View Full Version : Advice on building a website
bbennett
12-15-2009, 08:45 AM
I'm going to attempt to build my first website ever. I'm not sure where to begin but I know I'll need an HTML editor. Could any of you point me in the direction of a good editor or software that may be able to take me through the process step by step? Preferably for free?
IntrepidXJ
12-15-2009, 09:40 AM
I've built a number of websites in the past and used to code them all by hand. These days I like to use a CMS (content management system) as it makes it easier to maintain and update the site. I've had good luck with Wordpress...it's easy to use and it's free.
Sombeech
12-15-2009, 09:45 AM
Ditto with Wordpress. Just set a static page for your home page.
CarpeyBiggs
12-15-2009, 09:55 AM
wordpress :five:
You might like Yola.com. It's free too and offer lots of good themes.
trackrunner
12-15-2009, 12:08 PM
You might like Yola.com. It's free too and offer lots of good themes.
C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER
theking648
12-15-2009, 12:50 PM
I've built a number of websites in the past and used to code them all by hand. These days I like to use a CMS (content management system) as it makes it easier to maintain and update the site. I've had good luck with Wordpress...it's easy to use and it's free.
ditto,
if your going for a blog use wordpress. for other styles my vote is joomla. and my favorite forum setup is SMF
but just because you use wordpress and themes, it's still helpful to still learn html and css.
if your building a website to learn html.. then don't use a CMS. learn html until you know it by heart then throw in some CSS, then start working on php and mysql. if you make it that far then you're all set to customize any wordpress theme to your liking.
bbennett
12-15-2009, 01:06 PM
I've built a number of websites in the past and used to code them all by hand. These days I like to use a CMS (content management system) as it makes it easier to maintain and update the site. I've had good luck with Wordpress...it's easy to use and it's free.
ditto,
if your going for a blog use wordpress. for other styles my vote is joomla. and my favorite forum setup is SMF
but just because you use wordpress and themes, it's still helpful to still learn html and css.
if your building a website to learn html.. then don't use a CMS. learn html until you know it by heart then throw in some CSS, then start working on php and mysql. if you make it that far then you're all set to customize any wordpress theme to your liking.
I'm not going for a blog or forum use. This will be more of a business website. Is wordpress still good for this type of use?
Iceaxe
12-15-2009, 02:45 PM
Someone asked me a similar question in an email a while back and this is what I told them.... maybe some of it will be of use to you.....
I built Climb-Utah.com from scratch. I use Microsoft FrontPage for my software. When I started (1998) I was told FrontPage or Dreamweaver was the way to go. I was given a copy of FrontPage (mine is Frontpage98) so I went with that. I've never upgraded. I use FrontPage to help with the HTML coding and maintaining links, I usually clean up the pages by hand before uploading.. I don't use FrontPage to manage my website, I do that by hand. I use a program called CORE FTP Lite for my FTP stuff. With FrontPage I don't use any of the extensions. I only use the program to initially type up and arrange my webpage. If I were starting from scratch today I'd certainly check out what the new hot item is. But the way things are now I have templates for everything and just cut and paste the new information into the page and that is really fast.
The best advice I can give.... Find a website you like who's format and layout is similar to what you need and want and than copy it. This doesn't mean you have to copy color schemes and such... just the general layout, navigation, and that type of stuff. With a new website it is setting up the general layout and navigation that will cause you headaches. Flow chart your website before you start typing. By finding a model you like it will already have the kinks worked out or you can look at the site and see how that webmaster solved certain problems when they arise.
Don't try to be an everything to every body site. Pick a niche and be the best at it. The web reaches so many people your niche will work unless your try to take on too much.
Don't try to run your own forum from the website. I did that for a while and it's a pain in the butt. All your time will go to the forum and you spend most of it refereeing problems between members and working on technical glitches. I partnered with Bogley and use that as my forum. It works great for both of us. Bogley gets a knowledgeable and dependable moderator and I get a forum to post TR's and pretty pictures in. I get to use the forum to drum up membership. With my Bogley deal I get the benefits of a forum and none of the headaches. And the cross posting creates a lot of traffic for both...
One other word of advise..... keep things simple, it helps a lot as new browsers and phone apps come on-line. Every time I try something fancy it doesn't work somewhere do the road.
Good luck
:2thumbs:
theking648
12-15-2009, 03:04 PM
I've built a number of websites in the past and used to code them all by hand. These days I like to use a CMS (content management system) as it makes it easier to maintain and update the site. I've had good luck with Wordpress...it's easy to use and it's free.
ditto,
if your going for a blog use wordpress. for other styles my vote is joomla. and my favorite forum setup is SMF
but just because you use wordpress and themes, it's still helpful to still learn html and css.
if your building a website to learn html.. then don't use a CMS. learn html until you know it by heart then throw in some CSS, then start working on php and mysql. if you make it that far then you're all set to customize any wordpress theme to your liking.
