I have been creating and programming web pages for around 34 years, beginning back in the days of dial-up. WTF is "dial-up" you might ask? That's Internet access with a maximum speed of 0.056Mbit/sec. And that was the fast speed! I remember dialing into a text-only BBS with a 300 baud modem (that's only 0.0003Mbit/sec!!). How on Earth did we survive?! Anyway, I started writing web pages as a hobby, creating a personal page, a celebrity fan page (don't judge - it was a phase, and I'm feeling much better now), helping a friend with his railfan page and working on some local business sites. After college, I worked at a web design firm briefly before partnering with some friends to create a new company. I eventually bought out the business as those friends moved on, and that business is Horizons Web Design.
All my skills are self-taught (you did read about my professional training in Film, right?) so I relied heavily on reading books and scouring the source code of other web sites to hone my craft. I started with basic HTML, then quickly expanded into Javascript, Java, Perl and CSS. Eventually I delved into PHP and MySQL, creating my own CMS (Content Management System) to be used as a basis for my web sites. If you might happen to be looking at getting into web programming yourself, here's some excellent resources that should help:
- W3Schools - An execllent reference with interactive examples for everything web-based from HTML & CSS to PHP & SQL
- PHP.net - The official PHP documentation page (you might want to start with the tutorial first)
- MySQL Documentation - Everything you never wanted to know about database coding
- Javascript Reference - Mozilla's official Javascript reference library with interactive scripts for testing
- DaFont - An excellent place to find fonts for your site
- Font Converter - The best place for converting your fonts for cross-browser compatibility
- Favicon Generator - Ever wonder how to make that little icon that appears in the browser tab? Wonder no more
- Alternate Favicon Generator - This one was suggested by a visitor (thanks Laurie!). It has less customization options than the one mentioned above, but is easier to use and supports larger upload file sizes.
- Facebook Sharing Debugger - This is where you can go to see/fix how your site will appear when you share it on Facebook
- Apache HTTP Server Project - Download and install your very own (free) HTTP server on your personal computer to test your web site designs
- PHP for Windows - Include PHP with your Apache install
- MySQL for Windows - Include a database server with your Apache/PHP install
Here's some pages recommended by visitors to my site:
- Learn About Domains & HTML - This site was recommended by a Girl Scout troop in California
- HTML Tutorials & Training Resources - This site was recommended by students of Anna Jones of Book Slide in Wyoming
- Web Hosting and Setting Up Your Own Website on a Budget - This site was recommended by Alisha, a student from North Mountain Institute in Arizona
- A Resource Guide for Web Developers - This site was recommended by James Stevens, a student working on his Digital Technology Merit Badge for scouts
- The Beginner's Guide to Website Development - This site was recommended by Joyce Kelly after being suggested by her student teacher Kim
- Basic HTML Codes for Beginners - A starting point for the basics of HTML markup, suggested by Nora James
Back in the days before MP3s, those of us lucky enough to have owned an Amiga computer used to enjoy our music in the form of MODs. These music "modules" were kind of like MIDI files, but used multiple tracks and sampled instruments. MODs are still around today, with artists actively creating new works. A popular site that hosts MODs is The MOD Archive, which has been around just as long as my site has. Need a MOD player? Check out the excellent MODPlug Central for a player and a tracker (for creating your own MODs).
Wondering where a lot of my photos are taken? Well, since I don't often get the opportunity to travel, most of them are taken around home. Luckily, I live in one of the most scenic regions in Canada: The Niagara Region.