Internet Skills

We just hired a new desk editor and have openings for a couple of people in a small expansion. Knock wood, there's no current indication we're going to do anything but grow, or certainly stay status quo. Our desk isn't that big as it is.

 

For anyone learning Web design now, you should first get a high-level view of how the Web works, then learn XHTML and Cascading Stylesheets (CSS). Later on down the road, you should probably start picking up JavaScript. ...

For a great, quick overview -- relating the Web design medium to the print design medium -- check out "The Art and Science of Web Design" by Jeff Veen. Veen was a former news design guy back in the day before he jumped into Web design in the late '90s. On his book's fifth anniversary several months back, he put his entire book online, via PDF download here:

http://www.veen.com/jeff/archives/000747.html

Next, read Jeffrey Zeldman's "The Art and Science of Web Design", a bible of sorts for designing with XHTML and CSS:

http://www.zeldman.com/dwws/

... Why CSS and XHTML?

Check out the CSS Zen Garden site (below). Each one of the pages linked is the same sheet of code, but each uses a unique stylesheet. Basically, the idea is this: If you have your entire site designed uniformly, by changing one file you can redesign your entire site, repositioning and reskinning everything, instead of paying X number of IT guys at $X per hour to go in and overhaul each page.

http://www.csszengarden.com/

For JavaScript, there are a kajillion books out there, but I'd recommend taking a class if you can find one. Learning a programming language is, not surprisingly, like learning a second language. You really need to get hip deep in it to progress. If you're a self-motivated person, you'll do fine with a book and cajoling information out of more advanced coders when you get stuck. If you need a frequent kick in the ass every once and again while learning stuff, then find a class. Here's a JS book that was recommended to me:

http://www.amazon.com/Sams-Teach-Yourself-JavaScript-Days/dp/0672322978

 

If you want to be a web producer, I'd say any place you go to has their own publishing tool so you don't really need to know any computer language (and XML seems to be used more than HTML these days).

Having a familiarity with Photoshop wouldn't hurt (basic skills). If you know any more - such as Macromedia - you'd be on the upper curve. Certainly don't need it.

If you want to be a reporter (and I'm not sure how many online-only reporters there are), I'd say you'd need to know no HTML/XML, etc., just a willingness to let the online people help you get situated and then post as quickly and as often as possible. Remember in online, "the deadline is now."