If you have a friend or colleague who wanted to learn Web design, what book or website would you direct them to? And why?
My Thoughts:
Since the question comes from me this week, I don't want to influence you unduly with my thoughts as to the best books or sites. Plus, since I both run a website on Web design and have written a book about it, I might be slightly biased. :-)
Here are some books I've reviewed as well as some websites I enjoy reading:
Let Us Know!
Post your comments here or in the forum. I really would like to know, and I know others would appreciate it too!
Design Melt Down is a great site for inspiration and trends.
I’m learning CSS on my own and although I have several books on it, I always go back to CSS: The Missing Manual by David Sawyer McFarland (O’Reilly Press). It’s thorough and written in a language that the novice can understand. Plus the author writes with a sense of humor–much appreciated when you’re getting into some really complicated stuff. Am looking forward to a new edition when it comes out.
A list apart is definitely one of my favorites
http://www.alistapart.com
I second the vote for A List Apart. This is a beautifully designed site with lots of great content. However if I were to advise someone just learning I would probably direct them to your about.com site. Thanks for putting out a great blog!
Sorry! Here’s the link: A List Apart
I agree with the recommendations posted previously, but not for beginners. Beginners need to learn a little HTML first. I started with Paul McFedries’
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Creating a Web Page and Blog, Sixth Edition (the 3rd or 4th edition).
The book is humorous and easy to read. You can go from start to finish or skip around to specific sections of the book as needed. The book was written for beginners with no previous web design experience. The information is presented in short, easy-to-digest chunks that make building a page fun.
After learning basic HTML, the reader can go on to other concepts. I would never suggest someone start with CSS – it takes a while to figure out and has a pretty steep learning curve. The foundation is HTML.
Just my 2 cents worth …
Head First HTML & CSS. Informal style, not afraid to use jokey examples. Best book I ever read on the matter. Waiting for the JavaScript version to come out
When I first learn HTML. I started with a great book called “Learn HTML in a Weekend” by Steve Callahan (http://callihan.com/learn3/). Great book and I still reuse it from time to time for reference. After that I have created many website, design most of them myself. I expanded just a bit and learn CSS on my own through the W3Schools (http://www.w3schools.com/) for that concepts. I know know a bit of javascript by reading how others utilize it.
I cast my vote for http://www.CSSzenGarden.com
It allows authors from all over the world to contribute their designs and implementations of CSS, in a dramatically easy comparison.
I will say the other citations above are excellent, too.
Happy Dae.
http://www.ShoeStringGenealogy.com
Trying to learn HTML, CSS & other web technologies I find a number of sites very useful. W3Schools
and About.com
I also find that Web Based Programming is not bad either.
My favorite web design / internet books are:
Don’t make me think – Steve Krug
(great book about design and usability)
E-Marketing Excellence – Dave Chaffey
(all round online marketing book, great for planning and implementing online marketing strategies)
Another vote for “Don’t Make me Think”, which never seems to age.
Also see a new ebook “Save the Pixel” (http://savethepixel.org).
For web sites, I have to recommend Web Design from Scratch (http://webdesignfromscratch.com), which is full of free tutorials and articles, read by 9000 people worldwide every day.