I’m finally getting my web programming legs back under me, ladies and gentlemen. I recently checked out this cool book from Auburn’s campus library that covers the HTML, XHTML and CSS basics in seventeen chapters.

The meat is in the first thirteen. I did a quick read of the last four which are a summary of advanced web techniques and resources of different types.

I’m taking the next week and a half to cover one to two chapters a day to knock out those first thirteen. I’m up to chapter 3 tonight. I’ll share some good info from the back of the book today though.

I just found out how you add web pages to mobile devices – cell phones, PDA’s and whatever else is out there or in development. There is a language called WML or Wireless Markup Language which is the actual coding language analagous to HTML. The other is WAP, aka Wireless Application Protocol analagous to HTTP. It ensures that the devices and servers can communicate with each other.

Find more info on these formats at Open Mobile Alliance which has lots of good info and specs on the site. The other is Waptastic.com, a discussion forum and resource site for WAP/WML developers.

For all you coders looking for new areas to increase your skill portfolio and expand your income opportunities these are a couple of good ones to check out.

One last link for the day is Search Engine Watch which will help you gage the latest in popular search terms for blog rankings.

Take these tips and do great things fellow actionists and have a great weekend.

I am really enjoying my first course at Auburn. In the first couple of weeks I’ve learned the basic structure and commands to output text to the screen and do math calculations. We’re doing money and calendar conversions this week. The command structure is easy enough to pick up on. I downloaded the Mac version of the software from Sun Microsystem’s Java Technology web site. Now I can do my programs at home and take them to lab on my jump drive. I’ll try that the first time today. My TA says it should be no problem. It’s a great sight with all manner of downloads, programming tips and interviews from professional programmers who have leveraged the Java language to a level of expertice in a variety of different ways.

I have definitely picked the right major. It’s technical and artistic and I can get my creative jones going every time I start typing. Our text book is cool in the creative way too. The end of each chapter has examples of how to do simple graphics with the language by creating Java applets. Who knew it was so easy? Watch out, you might see some of my creations floating accross the web now that I’m learning what to do! Wasn’t expecting to be able to learn how to be a graphic artist in my spare time right out of the chute. Yeah, I love this program (the language and the major).

Our compiler, jGRASP, was created by a team lead by my professor Dr. James Cross here at Auburn so I’m learning from a nationally recognized expert. College is way different now than my first go-round in the 80′s-90′s. Today Dr. Cross, and from what I gather all or at least most of Auburn’s instructors, post their assignments, syllabi and anything else we’ll need for class on the web and we simply print it off before we go to labs and lectures. What a system.

I’ve got a routine down where I stay a chapter ahead in my reading and I get a start on my lab over the weekend before I go in on Mondays. I’m staying ahead of pace so we’ll see how it goes. It working well for me so far though.

So you expert programmers out there, what are some good Java web applet resources that you would recommend? I’d like to spend some time after the semester developing my animation skills. Give me the name of two or three books to choose from and I’ll decide which one to add to my holiday/new year gift list. Happy programming.