Getting into Web Design, Need Reference Material

[Dyne]

So, I've been doing a bit of contemplation on the aspect of web development and design, and came to the conclusion that before I go back to school for a degree in it (because I eventually plan to start a home-based business with it), I was wondering what reference books anyone with some degree of web design experience uses on OCR.

I've been looking on Borders and Barnes and Noble (dot coms, respectively), and I haven't really found much. I'm going to check out Amazon soon, and maybe a few other sites, but it'd be nice to know exactly what kinds of books would be good for a novice such as myself. Please also understand I've taught myself a few things, but I want the full gammut. So please, help a guy out!

[L.T.W.]

I really have a book that helped me a lot, but since the sun hasn't come out yet and my mom is asleep I don't wanna make much noise

ASA my mother wakes up I'll look for it.

Its a book about Dreamweaver 7 though, but I think its a good guide to learn the basics of Web design. My professor uses it in his class so I'm sure It'll help you out.

[Kanthos]

Here are two great ones.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0321385551/ref%3Dnosim/jeffreyzeldmanprA/

http://www.amazon.com/Eric-Meyer-CSS-Mastering-Language/dp/073571245X/ref=pd_sim_b_5/105-7607693-0734067

[shikigami]

i would tell you to buy a bunch of books on php, html (in all its forms), sql, javascript, css, and all that, but why when you have ruby on rails?

ruby on rails is a web framework in which you write very little code and the rest is done by the framework.

Agile Web Development with Rails and Rails Recipes are good, but you may want to get a book on Ruby first. Ruby is not a web-specific language, its actually an object oriented scripting language. dont worry, most of the complicated stuff that Ruby provides will not be needed. Rails writes the code for you basically.

[Mindeffects]

Definitely go with the two that Kanthos recommended. Standards all the way!

[shikigami]

Zeldman is an idealist who devotes some of his book to explaining how much easier life would be if browser developers would just support standards properly

fuck yes.

im sick of css/javascript hacks that allow it to work with all browsers.

[Dyne]

i would tell you to buy a bunch of books on php, html (in all its forms), sql, javascript, css, and all that, but why when you have ruby on rails?

ruby on rails is a web framework in which you write very little code and the rest is done by the framework.

Agile Web Development with Rails and Rails Recipes are good, but you may want to get a book on Ruby first. Ruby is not a web-specific language, its actually an object oriented scripting language. dont worry, most of the complicated stuff that Ruby provides will not be needed. Rails writes the code for you basically.

You know, I would've given you some song and dance a week ago about how I didn't want to do it this way, however, after some review...I'm seeing a bit of the light. So...I'm going to check it out, and read up on it first.

Thanks for the insight.

[Dyne]

So I've downloaded Ruby on Rails, installed and everything is running...well...SMOOTHLY. Couldn't believe it.

Anyways, I'm working with SciTE. Interesting program. It takes text editing to the next level. So I suppose now I need the books to make this rawk hard. Anyway, if anyone's got some experience with it and could offer some more insight, I would be ever so grateful!

Thanks.