How to Learn Web Design and Programming

About this video:
In this nerd vblog, I talk about learning web technologies while recounting a crazy web programming story involving lawyers, suing and Perl.

[KarlHughesTech]

You are a nerd, but I love this. I am a Mechanical Engineering student who started doing web dev. 8 months ago. I never learned anything about it in school, I just started playing around with it and now I pay for school freelancing PHP/HTML/CSS/Wordpress/etc. My experience was very similar when I started. I broke a lot of stuff but worked hard to fix it. Thanks for the videos, keep it up!

[Colstonewall]

I agree with ya 100% Stefan, regarding "doing" as opposed to reading. Reminds me of learning Python (my 1st language), going through all sorts of tutorials and books. Yet the 1st program I tried on my own, I quickly found out I knew next to nothing. . .I still don't know a lot, being this was just within the last year, but that one program was worth all the tutorials I had read.

[StefanMischook]

@Pavlovszky,

They dragged it on in court for 1-2 years, where my client ended up spending 5x the money on legal expenses vs the original amount he was being sued for!!

... For the chairman of the company, it was the principle and the money was not an issue. Eventually, the case just faded into nothing.

In the end, the lawyers made more money than the plaintiff, the defendant and even me on this project.

Stef

[cyborg]

Wow really great video. I am in my third year of computer science, the core language we use is java. Only now are they changing to python. I never really felt that i'm learning that much. Its a instance of cramming and trying to remember for the exam. Don't get me wrong the courses show you what you need to know, but the environment and the pressure they put on you to pass and do well, some people can handle it others cant. And that puts a strain on the learning and retaining process.  

[beaglesnoop]

Great video...I truly believe in that the worth is in the person not a piece of paper. This not only applies to the programming world it also applies to manufacturing which if where I come from.

[busyrand]

Wow! I'm floored by thus story! The prospect of you, who looked at an old code base made of a year of code & wrote better functionality in a month in another language, not being an expert is flabbergasting. By definition, you've shown expertise... But court is often about how the argument sounds.

[CultureShockCty]

I have a degree in Anthropology. Honestly, I think I just did it because I didn't graduate high school and I wanted to prove something to myself. Now I'm going into web programming sans school. I think self-directed study really forces you to sink or swim. You don't get the option of day dreaming through lectures or half-assing your way through school and still getting a degree. You have to really prove yourself.

[tommymogaka]

Hey Chief, very interesting, saw it late but thanks. I have a bio background, Medical Microbiology to be precise. And I agree with you, street code is as good or better than book code coz it will always have been tasted. I have no Software degree, and even the bio one isnt complete. I now code web and mobile apps and I know that life would be somewhat different or easier with a degree, but sometimes you can break yourself or make breakthroughs coz of not knowing the limits as taught in school.

[WebdesigncapetownZaCoZa]

Learning how to design your own website is far better than relying on a web designer to make updates for you every time.

[danfalls]

I think there are 2 major aspects to programming. The first is the fundamentals most tutorials or YouTubers like to dump on noobies like Variabls, Loops, Lists, Dictionaries, Methods, or Classes then say congratulations you now know how to program.

That's like showing a Culinary student a Power Point presentation about Cutlery, Appliances, Meats, Vegetables, Spices, Oils, Pans, and so on and at the end saying congratulations you are now a Chef. Or showed them pictures of tools and car parts and handed them a certificate saying they're now an Automechanic.

The second part of programming I think Stefan points out is few people have figured out a proper method for teaching The Art of programming or even recognized a necessity for it. Unfortunately, in most cases, I think it's up to the really determined beginners to learn this themselves without mentoring.

[Pavlovszky]

Thanks for the video as always. Just curious, how did the story end?

[darrell]

Good story & great advice! I plan on doing exactly what you described doing in this video! I plan on taking me some computer programming class this year at school. I said to myself the minute I learn my first language I plan on creating me a program using that very same language & work on breaking & fixing that particular piece of program that I created! I have am A+Certified & have been repairing computers for 7yrs. now.. I assume that experience will coming in handy doing programming I hope?

[nate]

Awesome video ! When you say break the code what do you mean, rewrite it to see how it works ?

[njmithra]

I am a self taught web designer but I went to school for graphic design. I remember learning HTML in 1999 but it was only HTML 4. Just this year, I dove in the waters of XHTML, CSS and HTM

[SunnyvaleseoOrg]

Stefan, I can relate to what your talking about when it comes to education and what you are really good at. I run into this all the time. 

[Mina-pqrm]

Thank you, Stefan. I'm a recent graduate of international studies. It was a field I was fiercely passionate about and have no regrets obtaining a degree in, but do regret never having been encouraged to at least try to see how I would fare in fields that demand technical problem solving. I'd love to teach myself wen development and perhaps even explore long and short term career options, and I will probably be watching a lot of your videos for guidance. Thanks for the inspiration!

[ramiramirami]

Great story. Thank you for sharing!!

[adamhowley]

Great video. I agree. I am only doing computer work on the side of my main job and the videos and websites I have learnt from were good. The real test was a website not loading or my script not running and then I see the error. TA DA it works. Then I remove an aspect and see if it still does. Best advice I have heard.

[HarlanColt]

I felt this video was an honest opinion/look into the area. Good information, could pick up the pace a little, but Its Sunday and nothing else is going on. Thumbs up.

[StefanMischook]

Yes, there were court proceedings and eventually the plaintiff ran out of money and dropped the case. As usual, only the lawyers made any money.