Blake Watson 

The wait is over. HTML for People is OUT NOW!

I feel strongly that anyone should be able to make a website with HTML if they want. This web book will teach you how to do just that. It doesn’t require any previous experience making websites or coding. I will cover everything you need to know to get started in an approachable and friendly way.

And it’s free for all. 🚀

https://htmlforpeople.com

HTML for People

HTML isn't only for people working in the tech field. It's for everyone. Learn how to make a website from scratch in this beginner friendly web book.

Oct 10, 2024 at 4:03pmWeb
Show threadMartijn FrazerOct 10, 2024
@bw absolutely amazing work!
Show threadStefan BohacekOct 10, 2024
@bw Very cool!
Show threadAdam PiggottOct 10, 2024

@bw Congrats, any efforts to lighten the Web and return it to the people are worthwhile.

I noticed that the request to https://htmlforpeople.com/assets/js/hero.js is currently serving a redirect loop but thankfully it doesn't seem to affect the site functionality.

Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@proactiveservices Thanks! Yeah, I had some DNS issues there for a bit, but I think I got them sorted out now.
Show threadAdam PiggottOct 10, 2024
@bw I'll get the DNS bell for you 🔔
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@proactiveservices futzing with DNS is a rite of passage for sure 😅
Show threadMarcus GrantOct 10, 2024
@bw @proactiveservices this may as well be a part of the book because DNS is like half or more of the issues you’ll encounter hosting on the web
Show threadAdam PiggottOct 10, 2024
@marcus_grant Maybe, but it an educational resource can be more effective when it sticks at what it's aimed at. Could just be a chapter that says "It's always DNS" in large, friendly print.
@bw
Show threadtovaOct 11, 2024
@marcus_grant @bw @proactiveservices if you'd like a friendly guide to DNS there's this one https://social.undrground.org/@gangrif/113249353382085267
[nate@social0 ~]$ :idle: (@[email protected])

You ever see one of those Sci-Fi movies where the world is depending on technology that nobody understands anymore? When I think about some of the infrastructure that runs the Internet, I think we may be approaching that! One of those technologies is DNS. Today, on Into the Terminal, we’re diving into DNS! That’s right! DNS! We’re covering how to setup your own DNS server for caching only, and even a basic setup for hosting your own domain! DNS was one of the very first big projects I undertook when I was starting my journey into being a true IT administrator. I registered undrground.org and setup my own bind name server. In those days you’d beg your nerdy friends to run secondary for you. You didn’t just go to your cloud provider and add a domain. Today, a lot of folks choose to pay someone else to run DNS for them. But if you want to know how to do it yourself, we’ve got you covered! A local caching server might be great for your home lab. Or a local resolver for something that needs fast DNS resolution. This should be a fun episode! Tune in at Noon eastern! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMOPLCA-sps #dns #hosting #selfhosting #homelab #infrastructure

Undrground.org Mastodon
Show threadCandy Apples Annie 🎄Oct 10, 2024
@bw yay, so happy for your launch!
Show threadAmin Hollon 🏳Oct 10, 2024

@bw

This looks really good! I’ll take a deeper look later and will probably start recommending it to people. :D

Show thread13 barn owls in a trenchcoatOct 10, 2024
@bw I am going to use this to update my skills and make abominations, thank you so much <3
Show threadLunar 🛸 ♾Oct 10, 2024
@bw I look forward to having a read. Thanks for doing this!
Show thread7sleepersmusicOct 10, 2024
@bw When a client asks me to build a website that they can maintain, I use basic HTML. IMHO It’s easier to teach them HTML than Wordpress or other CMSs. Years later their sites are still online, updated, and I haven’t heard any complaints. Your book is likely to make my job even easier! 💻️ 👍️ 😁
Show threadstarlordOct 10, 2024

@7sleepersmusic @bw That's interesting. Do you have experience using flat-file cms with markdown?

I teach Markdown to middle-schoolers when they wanna start building and find it really easy to get started. Curious about others'.

Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024

@starlord117 @7sleepersmusic This book is written in Markdown. I used Eleventy to generate the website from it.

https://www.11ty.dev/

Eleventy is a simpler static site generator

Eleventy is a simpler static site generator.

Eleventy
Show threadstarlordOct 10, 2024
@bw @7sleepersmusic
Ah, that's great! I built mine on grav: https://getgrav.org/
Grav - A Modern Flat-File CMS

Grav is a Modern, Crazy Fast, Ridiculously Easy and Amazingly Powerful Flat-File CMS.

Grav CMS
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶOct 11, 2024
@bw The problem here is node. It's huge and cumbersome.
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 11, 2024
@gharbeia Here are a bunch of alternatives https://jamstack.org/generators/
Static Site Generators - Top Open Source SSGs | Jamstack

Check out this showcase of some of the best, open source static site generators. This is community-drive so be sure to submit your favorite today!

Jamstack.org
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶOct 11, 2024
@bw Thanks!
I know most of them, but that's a good directory indeed.
Show threadDoubledadoOct 10, 2024
@7sleepersmusic @bw So much this.
We should be teaching POSSE (Publish on Own Site Syndicate Everywhere)as a communication approach, especially at a college level.
It is great to start with a simple blog, such as #bearblog but eventually everyone should be able to make a simple static site… instead of learning another CMS that will eventually enshitify.
#SmallWeb #posse
Show threadTarren (They/Them)Oct 10, 2024
@bw The link doesn't seem to work for me, at least with Firefox.
Show threadjwithy Oct 10, 2024

@bw fwiw I’m getting a couple of different “too many redirects” warnings on iOS Safari and a “too many HTTP redirects” in Firefox & Firefox Focus.

