How advanced do you have to be in HTML / CSS to start learning PHP along with them? Or should I 'master' (to a degree, you can't really master it) HTML & CSS before I start learning PHP?

To be honest as long as you know the concepts of both, you don't have to be an expert, although I'd recommend continuing to learn HTML to a point where you are more than comfortable using it without reference

OK thank you. By the way, how long does PHP take to learn (in hours) before I can start to make the basic PHP scripts?

Yeh it's a combination of it all. You chose you're own path and walk that line.

 

There are geniuses with PHP, JS, HTML, CSS, PS, ASP, VB, Business, w.e but adversely they normally suck at a minimum of one of those in comparison to the strong part of their skill set.

 

It's you're choice do you want to be the super car, or the cost effective hybrid?

If you have PHP installed, within an hour for basic scripts. If you haven't seen them already, I'd highly recommend the PHP Video Tutorials that Leigh McKay authored. They're ideal for beginners

Yeh strength in numbers, i owe a lot to LeighMac and the community over there. Truth be told a lot of the advanced tutorials were out of my league so decided to pursue other options. As far as the beginners tutorials go, for a new concept to you it might take a little bit of getting used to but you wont find a better tutor on the web and i'd argue you would do well to find such a good one in real life.

 

He has fun when coding and it definitely helps when learning this.

 

Also "build a database driven web site using mysql and php" by Kevin Yank at some point is a good book. The tone is informal which helps matters. Although the techniques he uses are quite dated now. Still worth a read.

Thanks, will look into them. Really eager to get into PHP and MySQL, they open up a lot of options within websites.

 

I'm looking to open a article-based websites with a forum and user intergration (users can post in the forums as well as comment and rate articles within the same account), a most-viewed list of articles within the home, as well as a 'Newest article' box, maybe a random article box, etc (you get the idea).

 

Will PHP allow me to do that, or I will need to learn other languages as well? If so, which one(s)?

Sure PHP & MySQL will allow you to achieve all of that

Ha, nice one. Sorry for the rush of questions, but how long does it take to get to more advanced stuff of PHP (for example, the system I was just talking about)?

It's one of those questions really that cannot be answered. It all depends on your learning curve (how much time you're willing to spend learning). Could be 3 months, could be a year (could even be more). If you're looking for a system to already do what you want I'd recommend Drupal. It has all the functionality you described above

It's one of those questions really that cannot be answered. It all depends on your learning curve (how much time you're willing to spend learning). Could be 3 months, could be a year (could even be more). If you're looking for a system to already do what you want I'd recommend Drupal. It has all the functionality you described above

 

Ok.

And erm, I'll take a look, but I want to get a job in web development anyway, and it would be a good project for me once I've started to learn PHP.

 

Also, I'd prefer to make my own, it'd be much more specific to my needs and the design and functionality will be unique to my system.

Adversely as far as CMS' go i'd recommend WordPress.

 

If you can commit a long time to learning PHP i.e you are still in school and can afford personal development for the next few years then you could become really good.

 

If however the clock is ticking be prepared to pull all nighters to do catch up.

I'm at college, 17. A lot of spare time at the moment, maybe 3-5 hours per day, sometimes more.

Well get into it then if web dev is what you want to do. No time like the present squire. Unless you have a job to go to.

Thanks, will look into them. Really eager to get into PHP and MySQL, they open up a lot of options within websites.

 

I'm looking to open a article-based websites with a forum and user intergration (users can post in the forums as well as comment and rate articles within the same account), a most-viewed list of articles within the home, as well as a 'Newest article' box, maybe a random article box, etc (you get the idea).

 

Will PHP allow me to do that, or I will need to learn other languages as well? If so, which one(s)?

i much prefer asp.net in c# as this will open the door to programming as well in terms of win forms, alot of cool stuff in that