I\'m a regular user here, but linking my screen name to my real identity is dirt

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I'm a regular user here, but linking my screen name to my real identity is dirt simple, and the question I'm about to ask would lead to a very unpleasant conversation with my current employer were they to see it. So, my apologies for this sock-puppet account; I promise Socky and I won't be voting on each other's stuff, and Socky won't be doing much of anything other than voting on answers to his own questions.

I may have an opportunity to work with somebody I've worked with in the past. Short, extremely understated summary: It went well. This time he's looking to bring me on as a partner to a fledgling web venture. My job title isn't defined, but I'd basically be "the guy" in terms of the tech side of the company. One of the first things I'd be doing is fleshing out the current and future requirements of the site and determining the best way to meet them -- overhaul the existing site? Scrap the existing site entirely and replace it with something like Drupal? I'd also be tasked with making sure that the site is not only a pleasant user experience, but that it looks and feels like a modern, professional website.

One problem: I'm not qualified.

At least, not yet.

I wasn't really qualified for the last time we worked together, but I taught myself what I needed to know and ... like I said. It Went Well. However, I was a lower-level code wrangler that time around, and a lot of key decisions had already been made. I had more room for error and time to learn as I was going.

This outing, not so much. It's been a long damn time since I was completely up-to-date on web programming; my current gig has a healthy dash of web stuff, but the web interface isn't the main business and it's built on old technology. (Technology it honestly doesn't use particularly well.) I just don't spend a lot of time playing with new tech when I'm not at work; I generally spend that time on hobbies and passions I don't get paid to do.

But I want this to happen. And I want to do it right. So my question is: what resources would you recommend I use to both get myself up-to-date and stay up-to-date on professional-caliber web programming?

I know I need to beef-up my jQuery-fu; I've been exposed to it a little, and holy crap does it make hard jobs easy. I also know I need to acquaint myself with Drupal and other content management systems so that I can accurately gauge whether using one as the foundation for the site would be a good idea or a waste of time. But I'm certain there are other technologies out there that would help me do that job that I don't yet know anything about. What are some good resources for helping me figure out what I don't know?

Websites, magazines, podcasts, whatever. I need to figure out how to get back into the game properly.

This is scary as hell, but it also feels like it could be a huge step forward in my career. (Assuming it's not a step into a pool filled with laser sharks.) My thanks in advance for any assistance anybody can offer in curing my ignorance.

Explanation / Answer

There is so much going on in web technology nowadays you can not possibly be up to speed with everything.

It is literally not possible for a single individual to know everything at the cutting edge of web development: HTML5, CSS3, the latest jQuery, pubsubhubbub, Node.js, Google APIs, Yahoo YUI stuff,whichever MVC framework you like, whichever javascript framework you like... are all in a constant state of rapid flux.

Repeat after me: You can not know it all.

Now, breath a sigh of relief, and learn the stuff you need to for the new project. You have done it before and you will do it again.

The secret is not in the knowing but the learning. To do that, read the web, listen to relevant podcasts, and start building prototypes. There is no better way to learn than starting the doing.

Aside: I personally don't generally bother with books. Web technology moves so fast now that by the time anything gets to print it will probably be, to some extent, out of date.

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