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Learning PHP

by loubo44
23 replies
I am a photographer by trade and with the current market I am looking to broaden my skill into web design. I would not only like to learn XHTML/CSS also more advanced things like javascript and php/mysql .

I was planning to take a college course but I have found a lot of online resources that have taught me a lot already. I use Lynda.com to learn many different applications and I just noticed they have a PHP title

PHP with MySQL Essential Training - lynda.com Online Training Library®

Has anyone used Lynda.com before? What are your views on their PHP course? You can view the first dozen or so free. So far it looks good and it is an easy to learn format so i look forward to the 10hrs of tutorials on PHP!

If anyone has any similar sites that offer online tutorials like this for advanced web development please let me know.

thanks,

Loubo44
#learning #php
  • Profile picture of the author awesometbn
    Originally Posted by loubo44 View Post

    If anyone has any similar sites that offer online tutorials like this for advanced web development please let me know.

    thanks,

    Loubo44
    I haven't used Lynda before, but I'll check it out, looks like a great resource. Here are my suggestions for other tutorials about PHP (not my sites, no affiliation).

    BEGINNERS PHP VIDEO TUTORIALS

    Free PHP Tutorials - freeprogrammingresources.com

    PHP Tutorials: Writing PHP Scripts, Installing and Configuring PHP Scripts, etc (thesitewizard.com)
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  • Profile picture of the author Ron Killian
    Learning php/MySQL can be a very good thing. Automated many of my tasks over the years.
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  • Profile picture of the author bendiggs
    I have used several lessons from Lynda.com and a few of their books and I haven't been disappointed with the content or the quality. Some of their instructors are less than captivating and have a pretty deadpan delivery that doesn't always draw you in. But the content is still good, and you get your money's worth usually.
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    • Profile picture of the author loubo44
      Originally Posted by bendiggs View Post

      I have used several lessons from Lynda.com and a few of their books and I haven't been disappointed with the content or the quality. Some of their instructors are less than captivating and have a pretty deadpan delivery that doesn't always draw you in. But the content is still good, and you get your money's worth usually.

      I REALLY love Lynda.com and have learned a lot from portrait retouching to video editing too bad they don't have affiliate linking!
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  • Profile picture of the author Emilian
    Skip PHP and go straight for Python/Django.

    Much faster to develop web applications, and you'll have to write a lot less code.
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    • Profile picture of the author loubo44
      Originally Posted by Emilian View Post

      Skip PHP and go straight for Python/Django.

      Much faster to develop web applications, and you'll have to write a lot less code.

      That actually brings up a good point and possible new thread.

      As a beginning Web Developer/Internet Marketer what are the programming languages and/or essential skills you must have or should learn?

      This is my plan

      php/mysql
      tighten up my XHTML and CSS
      javascript
      flash
      and tighten up my Dreamweaver/Photoshop integration.
      I am already ver proficient in Photoshop CS3 and Video editing

      I will also look into Python/Django.

      I want to be able to run affiliate marketing and membership sites so is there anything else I should learn??
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  • Profile picture of the author Emilian
    Honestly, unless you have a *very* good reason to start with PHP I would bypass completely, or look into some sort of PHP framework or Django. Otherwise, it simply takes too much time to program what you want in it.

    For example, I can often deliver a full application (with great looking admin backend) to clients within 1 week (not counting large projects). All with form validation, pretty URL, settings, templates etc.

    That same application could take me 4-5 weeks in just PHP with my own classes, and would be a lot buggier.

    There is just no comparison (and I have programmed in PHP for more than 5 years). I am still going to get my Zend Certification but PHP is losing the battle against frameworks such as Django
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    • Profile picture of the author loubo44
      Actually, the reason why i'm learning it is that is what I thought is needed to make membership sites. From what I have been told, php and mysql is the most popular thing to learn other than HTML and css.

      What should my course of action be?

      Another reason I chose php is because of the amount of online training tutorials. I cannot go back to school because of my work schedule so can u reccomend an online training website or other training resources for python or your other reccomendations please.
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      • Profile picture of the author Emilian
        Yes, it is popular but it isn't the fastest nor is it the safest route to take.

        Programming an application in Python with the Django framework takes about 25% of the time that it usually takes for a comparable PHP script. And I am not joking about that I can program an application in Django faster than most PHP programmers can put together a simple demo.

        Go over here: Django | Django documentation | Django Documentation

        And install Django on your computer. You'll be glad you did.

        If you have any problems just send me a PM on here.

        I wish somebody would have told me about this a couple of years back!
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  • Profile picture of the author Lucysmith
    Banned
    i never heard about it before, well i ill browse it and then let you know my opinion about that site
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  • Profile picture of the author greyhatter
    I'm going to look into django, too, but I'm already knee-deep in php.

    I like PHP VIDEO TUTORIALS FOR WEB DESIGNERS
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Grossman
    This is *the* beginner's book for PHP. It was first released as a series of articles about 8 years ago, and was wildly popular at the time, and I think actually helped fuel the mass conversion from Perl to PHP back then. It's since been turned into a book with more than 3 major editions to keep up with changes in the language and the platforms we run it on.

