Can anybody tell me how the folders are supposed to be set up and where the image, sound files, etc. go in those folders? That question goes for both NotePad and HTML Kit.

@angelarsneeauthorDec 07.2002 — #I just got it

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