[thelist] Where Start?/How Proceed

[Ben Henick]

On Fri, 1 Mar 2002, rudy wrote:

> >In what order should I tackle which of the above
>
> hi spence
>
> 1 css   2 php   3 sql/mysql   [4 javascript]

> javascript is neat, but non-trivial javascript is not easy to learn, so
> save that for 4

Erm, I like rudy, I respect rudy, I collaborate with him on other
endeavors (not so much lately, but yeah).  Hi rudy!

But I disagree strongly with the assertion that JavaScript should be last
in line.

For two reasons:

1.  Instant Gratification:  Others' source is easy to get a hold of, thus
    easy to learn from; further, if you get in a bind where you have to
    "dazzle with brilliance" on short notice, it'll be ten times easier
    to do with JavaScript.
2.  Good Habits:  The canonical documentation for JavaScript addresses
    scope and loose typing (and objects, and control structures) a helluva
    lot better than the canonical PHP documentation.  And much of it
    assumes a novice audience.

That said, I *do* agree with rudy when he points out that advanced code
requires a learning curve that's either steep or long (because you have to
have an organic understanding of the entire system you're working with,
especially those parts built elsewhere, like the DOM).

For this reason, I'd think of two short-lists of objectives - one
JavaScript-wise, the other PHP-wise.  Make sure to cover a range of
objectives that don't overlap.

Walk through them alternately, leaving a bit of breathing time (a day or
two) between each project.

When working through each objective, reference outside source code... but
make sure you really understand what's actually going on before you tie a
ribbon on the work.


HTH
--
Ben Henick
Web Author At-Large              Managing Editor
http://www.io.com/persist1/      http://www.digital-web.com/
persist1 at io.com                  bmh at digital-web.com
--
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"I think so, Brain, but... (snort) no, no, it's too stupid."
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