I tried learning HTML, XHTML, and currently CSS... However I REALLY suck at understanding it but I really want to make my own site. If someone could help guide me through how to design my pages using CSS that would be really helpful.

Well it will be hard for start. It was hard for me. The only thing you need to do is watch tutorials on blogs that will guide you and try to make a website yourself.
Dont try making it GREAT try to keep it simple . Then try to make a second one... After some webdesigns you will see that you have learned a lot of things

You'll need to know HTML to use CSS effectively. For example:

CSS:

.ThisIsAClass {background:red;}

won't do anything if you don't have a <div class="ThisIsAClass">Content</div>.

Check here:

http://w3schools.com/css/default.asp

They have nearly everything ... XHTML/CSS/jQuery...

Have a look at this tutorial for some good basics:

http://www.isitebuild.com/css/css-layout.html

I'd also recommend downloading the latest version of Opera as this has a great feature called "Opera Dragonfly" that lets you inspect the HTML and CSS of a given site, and you can click on areas and see their HTML and CSS code. Pretty useful

Even better.. download Firebug for Firefox AND Web Developer toolbar for FF -- it's just about ALL you need and you do NOT need Opera -- which is OK, but few people use it.

Originally Posted by LadynRed

Even better.. download Firebug for Firefox AND Web Developer toolbar for FF -- it's just about ALL you need and you do NOT need Opera -- which is OK, but few people use it.

Opera is more compliant than Firefox according to the Acid Test. It's also faster and more lightweight, Firefox is old, clunky and slow. Plus there's no need for a toolbar to slow everything down, with Opera, it's built right in

First of all, it's not a 'toolbar' in the manner of the stupid Yahoo toolbar or other garbage. You don't even have to load the toolbar, but the features are still available and as far as I'm concerned, it slows down nothing. FF is far from 'old and slow'.

The sad fact is, as good as Opera is, it's user base is extremely low.

W3school can provide you a good and helpful tips, tutorials in terms of CSS. It's really a good help for beginners.

Originally Posted by LadynRed

First of all, it's not a 'toolbar' in the manner of the stupid Yahoo toolbar or other garbage. You don't even have to load the toolbar, but the features are still available and as far as I'm concerned, it slows down nothing. FF is far from 'old and slow'.

The sad fact is, as good as Opera is, it's user base is extremely low.

Firefox 3.6 is a hefty 56mb compared to Opera's streamlined 34mb. Opera loads faster and renders pages quicker and it's 100% standards unlike Firefox which is a shameful 94% standards compliant.

If you're designing standards compliant websites it shouldn't really matter which browser you're using. Opera and WebKit based browsers like Chrome and Safari are light years ahead of Firefox, which was great in it's day, but is someway behind the competition, sadly. I guess it's personal preference, but I like to develop compliant pages and then mess around with fixes for non-compliant browsers like FF and IE.

I also think Opera's built in development tools are superior to any of the add ons I've used with the old and slow Firefox.

It is a real shame that Opera isn't more widespread.

Hey Celtic, try doing css stuffs on your own page.. go to w3schools etc...there are lots of css wonders you can see around the web. learn how to use properly IDs and classes, html tags for your styles etc...goodluck!

shameful 94% standards compliant

Sorry, but I wouldn't call 94% "shameful", especially when you compare that to a TRULY shameful browser - IE!
I write only standards-compliant code and have for many years and I never have to 'fix' anything for FF - forget IE, that is still a p.i.t.a!

I would say that the biggest learning point for me regarding CSS was to install Firebug add-on for Firefox. It helps you tremendously to find out where the correct attributes can be found. Then it's all about testing.