[Tfug] Re-learning website development

[John Gruenenfelder]

Greetings again TFUG,

I know there are a lot of web developers here and I'd like to get you advice.
Back in the day, which really wasn't that long ago, I tought myself to write
web pages using the then-current revision of HTML/XHTML.  Mostly static,
nothing really fancy.  The Weasel Reader website (link in signature) is
probably the most complex site I have that is still accessible.

In the past I've also created a web/PHP front-end website backed by a MySQL
database which allowed users to query the DB for a number of different items.
So, I know PHP and SQL to some extent as well, though I haven't used either in
a while.

But, in the time since then, the web has changed *a lot*.  Creating a nice,
dynamic site these days involves lots of HTML 5 and undoubtably some
server-side services.

The advice I'm looking for is where do I start to update my knowledge?  What
framework should I look at, if any?  I know *of* Ruby on Rails, Node.js, and
some others, but not much *about* them.  What back-end language would you
recommend?  Ruby, Python, Java?  I think that whichever path I take I'll need
to spend some time re-learning JavaScript, since that is how one communicates
with the browser, correct?

My goal is to rewrite my own personal website.  Currently, it is simple and
static.  I would like it to be dynamically generated and be more like a simple
CMS (Content Management System) where I can, via an admin page on that site,
add new articles/pages to my own site without needing to manually edit the
HTML source files.  I know there are pre-made CMS engines that I could easily
use, but the purpose of this is to be a learning experience.  For example, the
machine/CPU simulator I've been writing (for quite some time) is a great way
to keep up-to-date on the current state of Java and to make use of the new
features of recent Java releases.

I am leaning towards Ruby 3 and Ruby on Rails.  But, I know neither one (yet)
so if you think there is a better way, I'd like to hear about it along with
*why* you think this alternative is a good idea.  The only reason I'm thinking
of Ruby is because a web developer friend said it was really useful, but I've
never used it.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Oh, and one last thing:  I don't use website editors.  I prefer to write my
websites using EMACS.  Whether that means writing the HTML directly, or
writing the Ruby/Python/Java code which will generate the site doesn't
matter.  Site generators always create such an awful hard to read mess.


-- 
--John Gruenenfelder    Systems Manager, MKS Imaging Technology, LLC.
Try Weasel Reader for PalmOS  --  http://weaselreader.org
"This is the most fun I've had without being drenched in the blood
of my enemies!"
        --Sam of Sam & Max
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