David Fiske Affiliate Marketing & Web Development

(This is a prerequisite article in preparation for the "quirky affiliate site" series.)

We all have to start somewhere and for me it was coding HTML using Microsoft FrontPage. Those days are long gone now as I tend to use HTML Kit to code PHP files. Back then, I never thought I would switch from WYSIWYG editors to text editors but alas, progression dictated that!

I used one book to learn PHP - PHP and MYSQL for Dummies. I like the Dummies range of books as they are simple to use as a reference encyclopaedia as well as a book. The book has mixed reviews on Amazon so I imagine it's like Marmite - you love it or you hate it. I love it - it suited my needs when I was learning.
 
The book also covers MySQL, which is handy.

As I progressed, I found (and still find) Tizag extremely handy for looking at structure (mainly MySQL query structure or PHP function structure).

For on-the-go questions about PHP and MySQL, I find all my answers via Google. Sometimes the answers aren't obvious but more often than not, I forget to think logically about a problem! PHP and MySQL is a very logical orientated set of languages - If you are a logical person and can think in a logical manor, you'll get on with this like peas and sweetcorn.

That's all you need to follow the tutorials that follow. A basic understanding of how PHP / MySQL works and an open mind. If you get stuck, search Google and you'll find the answers. Promise.