How I started web development
While posting on Skeletons MB I discovered that a few of the members started out web development through Neopets. I actually started web development through that as well. Back then (about 8 years ago when I was 12 – 13 years old) Neopets had a guild system (it probably still does). The owner of the guild could create guild pages. These guild pages allowed basic HTML. I started learning HTML from creating these guild pages. I moved onto other places like Geocities and Angelfire where I started to create websites from (I can’t remember what I made a websites on).
I actually started blogging when I met a blogger on a this Neopets Yahoo chat channel that I joined regularly. She bought me into this blogging world. Back then hosting domains were pretty expensive so many people would rather get hosted by someone with a domain so competition was pretty high. She taught me how to apply for hostings at domains as well as showing me places I could find domain owners that were looking for hostees. She also showed me how to install a blogging application onto my website. After sometime she lost interest in the internet world and rarely logged on MSN. We eventually lost contact.
It was so difficult to find my first host because I was a complete NOOB at web design and development (this was about 8 years ago). Most host wanted hostees with experience in FTP and good at HTML/CSS. I had no idea what FTP was! Luckly I found a kind host who was willing to teach me and I learnt very quickly. I moved around a few host after that because they kept closing their domains down. Eventually after about 8 months of being a hostee, I finally purchased my own domain and hosting and became a host instead.
I lost interest after some time and kept going on and off blogging for many years. I was still extremely interested in web design and development so occasionally I would make WordPress themes for my blog that I would blog about 3 times then give up!
After 8 years (I think) since I started those Neopets guild pages, I completed a degree in Computer Science specialising in web development and now I’m a full time employed web developer. I can’t believe how much those little Neopets guild pages have changed my life. If it weren’t for those pages and that girl I met on Yahoo chat, I probably won’t be blogging right now and definitely won’t be a web developer. I’ll never be able to find that girl again because I only knew her by her online alias (and I’ve forgotten it). I want to thank her for showing me this wonderful world of bloggers and this amazing community.
Talking about blogger’s community, go check out Skeletons MB. It will be amazing if it could turn out like those old popular forums of VortexMB and SmackMB (both died when the owner lost interest in their online life). Was anyone around during the time of VortexMB?
Questions for you
- Where did you first begin your web design and development life?
- How did you get into blogging?
- Where did you learn HTML/CSS?
I didn’t smile properly for years before I got my brace. I remember a photo of me on holiday and my teeth look terrible. It made me so nervous about smiling.
Oh I thought it was a great film. If you like Tim Burton films I’m sure you will like it.
I didn;t find it too bad to get hosted. The first one I applied for I was accepted. They looked at my Piczo site and thought it was good enough. I don’t know how, it had very little coding.
Questions! (I love answering questions-I’m weird!!)
* Where did you first begin your web design and development life?
- Piczo
* How did you get into blogging?
- I didn’t have a blog for a while on my first site. I read other peoples blogs and I wanted to join in too.
* Where did you learn HTML/CSS?
- I taught myself using various tutorials
[Reply]
I think mines started with Neopets too.. I think. And then it was Asianavenue. Is that even around anymore lol. Next was Xanga, and then experimented with a few blogging sites until I found wordpress.
Hmm. blogging. My site is kinda like a place for me to rant. It’s my diary but I make it all private hahas. I just never keep up with an actual written diary so I do it online. Then I realized blogging is a great way to meet new people since it’s alot easier for me to meet people online than in real life.
I learned HTML and CSS all by myself. HTML more so with Asian Avenue, and then CSS with Xanga.
I still remember how “noobie” I was. Actually.. I still am hahas.
[Reply]
I remember SmackMB, I was on it. VortexMB I am not sure if I remember or not. Sounds familiar I am older then you but I think I started designing about the same time. I have done the same though. I had a number of domains that I have been through and a number of blogs hosted on my own domains or elsewhere. I don’t remember who my first host was or even my first hostee. It’s gotten much cheaper and most of us can purchase domains and hosting pretty easily. I was working for a registrar and got 3 free last year. And I’m now working for an email marketing company and it kinda got me thinking. So I’m trying again…
.-= Kirsten´s last blog ..New netbook =-.
