HTML is easy, right?

BaldSocrates

Feb 10, 2008

Internet

If you're asking whether HTML will be easy for you to learn, the short answer is definitely maybe.

"Well, is it," you ask? The truth is, you could ask a dozen people this question and get just as many answers. If you don't mind me throwing out a cliche, it's all in the eye of the beholder. Before we go any further, let me ask you a few simple questions to help you understand if this is really an undertaking for you.

Do you know how to turn your computer on and off, and browse the internet?

Have you ever looked at the code behind a page?

Do you have the time and patients to learn something really cool?

As long as you can answer YES to the first and last question, HTML is something you can learn in order to create web pages that will amaze and astound your friends and family. As you experiment, read and explore, yes, HTML will quickly become very easy.

To answer your next question, it shouldn't take you long to be creating your first web page. Is it going to be good enough for business use? I'm sorry, but probably not. As with anything else, it's going to take some time to get used to writing HTML. More importantly, HTML is the beginning. It's the launching pad into incredible things like streaming video, dynamic content (content that changes as you click, type, or mouse your mouse), and fancy graphics. With HTML under your belt, the world is your oyster.

Here's where you start:

There are two types of people: those who can comprehend what they read on a screen, and those that work best from books. Personally, I work best from books. Consider this a word of warning to all those like me. Books are wonderful, but they are not always the best source of information, and certainly not always the most up-to-date. I know it's nasty, but stretch your wings and try to digest online material whenever you can. Don't forget, you probably have a printer.

For those willing to learn from websites and links:
The resources for you are almost unlimited. There are so many good websites, groups, and blogs. Here are a few that I strongly suggest you go visit and become familiar with.

Website

www.htmlgoodies.com

www.htmlcodetutorial.com

www.w3schools.com/html

www.webreference.com/html/tutorials

www.w3.org/MarkUp/Guide

For those who need or want books:
There are a lot of good reads out there. Some are more heavy-duty than others. If you've never had any real exposure to HTML, the following list is for you. I have included both the name of the book and the ISBN so you can easily search for it in your local or favorite online bookstore.

Title	ISBN
HTML In Easy Steps	1840782544
Teach Yourself Visually HTML	0764579843
SAMS Teach Yourself HTML in 10 Minutes	067232878X
Creating Web Pages with HTML Simplified	0471786470
HTML Quicksteps	0072258950

Armed with these resources, you can be sure that you can have the best HTML education out there without ever stepping foot in a school. Most importantly, YES, HTML will be easy to learn.

What did you think of this tutorial?