Spring Term - Part II: The Thick of It

Web Application Designs - Spring 2011

Even with all of the time I spent on campus, it was the online classes that kicked me in the backside this term.  Business Strategies for Computer Consultants, and Web Application Development.

Business was probably the easier of the two, but required a lot of reading, research, and relying on the advisory of a third party to get the work done.  On the plus side, there were some aspects that I was ahead of the game on, such as business licensing.  Having been through the process of completing and filing a business license application (which by the way it turns out I didn't need since I am outside of city limits), as well as actually being in the process of starting my own business, came in very handy within the realm of this class.

I learned a lot of valuable information that will likely be put into play in my own business, and I am glad I took this class.  However, what I didn't like was I always felt rushed and stressed when it came to the assignments.  I turned things in the day they were due, instead of ever being able to get ahead, which is what I prefer.  I tip-toed through that class uncertain, which is strange given that I aced it and received nothing but positive feedback.

Web Application Development was a class that somewhere deep down, was determined to bring me to tears.  During the last 12 weeks, I delved further into the world of JavaScript and began my introduction to ASP, PHP, SQL, and MySQL.  Can I buy a vowel? 

With JavaScript, everything was familiar and I got through it with minimal frustration, however when ASP came along, the hair pulling began.  Once I finally got a slight understanding of ASP, PHP came along, and it's just similar enough to almost understand, yet different enough that minor differences are no where near as minor as you would think.  Access databases are straight forward enough, it's just the syntax to use it that causes steam to emit from my ears.  The combination of PHP and MySQL drove me batty, because I didn't have access to the database in the first place.  I had to figure out how to create a record before I could edit or delete it.  Ugh!

Some how, after many nights dreaming of roaming semi-colons and sinister radio buttons, I passed, with flying colors no less.  I even managed to get 100% on the debugging part of the final (blink-blink, huh?).

Books on all of these topics are residing as we speak within the safety of my Amazon shopping cart.  With a couple classes down the line being extensions of these topics, I plan on being thoroughly prepared, even if it means keeping a spare box of tissues around, just in case.