I tried your link as well as typing it in directly. Maybe you’re too popular? I can’t wait to check it out!

Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@jwithy Yeah I’m having DNS issues 🙃
Show threadjwithy Oct 10, 2024
@bw 💙
Show threadJim MockOct 10, 2024
@bw The page won’t load for me… I’m getting a too many redirects error :(
Show threadbenOct 10, 2024

@bw Hi, I just tried to take a look at this and it seems like the server is in an infinite loop of redirects to the same URL.

(Tested with a couple of different browsers as well as curl, so I don't think it's browser-specific.)

Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@benjamineskola Yeah, I am having DNS issues, but I think they should be sorted in a few minutes here.
Show threadbenOct 10, 2024
@bw Ah yeah, looks good now! Thanks!
Show threadPhil NelsonOct 10, 2024
@bw Hell yes
Show threadGustavo GuedezOct 10, 2024
@bw congrats!
Show threadIzzyOct 10, 2024
@bw Nice! I recently committed to (eventually) coding my own website by hand, and this will be an invaluable resource.
Show threadremmy08Oct 10, 2024
@bw this is so cool wtf. how'd you get this idea
Show threadMx. Luna Corbden 🐸Oct 10, 2024

@bw Wonderful!! I first learned HTML 3.5 from a Dummies book. I'm a writer now, and to my shock, in 2021 I worked as an SME with a young web dev my client hired. He not know a lick of HTML. I ended up doing some of the web dev work for him, even though my skills are still stuck in 2003.

I've found it hard to find good HTML quick-lookup reference materials online now for when I want to just bang out a quick site but forgot an attribute. Awesome of you to teach this skill. HTML is very easy and versatile, and kids can be empowered like I once was.

Show threadjzilversmit88Oct 10, 2024
@bw I should buy this book because I was a designer for a short time in 2006 and the internet was still wonky at the time but had improved a lot since then.
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@jzilversmit88 No purchase necessary, it’s free!
Show threadjzilversmit88Oct 10, 2024
@bw even better.
Show threadBrandonOct 10, 2024
@bw this is super great. Good work.
Show threadJeff Sikes - Hire me!Oct 10, 2024
@bw Congratulations!
Show threadMatt WilcoxOct 10, 2024
@bw That's an excellent introduction to building websites - nice work!
Show threadDevin Prater :blind:Oct 10, 2024
@bw Just going through the book now, should pick this kind of thing back up anyway. Oh, you put tags on their own lines? That's cool, I've usually seen them on the same line as the content, but that does seem more organized to put them on their own line.
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@pixelate Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Oftentimes I use an editor plugin that automatically formats the code when you save.
Show threadDan Okkels BrendstrupOct 10, 2024

@bw What an absolutely lovely ressource! 🏆 Can’t wait to dig in. And teach my son enough English so he can use this to learn HTML 😄

⚠️ Heads up: In dark mode, the aside boxes with the robot mascot are currently showing white text on a white background.

Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@bewildergeist Thanks I just fixed it! I used some nested CSS which is a relatively new feature and I didn’t do it right in a few spots.
Show threadJes Moved to @[email protected]Oct 10, 2024
@bw the artstyle is so adorable
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@Jessica We can thank @andycarolan for that!
Show threadSara Joy Oct 10, 2024
@bw @Jessica @andycarolan aaahhhh! Cool! I was enjoying the art and was wondering who it was 💜
Show threadAndy Carolan Oct 10, 2024
@bw @Jessica thank you!
Show thread🚲Oct 10, 2024
@bw It’s seldom that I will do every possible interaction with one single toot: boost, favourite, comment, AND bookmark, but here we are.
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@dx I appreciate it! ❤️
Show threadDr. Unabart  Oct 10, 2024
@bw Finally something that might explain Tables better to me.
Show threademmettOct 10, 2024
@bw this is awesome, thank you!
Show threadDevin Prater :blind:Oct 10, 2024
@bw And the image are described! That's really nice to know what output we should be expecting.
Show threadFelix 🐊Oct 10, 2024

@bw This looks really cool! I'll be saving this for later.

However, I didn't know these boxes were supposed to have text in them until I highlighted it. Using Firefox 115 on Linux

Show threadFelix 🐊Oct 10, 2024
@bw Looks like it happens on later pages as well
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@crocodisle I *think* I fixed that. Give it a hard refresh.
Show threadBlake Watson Oct 10, 2024
@crocodisle Thanks! I just fixed that. I used some new-ish CSS syntax and didn’t do it right the first time around. 😅
Show threadosfa_2030Oct 10, 2024
@bw Congrats and thanks! It sounds awesome. I do like so much better simple html pages!!
Best wishes
Show threadFilip Szulik-SzareckiOct 10, 2024
@bw Great job! A few things I didn't know and updated my knowledge from 15 years ago. You should consider writing a chapter about static page generators. Then blogging is simpler and the rss generates by itself. :-) although I don't find markdown perfect because it doesn't support <details> tag....
Show threadRamonOct 10, 2024
@bw Very cool! Will share any chance I get!