Flash and Action Script

Just finished a 2-week Adobe Flash course with an intro to Action Script. It's easy to see why Flash is so popular, the animation and motion clips it can create are very impressive and seemingly endless. Flash enables even the novice web designer the ability to add professional, interactive, dynamic aspects to their pages.

As with Dreamweaver, Flash should not be relied upon exclusively in the creation of sites. It's purpose is to enhance the look and operation of dynamic sites but is limited and can't match the scope of using HTML and CSS for the building of a well designed site.

The next 4-weeks will be focusing on Action Script, the scripting language used by Flash. So although I'm already impressed with what Fash can do, I'm sure I'll be even more impressed in four weeks. Talk to you then.

Dreamweaver

I have just finished the Dreamweaver course and I think its a great program. It really helps in the creation of a web site even if you are not 100 percent sure of the code required. It is an excellent "tool" in the area of web design, however, it cannot replace knowing HTML and CSS.

Database Design with MySQL

This was my first introduction to Database Design and I think it’s Fascinating. I found it much easier to grasp than my introduction to programming with C#. I can also appreciate the practical side of having so much data available in an organized fashion.  It was remarkable seeing how we could access almost any combination of data from unlimited sources by creating queries to join only those tables we need.

I can see myself using databases not just in a work environment but also on a personal level. While at school keeping a  database of all topics and courses, cheat cheats, books and related websites  and being able source and cross reference everything we have learned and where to find related subjects would be invaluable.

I am now looking forward to Dreamweaver.

C# If this is an easy language to learn I'm in trouble!

So we have just finished our first course in Programming (C#). I keep hearing it's one of the easier languages to learn. If that's so, I'm very lucky we didn't start with a difficult one because I'd still be under my bed crying and using mustard and ketchup bottles to make nice curly brackets on my new white canvas coat with the extra long arms while singing show-tunes through my Hannibal Lector Mask  (yeah I said "still"). But I'm feeling much better now.

I may be able to attribute the awkward transition from the design side of the program to the coding side on the fact I haven't spent much time using that side of my brain recently. I wasn't going to tell anyone but during Fridays exam I was sure I smelt smoke. I'm not sure if dead brain cells can burn, but I went to the washroom and poured water in my ear, "better safe than sorry" my therapist always says, just before he says "I'm not your therapist get out of my house before I call the police, and put some pants on".

Don't get me wrong I'm looking forward to being able to program, it's just the learning curve sometimes looks more like a hair pin turn. I'm certain I will become more comfortable as I gain experience and continue to build on this foundation I have started.

Looking forward to Data Bases now. How hard could that be? But if I don't show up for class any day this week, you'll know where to find me.

5 Portfolio Sites I like

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I just like the  use of colors. Its a very bright, fun looking site not bogged down with text on the landing page. The penguins are a nice touch.

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A very simple yet appealing design. Creates the illusion of looking up and seeing the leaves falling down. Simple and clean

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Creates the feel of underwater with very little use of graphics to take away from the overall clean look of this page. Just a hint of color (goldfish) to draw your attention to the center of the page.

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These colors just reach  out and grab you saying "Sit down - you're not going anywhere"  Once it has your attention the layout is simple and easy to follow.

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Well laid out excellent use of large icons as menu buttons. Subtle colors and clearly outlines what his company does.

This is a bearded man with a bird and a chipmunk. I think he's gonna eat them.

My Favorite Course

Having just finished my Premier Pro assignment I now know I will never work in film editing. I also have a lot of respect for those individuals who can sit for hour after hour fine-tuning snipits of video and audio, only to realize the hours you invested result in a 30 second finished product.

So far I would have to say Photo Shop is my favorite piece of software that I have learned thus far. It appears Photo Shop is a program that can be used in many aspects of web design/development. Having spent several weeks using PS I have come to realize every time you use it you learn something new. Its's definitely a hands on program in, in that, after learning the basics - through away the book and just explore and have some fun.