Yes, it happened!

Earlier this week I learnt HTML code!

Never considering myself some wiz bang computer tech, learning HTML is something I thought I’d never find myself doing. Being introduced to programs such as Fetch and Text Wrangler, we were taught the basics of how to use and understand HTML code through the creation of two simple websites. Despite initially feeling quite overwhelmed, throughout the duration of the class everything slowly began to make perfect sense and instead of just seeing a jumble letters and symbols, not too dissimilar looking from this…<><h1doc”head”<>!html>>><..centre.”title”>, I began to actually see a systematic organisation of abbreviations and symbolistic formulas that clarified themselves into neat and meaningful codes like this <!doctypehtml> and this <p><center><img src=”pomegranates.jpg”></center></p>

In learning these formats, what each code then creates on a website and how each of the codes communicate with one another I feel almost embarrassed that I came into class feeling so nervous and overwhelmed. Yes, it is in many respects learning another language (something that I failed miserably at in year 9..), but it is also simply about making the connections between two different sorts of visual information. The code i.e. the “Here’s what I look like under the surface” and the product i.e the “Here’s what I look like pretty and polished”

Knowing HTML code is now becoming a vital skill in the study and practice of media and communications. In being able to use HTML code you are enabling yourself to not just use the internet but understand it.