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If You Know Html...

If You Know HTML...
Are you a programmer?

I have seen this debated in several places. Basically some argue that because HTML uses code to instruct a browser what to display that the person who can only code in HTML should be addressed as a 'coder' or 'programmer'.

The other side of the argument is that HTML only shows static content and nothing is written on the back end so the HTML only author should not be considered a coder or programmer.

What is your view?

Html You If

From my personal experiences anyone that is fluent enough to actually write HTML code is definitely a coder / programmer. While these are browser instructions how is this different than writing in VB? Each tag implements an action or action stop. Even an image tag IMG is a GO function. Yes it serves as a placeholder, yet without the code format being correct the picture will never arrive.

While I will not elaborate further at this point I will also mention table tags which become terribly complex.

*How does anyone really believe that HTML is not a valid programming or coding language? HTML is an acronym (Hyper Text Markup Language).

If You Know Html... Gaming Video & Issues Computer

One of the big arguments is that you can use programs now that create the code for you, so in essence 'no programming necessary'. You cannot use a program to create a PHP script as an example. There are programs that can assist you with snippets of code, but most of it has to come from you because the options for 'if' / 'then' are too numerous.

Now, personally if a person can code a complexed site in pure HTML without the use of a program then to me that person is a coder and I believe if the person can do so using DHTML then they are definitely a coder.

Html You If

I completely agree that with the use of programs to create the code for you that a person using frontpage or other wizard program is not a coder. As you said if it is written in pure HTML (DHTML) then a coder is proper. *viewing the page source is a good way to see if the page was coded or if a wizard was used. Wizard programs tend to add a lot of junk tags as well as put some type of program signature within a content tag of sorts.

Html You If

For my senior year of college, a few of us had a project to build a website for Disney World in Orlando, FL. It took us about 3 months, but we got it finished, and got an A on it. It wasn't anything fancy, and was used by the engineers at Disney to find electrical units and transformers around the property. I coded the entire site in HTML from scratch, and while it was a pain, the end result was very rewarding. I truly felt like a programmer after having completed it, and I never use any application to write HTML code for me, since I believe in having 100% control over my webpages.

If You Know Html...

For the job that I have currently, I create web ad pages for online yellow pages. I certainly use html, and php is even included (though I just copy and paste for that part ). I have never thought of myself as a programmer, but heck, maybe I am! I don't know very much, but I am learning, and do it from scratch, with references. Sometimes I have to look things up on the internet to find out how to do them.

My Dad is a programmer. He creates programs and full fledged webpages with all sorts of fancy stuff. I am definitely not a programmer at that level, so would I or others who dabble at html still be considered a programmer? Are there or should there be different names for different levels of ability? Or maybe you could just call me a novice programmer?

Edited: Dimavo on 5th Apr, 2006 - 6:43pm

If You Html...

Eleven per cent of US thinks HTML an STD

If you're talking tech with Americans, you may want to avoid using any jargon. Ref. Source 9