I've been developing websites, amateurly, for over a decade. In that time I've become very familiar and quite good (for an amateur) with html, xhtml, and css. I would say that only my first few websites were designed with actual html. Since then, I've always used xhtml 1.0 transitional and css.
I'm eager to jump back in again and really start learning the right way. Which languages should I concentrate on mastering first?
Should I focus on HTML 5, XML, or continue using XHTML?
XML? No need to learn that if you're still an amateur. Anyways, any of them work (HTML4, XHTML1, HTML5) but HTML5 would probably be your best bet. And to come up to new standards you might want to check out CSS frameworks (960.gs for example), CSSPie, html5shiv, modernizr, @font-face, etc. (But as far as languages go, you'd definitely want HTML before anything).
(2012-11-22, 01:14 AM)Eric J. Wrote: [ -> ]XML? No need to learn that if you're still an amateur. Anyways, any of them work (HTML4, XHTML1, HTML5) but HTML5 would probably be your best bet. And to come up to new standards you might want to check out CSS frameworks (960.gs for example), CSSPie, html5shiv, modernizr, @font-face, etc. (But as far as languages go, you'd definitely want HTML before anything).
So, if I was to start authoring a website this very evening (from scratch), via Notepad, I would want to go with html 5? That's the wave of the future?
Only if you know/use the technologies listed, and also have nice fallbacks in place. So no, I wouldn't suggest using it just now (At your experience level), but I do suggest learning it (What you're asking, I guess?). If you want to publish it live and learn it at the same time, then HTML4 would probably be your best bet (To make the transition to HTML5 easier on you).
If you want to use new technologies you should at least be using an IDE. Notepad? It's possibly the worst tool a designer or developer could be using.
I highly recommend you take a look at Sublime Text 2, Aptana Studio 3, or another highly functional IDE. There's no reason to be stuck in 2005 using Notepad to create webpages.
It'll make your life a lot easier. Sublime Text 2 is my personal preference because it's lightweight yet complete with everything you could need.
Sublime Text 2 is also what I use, though if you're looking for free alternatives check out Adobe Brackets and inType.
Lol @ 2005!
I'm stuck way further back than that. I just downloaded inType. I already like it.
Notepad++ 6.2 is possibly one the best for Windows just for pure code.
Anyone who wants to use VS for PHP (WoltLab, I'm looking at you) is entering overkill territory.