Here's my thoughts…

I got some great advice on my previous post on the micro∙blog Timeline about what git is and why I should use it. I did a cursory look at the beginner tutorial on Atlassian, What is Version Control, and already my eyes began to glaze over before the introduction video ended, and loads of question marks rolling around in my head…

At least I know what to expect from git, a world of pain trying to learn how to use it. I should expect nothing less.

In the meanwhile I continued the Udemy step-by-step course, which I had paid for (so I should get through it anyway, for money's sake). The whole tutorial so far hasn't been pain-free either. Ah, those headaches from things not conforming to one's expectations. You gotta love those!

I gave the course a 2 out of 5 stars, mainly because not knowing html and css, probably also means not knowing the command line and github.

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It seems so natural for programmer types to assume that everyone understands github and git. Unfortunately, I do not. I have some vague ideas on how git works, with versions and such, but no idea about all the lingo used (commit, clone, branch, etc.). It isn't explained in the Udemy tutorial, nor does the presenter point to some place to learn more.

Anyway, why would I need version control for a static website? I don't see the point. It's static, not changing. Or has static another meaning I'm not aware of? I should be able to upload the files to a directory on a server I rent, shouldn't I?

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More and more I realize that Build a Static Website step by step is just that, a cookbook recipe. It doesn't explain anything from principles, like a course would. Still, it's showing that you can build a Hugo website with little effort.

On the official Hugo website I found another Hugo Beginner Tutorial, which I will do next, after the Udemy course.

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The tutor of Build a Static Website step by step did a terrible job explaining Hugo's directory structure. I got to figure it out for myself on the Hugo website. Yes, that makes more sense now!

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At some point, my head started to hurt. Sanjeev is building a resume page, using a theme called “Resume”. However, I don't have any interest in such a page, nor do I have any skills or education to share to the world. I do have a presence on social media, microblog, a github profile, and an email address, but other than that nothing worth mentioning, aside from the fact I don't seek employment.

My education is so old, it is no longer of any value in the modern world. The most modern computer at that time I had access to was the Apple II. The World Wide Web was more than 10 years away from being implemented. So, I'm somewhat uneducated, other than that I can read and write, and do arithmetic. I know that doesn't apply to every adult, but I suppose most employers assume whomever puts a resume online has these basic skills, which need no mention.

Anyway, this stark contrast between my situation and that of the tutor resulted in a splitting headache, and a lot of anxiety wether or not I'll be able to create a look for my website on micro∙blog I'm somewhat happy with. The tutor's technical knowledge was rather intimidating, to say the least. I suppose this is to be expected with such a technical subject as website development.

I guess, after I've completed the course, I will peruse the Hugo themes page to find something more suitable than a tech resume. I suppose only after I'm confident implementing ready-made themes I can try and make my own.

I already knew from Mike Dane's YouTube tutorial that Hugo is a templating language, meaning you write generic text documents with (Hugo) commands and variable fields. I have a suspicion that this Udemy course doesn't touch this subject, and I have to plough through the official Hugo documentation, and/or use the other resources mentioned in the forum post.

We will see what the future brings.

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The Udemy course I was suggested to try is Build a Static Website step by step, by Sanjeev Jaiswal. As you may guess from the name, the tutor has an Indian English accent and takes some adjustment to understand. After a brief introduction, he creates a minimal static website using Hugo, takes it online, and then checks if you understood what you've done.

Sanjeev uses a Mac, and the Atom editor. Alas, both are not within my budget. I use a Raspberry Pi-400 homecomputer, and Atom seems not yet available for that system. Instead I'll be using Visual Studio Code, a free development platform by Microsoft.

You might think it's so short, just watch the videos, and be done with it. However, I know from experience that Hugo isn't easy to understand. It's important to take your time, and realize that becoming proficient with a technlogy like Hugo takes years.

So, here's hoping my second attempt fares better. My first attempt with YouTube videos by Mike Dane slowed down to a grinding halt. He too was working with an Apple Macintosh computer, and after a slow introduction went off the rails for me. No one is to blame. His teaching style simply didn't coincide with my learning abilities. It happens.

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I asked a question in the micro∙blog help forum how I can get started customizing a website powered by micro∙blog. I got some anwsers, but it was clear to me that this will be a long enough journey to keep a journal.

So, here is the first post. 👨‍💻

I tried to find a down-to-earth personal running blog, that wasn't

• trying to sell me something at first visit
• full of listacles based on Google Search wisdom
• mostly not about running
• a cracked websites or domain for sale

I got so depressed I stopped looking 🏃‍♂️📝🟰😞

I suppose most are on Facebook now, or worse, stopped blogging.

A running blog I followed, has turned off comments, inserted ads, and now writes generically about his hobby. I have no problems with turning off comments, but the rest just puts me off. That's an unsubscribe for that blog, one of many who thought there's still money in blogs.

Preparing in summer for a marathon in winter certainly isn't optimal. Training in the heat is tough, and to make things worse, the climate seems to be warming up. So I'm adjusting, trying to get used to warm weather, wearing an ice vest on the worst days 🏃