    I strongly recommend this book for someone that's comfortable with HTML and wants to start learning PHP. It takes you all the way through building a functional CMS for a humor site (writing, editing, deleting jokes, joke authors, etc). It's the foundation of what you need to create any type of dynamic site with PHP & MySQL.

    Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL - SitePoint Books
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  • Profile picture of the author gdclarke
    Programing PHP -- en DOT wikibooks DOT org/wiki/PHP

    Checkout php.net
    Frameworks are great ... cakephp.org

    Graham
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Grossman
      Originally Posted by gdclarke View Post

      Frameworks are great ... cakephp.org
      Yeah, but not that one.

      symfony | Web PHP Framework, the framework powering Yahoo! Answers, Yahoo! Bookmarks, and del.icio.us.
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  • Profile picture of the author rlnorthcutt
    LouBo,

    What is it you want to do with PHP?

    I ask because there are tons of open source scripts and systems out there that you can use to give you a leg up. Sure, you will need to learn PHP to get advanced, but you can start creating great, highly functional sites TODAY.

    Personally, I really like Drupal... its PHP, but the framework is very flexible and powerful. You could build a great site in almost no time, and there is great community support for free and hundreds of modules and add-ons.

    Actually, there is a big lack of good graphic designers and themers out there... if you have an artistic flair and some Photoshop experience, then you could make a killing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Grossman
      Originally Posted by rlnorthcutt View Post

      Actually, there is a big lack of good graphic designers and themers out there... if you have an artistic flair and some Photoshop experience, then you could make a killing.
      For Drupal? Because there's no lack of "web designers" today.
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    • Profile picture of the author loubo44
      Originally Posted by rlnorthcutt View Post

      LouBo,

      What is it you want to do with PHP?

      Basically what I want to do is create mini sites for ebooks and courses I plan to create.

      And I would also like to create a photo gallery that in order to view the photos for free you have to enter your email or cell phone. Then I would like to add the numbers and emails to text and email campaigns for promotions.

      Any help on the best direction for that would be greatly appreciated.
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      • Profile picture of the author Plinko
        Originally Posted by loubo44 View Post

        Basically what I want to do is create mini sites for ebooks and courses I plan to create.

        And I would also like to create a photo gallery that in order to view the photos for free you have to enter your email or cell phone. Then I would like to add the numbers and emails to text and email campaigns for promotions.

        Any help on the best direction for that would be greatly appreciated.
        This thread reminds me of a conversation many years back of why PHP would never overtake PERL. hehehe....

        I've been programming PHP since version 2. It gave me my post-BASIC insight into languages which led me to college doing C, C++ and 4th Gen languages.

        In short, I think it is more important to learn to think as a programmer than it is to get set on a particular scripting language. They may change over time. Personally I'm still addicted to PHP but if I can find a project in C I go for it. I've managed to get comfortable with security, form processing and input validation plus more advanced topics like multi-level caching using PHP so I could easily put together an application in a day as well because I've done it all before, am comfortable with the language and found a method that works.

        With that said, PHP is fine if you want to learn to program. I use it on the command line with crontabs to automate a lot of maintenance too. Dan has given some good recommendations above.

        One caveat from years of observation. Don't build a sales letter or other static page in PHP just to build it in PHP. It adds complexity and increases the chances something could go wrong. Always ask yourself why you are building a particular app in PHP instead of HTML or other. Keep it simple, use as intended and I'm confident you will easily get the results you seek.
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        • Profile picture of the author yangyang
          Originally Posted by Plinko View Post

          This thread reminds me of a conversation many years back of why PHP would never overtake PERL. hehehe....

          I've been programming PHP since version 2. It gave me my post-BASIC insight into languages which led me to college doing C, C++ and 4th Gen languages.

          In short, I think it is more important to learn to think as a programmer than it is to get set on a particular scripting language. They may change over time. Personally I'm still addicted to PHP but if I can find a project in C I go for it. I've managed to get comfortable with security, form processing and input validation plus more advanced topics like multi-level caching using PHP so I could easily put together an application in a day as well because I've done it all before, am comfortable with the language and found a method that works.

          With that said, PHP is fine if you want to learn to program. I use it on the command line with crontabs to automate a lot of maintenance too. Dan has given some good recommendations above.

          One caveat from years of observation. Don't build a sales letter or other static page in PHP just to build it in PHP. It adds complexity and increases the chances something could go wrong. Always ask yourself why you are building a particular app in PHP instead of HTML or other. Keep it simple, use as intended and I'm confident you will easily get the results you seek.
          Very well put, Plinko, and great saying in your sig.

          Languages itself aren't that important. Tasks should always be completed in the most simple way possible. However, it's not that easy to know before hand, though. What if my project takes off and need to be scaled which I didn't expected? To reduce cost, I will invest a little more than just necessary at the beginning, using stuff that might not necessarily be essential to my goals.
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          • Profile picture of the author Richardo
            w3schools is the perfect site for PHP and Javascript and also for html and css.
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  • Profile picture of the author adsenser
    GO for w3schools.com tutorials W3Schools Online Web Tutorials , they are best and free. I've learned a lot from this site.
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