Where to Start

[RustyNailgun]

I have been on this site for a week or so now, mostly attempting challenges, just reading, and absorbing. In the meantime, I have completed the w3schools JS, SQL, HTML, and XHTML tutorials. (I had limited prior experience in HTML and CSS). The problem is, I cannot really find a good starting place after this - other than more languages - and HTS seems to encourage external research rather than containing instructional posts on the site itself. As such, I don't really know what to work on. What topics should I start out with? Also, are there any specific websites that are good, or does each topic just need to be searched on google until a suitable explanation is found?

[pretentious]

Hacking is a broad topic. Find something that interests you and research it. I would suggest using Google mostly because from my experience, no single website will give you everything you need to know. Hope my 2 sentiences antiquity answered you question.

[RustyNailgun]

Sounds good, thanks. Only other thing I'd like to know, then, are what the major subtopics to choose from are. I'm guessing those include cryptography, firewalls, and viruses (/programming)?

[tgoe]

I don't have that answer, but I think I can describe it: Hacking isn't a skill set. "Hacking" is a mindset. And this:

http://matt.might.net/articles/phd-school-in-pictures/

You've already started learning, simply don't stop

[LoGiCaL__]

"Hacking" is a mindset

Agreed.

Now a days the term "hacking/hacker" gets thrown around pretty loosely. I think it's a combination of the generation and media influences. It doesn't always mean doing what you see in the movies or hear in the news recently. Honestly, if they made a true to life movie about hacking, most people either wouldn't understand it or walk out.

My advice to the OP. Just start learning either development and/or networking. Then branch out from there. Like pretentious said, find what interests you. Try creating a site, it could just be located on the local host. Set up a database, create a login etc.... There are plenty of programming problems on the web which aren't language specific. Do the challenges here at HTS. When you don't know what to do, learn the new technology that is presented to you.