I have been reading some Web Site Design information, trying to make this, and other web sites that I run, better looking sites. Since 2001, I have taught myself everything I know about web site design. I took a couple of courses a few years ago trying to learn Flash, but that did not do any good. Flash is a very complicated application. As things have worked out, the major web designers and mobil app designers, especially Apple, are not using Flash or they are moving away from it.
HTML5 is now the way to go. I never learned the old HTML, so I am not that much better off than I was with Flash. My only saving grace is, the HTML Editor that I use, Dreamweaver, does not require that you know how to write HTML. All you need to know is, basically, how to use a word processor and follow directions. Something like MS Word.
A few weeks ago, I sat down to try to teach someone how to take over one of the sites that I am working on. At that time I realized just how little I know about web site design and construction of web sites. There were so many questions that I could not answer. Over the years, I have accumulated many books on all aspects of web design but I have not concentrated of making that information available to anyone else or to teach anyone.
I have been doing everything on my sites. Things that normally several different people, with specific skills, would do. To name a few; Photographer, Journalistic Reporting and Editor; Web Site Design; Computer Operator and Application Manager; Graphic Design (or in my case, lack of graphic design). There are probably a few other jobs that go into making a good web site.
I know one thing, there are a lot of beautiful web sites on the internet. I am going to try to make my site look better in the future. That will probably mean enlisting some help from people with the skills that I don’t have. Until then, keep an eye on this site. (Happy Valentine’s Day – I remembered to get my wife a gift and a card, did you?)