Course of study, for this CSS book that I have? [Help/Recommendations?]

[Rocketshot]

Hi guys!

I have a 400~ page book that covers CSS2. I want to get through it in 8-9 weeks. What would be the most effective way, you think, to absorb the most experience and information from the book? When learning from books, how do you guys go about it efficiently?

I have a book on C++ that I've gone through, and it took me many, many pages of notes... in only the first few chapters. And the book wasn't even all that big.

Any help is appreciated. (Current thoughts: 8.5 weeks, @3 hours a day)

 

[benjamin.morgan]

I would just say practice it as you go along. that way you will remember what it does and what problems you went through if crap arises.

 

[CaldwellYSR]

Read the intro. Typically books like that have a recommended "lesson plan"

 

[chrishirst]

I want to get through it in 8-9 weeks. What would be the most effective way, you think, to absorb the most experience and information from the book?

By NOT setting yourself an arbitrary time limit.

Also you cannot "absorb experience" from reading a book.

 

[CaldwellYSR]

\What would be the most effective way, you think, to absorb the most experience and information from the book?

Also you cannot "absord experience" from reading a book.

You can, however, absorb experience from the book by following along with the examples, answering the practice problems most books give you, and extrapolating your own problems from there to practice. All of that is "from the book"

 

[chrishirst]

You can certainly get some useful practice time by following the examples in a book, but experience begins when you leave the confines of prepared code and begin tackling real projects and solving the problems that crop up.

 

[Brian Angel]

You can certainly get some useful practice time by following the examples in a book, but experience begins when you leave the confines of prepared code and begin tackling real projects and solving the problems that crop up.

Tiss true. I cant count the number of times I did something from a tutorial on line and went "hey this F#@*ING thing doesn't work" and have to figure out WHY the idiot who put up the tut left out steps 3,4 and 5, and what was missed to do it right. That's what makes you better.

 

[LouTheDesigner]

w3schools.com should be your bible.

 

[Phreaddee]

w3schools.com should be your bible.

I wouldnt go that far, but its a good starting point...

 

[Rocketshot]

By NOT setting yourself an arbitrary time limit.

Also you cannot "absorb experience" from reading a book.

You can, however, absorb experience from the book by following along with the examples, answering the practice problems most books give you, and extrapolating your own problems from there to practice

.

This is what I was referring to. Wording it differently... Information, then? Put simply, how to get the most of it. I assumed that I'd need some sort of schedule to take on such a task.

Tiss true. I cant count the number of times I did something from a tutorial on line and went "hey this F#@*ING thing doesn't work" and have to figure out WHY the idiot who put up the tut left out steps 3,4 and 5, and what was missed to do it right. That's what makes you better.

I should bother with written tutorials and publications though, shouldn't I? If tinkering is what gets the job done, I've been doing that for many years.

 

[Brian Angel]

.
I should bother with written tutorials and publications though, shouldn't I? If tinkering is what gets the job done, I've been doing that for many years.

Oh I still learned/learn things from them.. All I'm saying is just reading won't get you the full picture.

 

[chrishirst]

Oh I still learned/learn things from them.. All I'm saying is just reading won't get you the full picture.

Exactly.

I assumed that I'd need some sort of schedule to take on such a task.

Nope. Setting a schedule means learing by rote, it's a bit like learning your "times tables" in primary school. You may know the words but you haven't yet learnt how to use them.

Learn at your OWN pace , you'll know when to move on to the next bit.

It's a bit like playing guitar, you start off playing like Rick Parfitt of Status Quo, and after practicing for some time you get to be like Yngwie Malmsteen