In My Memory Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 Hello! I wanted to create a website to publically host all of my original essays and writings which until now have scattered all over USENET and forums all over the internet. However, I dont know what I'm doing, or even how to get started (and while this is just an experiment for me where I'm not sure how serious I plan to get, I'm not willing to pay anyone to build a website for me). I learned a little about computers by necessity, but after typing and some experience with MSExcel visual basic, I'm computer illiterate. Could you nerds help me out? And please, if you do, go very slow
Klaynos Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 Well firstly you will need some hosting space on the internet. There are many free hosts around, but most of them arn't very good you really need to find people with experiance of them. Also your ISP might provide you with some. After that you will need some actual website, there are many programs out there that will do this for you, even including MSword. But the source code that this creates if abismal. The best option, which is also the most time consumming is to learn xhtml and css (http://www.w3schools.com/ is an excellent resource for this). You could also use some form of content management system, which is a pre written piece of web software that allows you to manage articles very easily. But these require other things other than just a normal webserver (php and mysql normally) and because of this most free hosts wont support them.
In My Memory Posted January 27, 2006 Author Posted January 27, 2006 Klaynos, I can format with HTML and CSS, but I dont know anything about PHP or mySQL. You could also use some form of content management system, which is a pre written piece of web software that allows you to manage articles very easily. But these require other things other than just a normal webserver (php and mysql normally) and because of this most free hosts wont support them. How do I get those? And where would I go if I needed to download PHP and mySQL?
Klaynos Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 PHP is a programming language that requies a preprocessor (also called php) to be installed on the server where your website is. Mysql is a database management system that also needs to be installed on the server. Normally a host will either ofther them or not offer them. http://www.php.net/ http://dev.mysql.com/ I would not advise installing them on a windows machine for testing.
In My Memory Posted January 27, 2006 Author Posted January 27, 2006 Klaynos, PHP is a programming language that requies a preprocessor (also called php) to be installed on the server where your website is. Mysql is a database management system that also needs to be installed on the server. Normally a host will either ofther them or not offer them. I googled for hosts with the keywords "PHP" and "MySQL" in them, and I found this: Zovenet.com Hosting. It says it has 100mb of space (I think it would take me years of writing to fill up 100mb, so I'm happy with that), PHP, and mySQL, which you said should be enough to get me started. I have no idea if this host is any good, or reliable, but I'll experiment with it as soon as I figure out what to do next. Now I need one of these: You could also use some form of content management system, which is a pre written piece of web software that allows you to manage articles very easily. I want one that will make my site very pink and girly, but I've googled around for these and they all look like blogs and wikis (those are no good for the site I plan to make, they dont have enough features like categorizing and subcategorizing). What would you recommend? http://www.php.net/http://dev.mysql.com/ I would not advise installing them on a windows machine for testing. You wont have to worry about that, because I'm not even sure what that means
AL Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 Normally when you sign up for a webhost, they will give you very detailed, step-by-step instructions or FAQs on how to get a basic site started. Many of them have their own proprietary tools or free software downloads. This is the case with godaddy.com and 1and1.com (two hosts I've worked with not too long ago). In particular, 1and1.com will give you free copies of just about every type of software you'll need to run a site (for instance, they give you wise-ftp, netobjects fusion which is a visual page designer similar to dreamweaver, etc.). As far as making the site pink and girly, that's just a matter of skinning it properly. If you're going to go with a content management system, once you've found one with the features you like, you can take an existing skin from that system and alter it to make it pink and girly. Or if you don't want to design your own, most of the well-supported cm systems out there have community pages where users submit custom skins and you can just take one of theirs. The last cms I worked with was Mambo (which recently became Joomla), but of course, like webhosts, there are a zillion of them out there, so shop around.
badchad Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 As most have already stated, your ISP usually provides you with hosting space. I used Macromedia Dreamweaver to make my website. Very simple to use. Took a few days to learn but after that it was very simple. Of course, I had a very basic site.