I'm not going for a blog or forum use. This will be more of a business website. Is wordpress still good for this type of use?
are you selling anything or is it more like a information about the company type site?
i would vote joomla then, it's got a bit of a learning curve to it. once you get the dynamics of how it works then it's easier to understand. (also uses templates)
here is a site that i manage http://www.wildsurvive.com
it runs joomla in blog format on the front page but interlinks the forum to it.
this is also joomla on my other website http://www.alpinecave.com/shop
i installed it a while back, i was testing some components that i wanted to use.
if you want i can make a user so you can login on the back end and play around
also, do you have the name yet?
bbennett
12-15-2009, 03:21 PM
Ice and the King; Thank you so much! That's exactly the type of info that I was looking for. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help.
I'm purely in the research phase right now. The site's just going to be info about the company and maybe some service coupons. I don't have the name yet. Do I need a web hosting service for that?
theking648
12-15-2009, 03:31 PM
Ice and the King; Thank you so much! That's exactly the type of info that I was looking for. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help.
I'm purely in the research phase right now. The site's just going to be info about the company and maybe some service coupons. I don't have the name yet. Do I need a web hosting service for that?
joomla is probably best then, you can just write a post and select what page you want it displayed.
for domains they usally cost 10 bucks a year, and for that small of a set up then a free hosting account will do just do fine. I use www.freehostia.com but the problem for free users at freehostia is a contact form won't work because smtp is disabled.
I create all the static pages on richardbarron.net using Adobe GoLive, because I had it at the time I started the site. I have DreamWeaver now, since I upgraded my Adobe line, but I'm too busy (or lazy) to learn the new software. GoLive is a pretty straightforward WYSIWYG page editor.
My blogs are all WordPress blogs, which is one of the installs available from my webspace provider, ipower.com. I like WordPress a lot for blogging, which I do every day.
My commercial photography site is an installed app called ZenPhoto. I don't use it a lot, but it seems pretty capable.
http://richardbarron.net/
http://richardbarron.net/blogs/
http://richardbarron.net/zenphoto/
-Richard
accadacca
12-16-2009, 08:13 AM
I could write a book about this stuff because I do it for a living and manage a web team. The others on this thread have you headed in the right direction. I like www.bluehost.com or www.1and1.com for hosting.
bbennett
12-16-2009, 05:53 PM
I could write a book about this stuff because I do it for a living and manage a web team. The others on this thread have you headed in the right direction. I like www.bluehost.com or www.1and1.com for hosting.
Sweet. Thanks!
stefan
12-26-2009, 04:00 PM
i've never used any web development software, but you can save yourself considerable time, effort, and worries by using this type of software as many have mentioned in this thread and just focus on the content.
i personally enjoy writing all the xhtml/css/php code by hand and the resources available on the web are extensive enough to teach yourself. if you're into that sort of thing it's certainly worth pursuing.
i suppose you could even use the web development software to generate webpages as you like them and then, as a way of learning, you could look at the code to see exactly what code the software is writing to generate what you see.
tanya
12-26-2009, 04:19 PM
I use Dreamweaver which is popular, but expensive. If you are going to do a few sites then that or Frontpage are good ones to use.
I use Yahoo as my host because I figure they will not go out of business like others have on me that we cheap.... and I like having my email and hosting all in one easy place. They are really easy to work with too.
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/
To start .. pick a template rather than doing it yourself, or it will probably not look very business like.
Template ideas.. use a simple HTML one that you won't have problems with. If using Dreamweaver use one that is compatible. It makes it far easier to deal with. Also make sure it will stretch to fit all the various large and small screen sizes out there today.
http://www.dreamweaver-templates.net/css-web-templates-2.htm
Cirrus2000
12-26-2009, 04:39 PM
I run the website for the BC Mountaineering Club, and use Dreamweaver almost exclusively. I do a lot of dynamic stuff using databases, but I don't use the automated connections & things in Dreamweaver - I do a lot of hand coding for that stuff.
I like going with local hosting stuff. For the BCMC, I use a Vancouver company (ehosting.ca (http://www.ehosting.ca)) with reasonable rates. I also use a company in Seattle for my own personal sites - Parcom (parcom.net (http://www.parcom.net)). Nice service and reasonable rates. Somewhere between bulk and boutique.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.