[Reply]
I never had a Neopets, still don’t know what Piczo is (other than a site where lots of people seem to have started from), and was too young to be able to create a Xanga account. I got into the personal website passion through my love for The Lord of the Rings when I was 9. I somehow got onto Bravenet and made a forum/message board. I didn’t even know what the hell a MB was, I just found myself very very frustrated at how little I could control what I posted & customization. It was a complete failure because I did not know how the system worked at all. And then, the light went on in my head when I was 10 and I started actual (template) websites at Bravehost. Went through two of those and moved to Geocities by the time I was 11. Then I got a subdomain when I was 12 but I left the online world shortly thereafter because I semi lost interest and school was taking over. Right as I entered high school, I started up Naeolia (my current site), moved subdomains twice, and then bought my domain last year and here I am now. :] I still love LotR by the way. ^^
Honestly, I don’t blog much. Maybe in the future, but as of now, I have more interest in making resources, my own art, and other design pursuits. I call my “blog” my updates. Haha.
I learned HTML and CSS on my own, through scratch coding. W3C is my go-to for help. One of the biggest things that irks me now, perhaps I’ll write a blog on it later, is how WordPress has achieved such a status that those of us who still hand-code are bashed. It used to be about creative output and freedom, yet now, there are not many sites I see that truly catch my eye in terms of design ability. I attribute this to the cookie-cutter format of WordPress. I’m not bashing WordPress; I’ve experimented with it in the past and I have no doubt I will in the future. I believe it’s a useful tool and very versatile. But not many people deviate from it as much as they should. In fact, as I design layouts for my own site, I’m surprised at how much the WP phenomenon has affected my own opinion on how a site “should” look. I’ll let you know, I can’t wait to set the time aside to make a new layout for myself.
This was very long, I hope you had the patience to go through it. 
[Reply]
YAYYY NEOPETSSS
* Where did you first begin your web design and development life?
NEOPPETSSS. i was very curious about how people made those awesome guild layouts… very very curious.
* How did you get into blogging?
just really wanted to talk about life and now i’m stuck to it haha.
* Where did you learn HTML/CSS?
online. searched ‘html tutorials’ haha.
YAYYY SKELETONS
.-= Bonnie´s last blog ..#1 =-.
[Reply]
Lol you know how I started out! I even wrote about this on my “Jojo” page on my site XD
Basically, I’d always always always wanted to create websites. Being obsessed with computers, it’s only natural that I’d be curious about designing websites too. I had no idea where to start and didn’t want to take the initiative until you introduced it to me ^D^
After that, I had a starting point and started to discover more things by myself. Of course, always having you there by my side to help with little problems I encountered here and there. You are still here for me to this day. Thank you so much!!! You are like that girl in your blog who helped someone! <3333333
.-= Jojo´s last blog ..SkeletonsMB =-.
[Reply]
I never did the Neopets thing. I think I started with the whole “anime fan page” thing. And then a friend of mine got me into blogging (on blogger *gag*) and it went from there
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..A Gathering… =-.
[Reply]
Wow…I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE your layout. <3
YAY! I had a new person comment my blog. It feels so special. Hahahaha. Yeah, I'm kinda a "noob" with new people commenting my blog. I've owned domains for at least 1 1/2 years but I haven't ever had the satisfaction of gaining more visitors that actually comment on my blog. I just hate it that only website owners comment blogs. People without websites should give website owners the satisfaction of owning a website by commenting on their blogs.
Yeah, I finally decided to do web design while changing up the way userlookups looked on Neopets. I wasn't big with the guilds. I loved the userlookups and petpages because those had things you could move around and place with what I thought was "simple" coding, but I didn't even know half of it.
You just gave me the idea to add a full about the site and how it started. I mean I have about the site but now I can know howt it started.
I Geocities > Freewebs > Sub-Domain > Domain > Now close to owning a hosting site like bubble.nu or rigrag.com
How did you get into blogging?
