December 6th, 2009 admin Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
In our previous article we took a look at what is html and how hyper transfer protocol allowed us to see pages. In this article I am going to explain in a simple way how the browser finds and displays your pages.
The browser is a piece of software that sits in your computer and interprets html, css, javascript and some other technologies like images, videos and java applets.
THE URL
The first step in using a browser is that you type in a URL in the URL bar. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address that identifies a particular resource on the web. The address is a naming convention and it is composed of different parts:
- The first part is the protocol. Some protocols include https, ftp, etc.
- The host or hostname is merkados.com, where the .com is also known as the top level domain tld.
- The subdomain is whatever is before the host name, examples could be: intermarketing.merkados.com. Where intermarketing is the subdomain.
- The next part is the port. And the default port number for http transmission in web servers is 80. Other ports are possible; a web server can listen on port 8000, for example. You can avoid listing the port number when the default is expected, however if you are accessing another port you need to include it: intermarketing.merkados.com:8888
- The request path is /path. Path typically refers to a file or location on the web server, e.g. /directory/file.html. So for example: merkados.com/pathgoeshere/ would be a directory. and merkados.com/pathgoeshere.html would be a file.
- This URL can also have parameters. These parameters help determine the request for dynamic pages served with a database. Parameters start with a question mark (?) and are separated with an ampersand (&). So for example you would see: www.merkados.com/path?uid=23033. The uid would be the user id parameter and in this case is 23033.
- Finally the last part that you may encounter in a URL is an anchor. The anchors are set by the pound sign (#). For example: merkados.com/services#best_services. That means jump to a subsection inside of a page named services that is called best_services.
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Posted in Design Tutorials | Comments Off
September 7th, 2009 admin Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
When you are trying to learn something new, there are many problems, and many complexities that make it extremely difficult to learn. Usually, when I am learning something new and complex, what I tend to do is to simplify the processes and memorize the procedure. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out. The reason is simple. There are many things that are not easy. For example, if I wanted to build a plane I would say: 1. Study aerodynamics 2. Study Mechanics 3. Buy materials 4. Build the airplane 5. Test it to make sure it works.
Of course, you probably would agree with me that it is more complex than just that. If I truly wanted to build a plane that worked, I would have to study for a long time, I would have to practice and perhaps I can’t even do it on my own.
Approach
So, how to approach learning of difficult subjects?
1. Are there people who know what I am trying to learn? How did they learn it? How long did it take for them to learn it?
2. What are the steps in learning this subject?
3. How can I make the process of learning it:
- Fun
- Different
- Challenging yet rewarding and achievable
- Procedural
- Applicable
- Relevant
- Significant
- Social
The only way to do so is to do it in steps. And it has to take time.
Example
If you are trying to learn a new language (Spanish for example) where do I think you should begin? Well you would do something like:
- Learn basics of conversation. Try to listen to people talk the language ( see it in action ). Try to figure out its functioning.
- Get a conversation tutor, somebody who can explain to you what you don’t understand about it, and that can push you in the right direction to find your own answers.
- Start having conversations with native speakers.
- Make little adjustments as you continue to practice and make mistakes.
- Take on new challenges, talk about new subjects and make adjustments.
- Read books and learn smaller distinctions.
- Teach others what you know.
- Put yourself in “do or die” situations (for example speaking in public) that way your brain is forced to expand and grow.
This post is really my own abstraction on how to learn to program in a new language. I hope you can appreciate the analogy.
Alex_
Posted in Opinion | Comments Off
