Thank you for that, Dean. I'm especially pleased to hear that I've been of help to you, seeing how much you now give back to the community. And that is indeed the way it ought to be. I was motivated to get into user groups because I learned so much from them, starting in the early 80's in my mainframe career--yes, we had user groups back then, and mailing lists, and even electricity. :-) Seriously, though, that cycle of learning and giving back has been so valuable.
As to Jeremy's suggestion in his earlier note regarding SQL books, I would have to counter that Joe Celko's books are definitely more for those who have achieved not just the basics but really is ready to go well beyond that. Certainly great stuff, but like recommending the Gang of Four book as someone's first foray in to Design Patterns (Head First would be a better choice there). Instead, I'd recommend Ben Forta's "Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes". If you read the spotlight review at Amazon, mine from 2000, you'll see why I like it so much, and it's in its 3rd edition now. Otherwise, Jeremy makes fine points, as confirmed and added to by Dean and Rick. As for books, you mentioned Ben's CFWACK and it's indeed a classic. You can find discounted copies of that, and The CFMX Bible (done by the Churvises, Hal Helms, and myself), and many other good CF books (like the Oreilly one) online. And don't forget the free manuals that come with CF, and more than just the "reference". There's a real "user guide" to CF, CFML, coding, and more, that's several hundred pages long. You can get it in print and read it online in HTML and PDF. In CFMX 7 the manual's called the "ColdFusion MX Developer's Guide", and in 6.1 "Developing ColdFusion MX Applications" (and something yet again in CF5). It and all the docs are available online in PDF and HTML form (and can even be purchased in print) at http://www.adobe.com/support/documentation/en/coldfusion/documentation.html Don't forget, as well, the example apps that come with CF (an option on installation). They're not paragons of good design, but as has been conveyed in this thread, there's learning to get started, and then there's learning to advance. CF7 in particular has an especially nice flash-based interface to help with its getting started resources. Finally, though it may be old, there was a CD produced by Allaire called the SkillBuilder. I would bet you could find it. There's a more recent version of something similar, a video that does cover CFMX, at: http://www.learnwebdevelopment.com/intro_to_coldfusion_mx.html I've not used either of them but the price for the latter is right to fit in your budget. /charlie -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dean H. Saxe Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 4:45 PM To: discussion@acfug.org Subject: RE: [ACFUG Discuss] Learning Cold Fusion I'm with Jeremy on this. I'm a book learner, read a book, implement, read more, implement more. I'm a self-taught programmer, unless you consider taking Pascal in college in 1990 part of my career (I don't). Classes are helpful, but they are expensive. Most classes I see on any technical area of expertise are in the neighborhood of $750 - $1000/8 hour day. That having been said, the best addition to books and trying new things has always been having a mentor to work with. Someone who knows XYZ technology just a bit better than you so you can learn from his or her experience. My first boss, Eric Palmer, was that person for me WRT DB design and SQL. My next boss helped me really get my feet wet with OO and Java. WRT application security, I was on my own for a while but eventually found some people who have helped me grow in that space as well. I've also learned a lot from people in ACFUG over the years too. Cameron Childress, Jeremy Allen (who I'm happy to work with now), Charlie Arehart, Shawn Gorrell and others have all been great resources over the years. Good luck Rick! -dhs On June 17, 2006, Rick Lansford wrote: > I took a class, but looking back, it would have been just as easy to > learn on my own. However, I am not in the league with the others on > this list (I still pretty much use a basic to mid-level programming > technique). So if your goal is to get to their level I think it would > take some formal training. Just to let you know, you can do a lot (and > I mean a lot) just knowing the basic aspects of CF and having a pretty > fair understanding of SQL and DB design. > > Rick > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Robert Reil > Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 2:25 PM > To: discussion@acfug.org > Subject: [ACFUG Discuss] Learning Cold Fusion > > > Here's an easy one! > > > > Whats the easiest cost effective way to learn how to get up and > rolling in CF? > > Budget a couple hundred. > > I have servers, and software. Should I take a class, a web school, > or use Forta's Web App Construction site? > > > > Opinions and links welcome... > > > > Robert P. Reil > > Managing Director, > > Motorcyclecarbs.com, Inc. > > 4292 Country Garden Walk NW > > Kennesaw, Ga. 30152 > > Office 770-974-8851 > > Fax 770-974-8852 > > www.motorcyclecarbs.com > > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from this list, manage your profile @ > http://www.acfug.org?fa=login.edituserform > > For more info, see http://www.acfug.org/mailinglists > Archive @ http://www.mail-archive.com/discussion%40acfug.org/ > List hosted by FusionLink > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from this list, manage your profile @ > http://www.acfug.org?fa=login.edituserform > > For more info, see http://www.acfug.org/mailinglists Archive @ > http://www.mail-archive.com/discussion%40acfug.org/ > List hosted by http://www.fusionlink.com > ------------------------------------------------------------- Dean H. Saxe [EMAIL PROTECTED] "What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy? " -Gandhi ------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this list, manage your profile @ http://www.acfug.org?fa=gin.edituserform For more info, see http://www.acfug.org/mailinglists Archive @ http://www.mail-archive.com/discussion%40acfug.org/ List hosted by http://www.fusionlink.com ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this list, manage your profile @ http://www.acfug.org?fa=login.edituserform For more info, see http://www.acfug.org/mailinglists Archive @ http://www.mail-archive.com/discussion%40acfug.org/ List hosted by http://www.fusionlink.com -------------------------------------------------------------