My host blogged and I saw Georgina’s website. I am not really sure when I started blogging, probably with this domain I started taking blogging seriously.
Where did you learn HTML/CSS?
Neopets, Geocities, and Freewebs.
.-= Erin´s last blog ..I’m not dead? WOAH! COOL! =-.
[Reply]
I’m sorry I forgot to return your comment. :/ Whoops.
Thanks.
Oh, that is interesting. Are you still with that guy that you “messed around” with?
.-= Erin´s last blog ..I’m not dead? WOAH! COOL! =-.
[Reply]
Oh, that’s awesome.
Yeah, Dante and I have been together for 4 months next week. We will most likely be together for a LONG LONG time.
.-= Erin´s last blog ..I’m not dead? WOAH! COOL! =-.
[Reply]
Awww at least you have a shop dedicated to the UK
Canada gets the privilege to pay the $14 shipping 
.-= Bonnie´s last blog ..#1 =-.
[Reply]
I started making websites through Piczo xD I learned basic HTML and then got a host who like yours, helped me learn FTP and what not. I’ve had soo many sites between now and then, and I know I’ve come a long way from the Piczo days… I’m glad I did get started though.
I think I got into blogging by seeing other blogs, and wanting someone to write down my thoughts and what not. I like it better than an actual diary, because I can show my creative side.
[Reply]
Yeah it’s crazy thinking back how much sites like Neopets and Girland shaped my life. I’m not a web developer, but I am a technical copywriter and my site has helped me get writing jobs and a web designer job so I’m grateful for that.
I read about Skeletons on another site and I’m off to sign up in a minute, but you’ll find many old Vortex members over at Inferno MB these days if you’re looking for anyone.
[Reply]
For a guys perspective! Got it from gaming. I wanted a place to post the strategies I had learned from online games.
Now, as a developer, my first blog is a programming blog, mainly as a place to store the stuff I have learned. Still around at victorchen.info.
I first learned html/css from lissaexplains.com.
.-= Victor´s last blog ..Flavors of Ice Cream in San Francisco =-.
[Reply]
I learnt a lot from there as well! That was my main HTML/CSS resource back in the days.
[Reply]
It was Lord of the Rings that got me into web-design and blogging!
I started up a News Page for LOTR stuff on blogger (cos it was free) and the moved onto freewebs. I wanted a really pretty site so taught myself HTML, and am slowly learning CSS too. I got into blogging cos I found another girl with a LOTR site had one and I just wanted to join in
.-= Ys´s last blog ..Booty Sales =-.
[Reply]
Oh I totally started because of Neopets. I did the guild pages, I did the Geocities, and I’m still hosted by someone else. (Although I did own a domain at some point. And a forum. Now I’m just too cheap to pay for myself, lol.) I think I really started blogging instead of just having a website of crap because I knew those were the websites I liked best. I was on a forum (DizzyCafe, etc.) and saw a lot of great examples there and started trying to make my sites like theirs until I ended up where I ended up… it’s weird to think about how it all started like 9 years ago, and how absolutely noob I was, haha! I wish wish wish I had access to like my first ever websites. They were ridiculous!
.-= gem´s last blog ..Kids say the funniest things =-.
[Reply]
I can’t wait for summer either. This winter has been wayyyy too cold for my liking, and I’m so ready for it to be over.
I was addicted to Farmville awhile back xD I was top of all my friends, but then when I reached the level where you no longer get new crops to harvest or anything, I stopped playing because it wasn’t as exciting xD I play now and again, but that’s only so I can get back my top spot
[Reply]
Thank you!
* Where did you first begin your web design and development life?
-Neopets too!! They had graphic sites there and that inspired me to make on too. I wasn’t really good at it and that was also about the time that I started to love graphic design.
* How did you get into blogging?
-When I got a subdomain. I found out that I actually enjoyed blogging.
* Where did you learn HTML/CSS?
-Neopets. ahaha.
[Reply]
hmm finally I got to read the blog post Q
Well, I still don’t consider myself a web developer and have no idea how/when I started programming, but I haven’t been a developer for long .. it all started sometime around 2004.
[Reply]