Do you create your own HTML codes?

I grab code all the time. I just make sure the person is cool with it. I don’t see why I should rewrite things if someone has published the code and doesn’t care if someone uses it.

Like JP said, there’s absolutely no shame in lifting code when you find something that accomplishes exactly what you want to do and the original author has released it. I only write new code when I have to.

I use LightWindow all the time. I would avoid blatantly stealing someones design unless they said it was alright. I have a site that actually uses the Depo-Clean wordpress theme as a template. The guy said he didn’t care when I asked him.

I write new code when I’m not very confident it will work in the situation I need it to work if I rip it from somewhere else.

It is good to audit things. I made a functions map on paper and stripped out an amazing amount of code that was never used. That was from Prototype and script.aculo.us. It made a huge difference in the page load time.

In college level design classes it is highly recommended NOT to lift code, however, I sure have from time to time, especially when I was first learning nesting lists or tables and when designing navigation…I needed rescuing! But, since using Dreamweave there is not as much need for it, but I am sure glad I learned html and css (wouldn’t call myself an expert), so I can edit code that Dreamweaver writes. Plus, there are many designer sites that actually supply code for the lifting, both in css and html.

Well, to me there’s a big difference between HTML and Javascript… for me there’s not a real gain in using someone else’s HTML code… with Javascript it’s a completely different thing: I use javascript frameworks and scripts like lightbox and such all of the time. There’s no real reason for “stealing” code, since you can usually find code that will fit your needs and that’s been published with an open source or creative commons license… of course, if you do use these, it’s probably a good and nice idea to give back and also publish some of your own work so others can use it

I code my own (x)html by hand, along with css. I try to keep my web designs 100% my code, but if it requires complex javascript or ajax I’ll find a free script to use.