New here and set my self a huge task!!

PAPPACLART

Hello

New here and would like to say hi🆒

Right, I will get straight to the point😃 At the end of April I am moving to Italy for a minimum of 6 months. I will be staying at my place out there, living off savings and spending where possible at least 8 hours a day 5 days a week learning PHP, MYSQL and HTML and any other language I may need learn to achieve my target.

While I learn I will be building a dynamic database driven ecommerce website that functions as a site where you can book services. I hope obviously to finish the site within that time and to have it fit for use but realistically I would be happy to get close to having something that is more or less functional and at least presentable so that I can inspire the people closest to me so that they all muck in to get this thing off the ground.

You probably ask why I am doing this? Well, I work in an industry where I have identified an absolute genius way to make a business that has all the potential to offer me and whoever is involved a comfortable living, I just need the I.T in place for it to work. I do not have the money to go pay somebody to build this off the ground so thought ''what the heck'' I will do it myself!!:eek:

Now a little about me!! As for programming experience, well about 10 years ago I learnt Pascal at college and from what I remember I was pretty good and best in my class by a huge margin. I am very determined and lucky enough to be able to dedicate 6 months day in day out to this :eek:

Anyway....

Am I a total loon to even think that I can build a slick, functional and reliable website within this time frame or should I just go for it as anything is possible? I will have a couple of very clever teckies once of which is a very good friend helping on the way from a far.

Personally I think it is a win win situation as even if my big idea fails, at least at the end of it may make me a pretty good web developer which beats my current job any day of the week.

laserlight

PAPPACLART wrote:
spending where possible at least 8 hours a day 5 days a week learning PHP, MYSQL and HTML and any other language I may need learn to achieve my target.

Besides learning those languages, you also need to learn the techniques to use them effectively. For example, for PHP you would need to learn the concept of abstraction, in terms of how to structure your code such that you can concentrate on the details that are most important at any given point. The skills related to MySQL do not only include SQL, but also database normalisation. For HTML, you not only need to know how to write well formed HTML documents, but also when to invoke the use of a stylesheet and clientside scripting.

PAPPACLART wrote:
While I learn I will be building a dynamic database driven ecommerce website that functions as a site where you can book services. I hope obviously to finish the site within that time and to have it fit for use but realistically I would be happy to get close to having something that is more or less functional and at least presentable so that I can inspire the people closest to me so that they all muck in to get this thing off the ground.

According to a supposed "Thompson's Rule for first-time telescope makers", "it is faster to make a four-inch mirror then a six-inch mirror than to make a six-inch mirror."

Oh, and welcome to PHP Builder 🙂

PAPPACLART

Besides learning those languages, you also need to learn the techniques to use them effectively. For example, for PHP you would need to learn the concept of abstraction, in terms of how to structure your code such that you can concentrate on the details that are most important at any given point. The skills related to MySQL do not only include SQL, but also database normalisation. For HTML, you not only need to know how to write well formed HTML documents, but also when to invoke the use of a stylesheet and clientside scripting.

The above you mentioned is exactly what a close teckie friend explained to me🙂

According to a supposed "Thompson's Rule for first-time telescope makers", "it is faster to make a four-inch mirror then a six-inch mirror than to make a six-inch mirror."

Oh, and welcome to PHP Builder 🙂

The above is absolutle correct. My progress will be dictated by how quickly I learn but pf course for the first couple of months I will be building small from the many examples online and from books. I have been looking at buying books from O'Reilly as they seem pretty good, but there is a huge choice outthere jus for PHP alone?

I am really excited about this challenge I have tasked myself. I will be cracking on the moment I land in Italy and unpack. I imagine I will be a regular face around here as I am going to need all the help I can get.

Thanks for you warm welcome and advise.😃

Ryan

Roger_Ramjet

Before you go buying loads of books, be aware that there are very many very bad php books out there. Make sure that it is recent and that the code and techniques are up to date - not rehashed php4 code as so many are.

For HTML you can not do better than the W3C School anyway, just work your way through their various online courses, they are free. You can even take the certification exams at the end if you like: I take it you are after a new career so qualifications can only help.
http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp

SQL and rdbms are difficult to master in a short time I'm afraid. You can get the basics down in your time-scale, but any real expertise takes a lot of experience. Still, that is what these forums are for now isn't it.

For an easy beginning to php I like the articles on Sitepoint. They also publish pretty good books and they let you download sample chapters before you but which is great.
http://articles.sitepoint.com/category/php-tutorials

For advanced coding topics I am a great fan of devshed myself. The php articles on design patterns are invaluable so have a look. I know they are over your head right now but at least they will give you a benchmark to judge the books you choose against.
http://www.devshed.com/c/b/PHP/

Have fun in Italy - you may just have helped me make the jump myself 🙂

PAPPACLART

Thank-you very much.

I will take alook at the links you advised. I have already started and am understanding PHP very well though I am am just stuck on a particulart part of my book with regards to HTML forms. ''Saving form input in Variable''. I will post up in the help forums.

Thanks