[thelist] DHTML

[Peter-Paul Koch]

>I'm a budding web designer/developer and in the
>process of learning DHTML and wanted to know whether
>designers/developers actually *create* dhtml code from
>scratch or whether they get it off of websites.

I usually write from scratch. If I don't, I use functions that I myself have 
written before. The reason is that most script libs, pre-written scripts 
etc. are far too complicated, usually containing lots of stuff that you'll 
never use.

Two of my own pages for your edification:

http://www.digital-web.com/features/  an article that explains the purpose 
and history of the DOM. Background info that you'll need if you really want 
to understand DHTML.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ppk/js/index.html?introdh.html  My Introduction to 
DHTML. What is it, what can it do, what can't it do, how to write it.

>I've seen many job descriptions that say you need to
>know DHTMl but I'd like to get the inside scoop on
>things. Will they actually tell me to write the code
>or is more of "know what it looks like and you'll be
>okay"?

I guess the second, unless you come across someone who is like me <g>. If 
someone applies for a job and says he can write DHTML from scratch, I gently 
ask him to name the problems with layers in Netscape 4 and wait for his 
answer. I don't mind hiring someone who only knows how to copy/paste 
scripts, as long as he says he can only copy/paste.

But this depends entirely on the person that decides whether to hire you. 
Knowing DHTML (and *really* knowing it, including its problems) is of course 
an asset in each job application.

ppk

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