Web Editing

WEB EDITING: A GUIDE TO DOING IT YOURSELF
I admit it, like some people I know (a specific few I can think of at the moment...artjewl.com) I am what I would call a coder. I don't know if that term exists, I'm sure it does somewhere, but it is pretty much self-explanatory. I like to code. In fact, I LOVE to code. If you gave me three hours free time and told me I could do anything in the world, I would either sleep (choice number one), draw/paint, or code something.
It seems almost pitiful in a way, spending so much time in front of a bright screen and typing away, picking out all the details whilst pulling hair and cursing the computer genius who built these things, but it's true. I love to code.
I think it has something to do with my creative/artistic streak, and a lot to do with the fact that I love to make things and figure things out. And it also has a LOT to do with the fact that if I can't do it myself I feel utterly useless and frustrated.

Coding is an art like all others, and requires a lot of skill and patience, but after a hard day's work I wipe the blood, sweat, and tears from my face, load my pages, and stare in simple pleasure and awe at the work I have created. That simple.

THE STORY:
About five years ago my brother forced me to learn HTML. He was in South Carolina, I was in New York. We spent a few hours online in conversation that went a little like this:
Qasimtoep: Ok, write this in Notepad. this is red.
Moonstar: OK. done.
Qasimtoep: Now new paragraph
Moonstar: OK. done
Qasimtoep: little letters
Moonstar: do i have to?
Qasimtoep: yes. you do.
Moonstar: I'm really bored. why do i have to write this all out?
Qasimtoep: so you'll learn it. write it now.
Moonstar: do i really have to?
Qasimtoep: yes you do. just do it.
Moonstar: But i am SO bored.
Qasimtoep: Just write it.
Moonstar: how about later?
Qasimtoep: NO. Write it now.
Moonstar: FINE.

A few years later the conversation goes more like this:

Qasimtoep: hi
Moonstar: hi
Qasimtoep: what're you up to?
Moonstar: fixing my webpage. you?
Qasimtoep: updating my webpage.
Moonstar: kewl.
Qasimtoep: yep.
Moonstar: ok, i have to finish some stuff on the website. talk to you in a few hours.
Qasimtoep: you can't talk now?
Moonstar: No. I'm too busy doing all this really interesting code that was totally boring just a few years ago that I can't rip myself away from. Sorry.*

*totally exaggerated but pretty much to the point. The first conversation was actually pretty true.

So after trying my hand at Frontpage and some other webdesign programs, I decided that code was the only one for me. There was no way I was going to let the evil code writing programs destroy my website. I hate programs because I'm not very good with them and notepad has a few simple commands: open. cut. paste. save. close
Simple.

So here it is for all those out there who are first-time HTML virgins, and those who have also had their hands dirty and keep coming back for more. Enjoy and keep on codin'.

Page 1: The Basics Page 2: Tables Page 3: Extreme Coding and Graduation