Onward

Over the weekend I learned the benefit of coding semantic XHTML: beauty in simplicity. By separating content from presentation, the code for a page is mostly uncluttered content, free of presentation elements.

Consider this post to be an update of my earlier post on the selection of web standards for projects going forward. It's been a very long time since I've addressed my desire to learn the tricks of the trade and one day become an artisan web designer.

Now that many of my household projects are complete (refinishing bedroom, wood stove installation) are complete, I can invest some of my time in learning the ins and outs of web design.

My Plan to Learn
In many skilled trades, it is necessary to go through a period of apprenticeship before becoming qualified to independently serve customers. A blacksmith may work many years as an apprentice, learning tricks of the trade and the basics of metallurgy prior to putting his own forged tools up for sale. In a similar fashion, I plan to be an apprentice for web design. However, instead of working hand-in-hand with a single skilled master, I will continuously consult the internet. This wonderful series of information transport tubes and digital aqueducts serves as the conduit for creative designs made by millions of people world-wide. The frosting on cake (homemade, vanilla frosting, of course) is the fact that anyone can peel back the onion and see how these designs function internally. HTML source, style sheets, and images are all subject to examination by anybody willing to click the View -> Source menu item in their web browser.

Armed with a StumbleUpon button and a shortcut to Digg, I am now poised to unleash a fury of mind-melding with the web-masters of the world.