Web Development Basics: help me, lazyweb
I haven't done anything significant in HTML since 1998. I know a whole bunch of compiled and interpreted programming languages, but I haven't needed to know much about cutting-edge web development beyond how to write static documentation. I'm still hand-coding HTML using Emacs, with a little PHP where necessary. I know *nothing* about CSS, JavaScript, DHTML, XML, XHTML, ASP or ADO: which have fallen into or out of favor, or whether there's another major one I haven't even listed.
Several things have completely impressed my pants off lately: Google Maps, tricks people are pulling with Greasemonkey, and Dashboard widgets. All of them do things I thought were impossible without something heavy like Flash. I have two questions for anyone who feels like answering them:
1) What's the language of choice to create dynamic content these days? In particular, which methods were formerly in favor but have now fallen out of favor with the advent of new tools? (Javascript < DHTML?)
2) What's the IDE of choice for writing this content? The "HTML source" I've seen is a jumbled mess with LOTS of room for user error. Is there a better way to write this than an Emacs syntax highlighting mode? Or do web developers just hit "reload" on their browsers a lot?
Several things have completely impressed my pants off lately: Google Maps, tricks people are pulling with Greasemonkey, and Dashboard widgets. All of them do things I thought were impossible without something heavy like Flash. I have two questions for anyone who feels like answering them:
1) What's the language of choice to create dynamic content these days? In particular, which methods were formerly in favor but have now fallen out of favor with the advent of new tools? (Javascript < DHTML?)
2) What's the IDE of choice for writing this content? The "HTML source" I've seen is a jumbled mess with LOTS of room for user error. Is there a better way to write this than an Emacs syntax highlighting mode? Or do web developers just hit "reload" on their browsers a lot?