Old guy here, been a while since I did any web stuff... suggestions

[Dino]

I created some websites back in the day, 15+ years ago, and haven’t done too much in the meantime. Any suggestions on where I should (re)start? I’m a novice but I have a graphics background and basic knowledge of old-school html.

I’m redesigning an automotive website. I like the style of full screen images or slideshow with a few simple navigation buttons for the main page.

Any help is appreciated.
Dan

[bluedreamer]

A lot has happened in 15 years, but hey 6 months is an age on the internet

I’d suggest brushing up on your HTML - HTML5 is the latest version. Also you’ll need to get familiar with CSS for styling/presentation, and if you want fancy things like slideshows then Jquery (Javascript) is your friend.

[PaulOB]

Make sure you are up to date with Responsive (and responsible) Web design (RWD). This article is pretty old but sets the groundwork. This recent article expands on current best practices.

[mawburn]

You have a lot of catching up to do.

Capitals, Tables, and HTML used for styling are frowned upon. Please don’t yell at people with HTML.

<TABLE>
    <TR>
       <TD><CENTER>All of this is bad!</CENTER></TD>
       <TD><FONT COLOR=red>So Bad!</FONT></TD>
    </TR>
</TABLE>

[RobertSF]

Dino, fads have come and gone, but things really haven’t changed that much. The principles of good design are timeless. There is HTML5 today, but it will be years before it’s the standard, so you can continue for a while with HTML4, which debuted in 1999.

We do rely on CSS much more today for formatting, and in many ways, this makes building websites easier. So consider brushing up on CSS. We also (as others have pointed out) don’t use tables to control layout anymore, instead relying on CSS, so that’s something to learn.

Do be aware that there has been a move towards Content Management Systems (CMS). Products like WordPress, CMS Made Simple, or Wolf CMS, make setting up entire websites very easy. I mentioned those three because, although there are many others, those are remarkably easy, simple, and lightweight.

But the main point is not to feel old and just jump in and get your feet wet. You still know what you knew, and you can still apply it, and you’ll learn the new stuff as it comes up.