Hamiltor Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 blogging software such as wordpress (wordpress.org) or blogger (blogger.com) may actually be of interest to you. I personally use wordpress as it came with my hosting service. These use php and mysql to run. Wordpress allows you to set up categories and sub categories through the administration side. It also can be modified to look any way you like, this can be done through altering the html if you know what you are doing but you can also find and download themes (pre designed layouts but other users) that can be installed on the site to change the entire look without needing to deal with any code.
bascule Posted January 27, 2006 Posted January 27, 2006 Have you considered just using a service like Blogger, LiveJournal, or Xanga? All of these have communities already established that can help get your writing attention from people with mutual interests. Plus, no software to install.
In My Memory Posted January 27, 2006 Author Posted January 27, 2006 Bascule, Have you considered just using a service like Blogger, LiveJournal, or Xanga[/url']? All of these have communities already established that can help get your writing attention from people with mutual interests. Plus, no software to install. Yes, but all of those are unbelievably unsophisticated bloggers for my uses. I made a decision between putting together an archive where I model cute skirts all day, or a small encyclopedia of animal rights and vegan philosophy, and I've decided on the latter. And the format I have in mind for my site is a little too overwhelming for Xangas and LiveJournals, because I intend for it to be an academic resource rather than an online diary. I had in mind something like this (that poorly drawn thing on the top was supposed to be a flower, but I think it was mauled by a lawnmower before I finished drawing it in Paint):
bascule Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 Well then, have you considered using Wikicities?
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 Wikicities, being a wiki host, means that anyone could edit her articles. Your best solution would be to get a free webhost and a simple content management system.
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 That site has some odd PHP restrictions (PHP-CGI) and I don't know if it would be good for a CMS.
timo Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 Wikicities, being a wiki host, means that anyone could edit her articles. Not nessecarily. The wiki I use (DokuWiki) has the option to set access restrictions for users.
1veedo Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 You could always host your own site. If you dont want Linux then find an old computer someware that isnt used very much. Install apache / php and foward port 80 to the computer. Then use dyndns to get a sub-domain like mybooringessays.blogdns.com
bascule Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 That site has some odd PHP restrictions (PHP-CGI) PHP+CGI+suexec is the only way to keep PHP secure on a multi-user host. Otherwise files that, say, have your database password will be readable by every PHP script on the system. And unlike Wikicities, you won't have a permanent history of edits to roll back to. Considering it's designed for low-load web pages, the performance penalty shouldn't be an issue.
tomgwyther Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 Have a look at fasthosts.co.uk Thats who i'm with, they'll fix you up with a domain name and on-line software that lets you create your own site very easily, with graphics, file downloads, guestbooks, e-mail, the lot. I'm with them and I can't fault them, I knew nothing about creating my own web site before I started; I got mine up and running in one evenings work. It cost me about 30 pounds ($42) per year and it's well worth it. My site is at http://www.redweaselmusic.co.uk if you want to check it out Tom
.:azurite:. Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 well if ur looking for a website designer, maybe i can help you out. i have made some designs so if ur interested pm me.
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted January 28, 2006 Posted January 28, 2006 PHP+CGI+suexec is the only way to keep PHP secure on a multi-user host. Otherwise files that' date=' say, have your database password will be readable by every PHP script on the system. And unlike Wikicities, you won't have a permanent history of edits to roll back to. Considering it's designed for low-load web pages, the performance penalty shouldn't be an issue.[/quote'] There's always safe mode.
In My Memory Posted February 1, 2006 Author Posted February 1, 2006 Update: I have a friend who just happens to be a professional website designer, and he created a very beautiful website for me. http://juliet.pfwh.net/index.php Its exactly what I'm wanted, and for now I'm just writing this post to shamelessly plug my site
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted February 1, 2006 Posted February 1, 2006 While I don't quite agree with your views (can't blame you for having them) I'll agree that it's a well-organized and nicely done website.
In My Memory Posted February 2, 2006 Author Posted February 2, 2006 Who drew that picture of you? It was an image I put together using Yahoo Avatars, I asked the web designer to use a larger version of that image and to make the background transparent. It actually resembles me quite well.
chucknews Posted February 2, 2006 Posted February 2, 2006 Open Source Web Design is pretty good, a lot of nice starter web site templates - I used it to build my own Science Site The Planets Chuck
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