Making a website.

cas398

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Hi everyone.

I currently have a website with freewebs (webs.com) but I don't like their new site designer tool thing. I basically can't get some stuff done and it's pretty slow - for me atleast. I can't get much done on it recently because it's annoying the heck out of me.

It's in my sig if you need an idea of what I'm using it for.

I'm looking for advice to set up a new website. I've never paid for one before and I don't mid paying for it as long as it's not too expensive. It's to be pretty much the same as what I have now. I don't mind typing everything out again.

I don't know where to start so advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

p.s. I had a look for a suitable scetion to post this but couldn't find one so sorry if it's in the worng place.
 
Hey Cas.

It's quite easy to set up your own website else where and there are plenty of free templates to download from the web to get a "more professional" look to the site.

For what you're doing I wouldn't really look at paying for a site, well if you do only a few quid because you don't need anything too advanced.

Depending on your comfort level with html you could edit the pages yourself once they're done, if you dont like the idea of that you could use PHP so that you can edit a simple notepad .txt file to put in extra parts such as your media collection etc.

Either way you wont have to re-type everything out as you can just copy paste all the details quite easily.


I'd avoid the use of animated gif's and a site counter, keeps it looking cleaner without.


Do you have much html knowledge or any programs such as dreamweaver yourself?
 
Hey Cas.

Do you have much html knowledge or any programs such as dreamweaver yourself?

Cheers. I don't know anything about programs like Dreamweaver. I can create a basic web page using html, but that's about it. I'm sure I could google and learn how to use other html commands if that's the way it has to be done.

I was hoping to use something similar to freewebs, not html based, just something that allows you to add new content at the click of a button.

I'm trying to get more product reviews done and allow comments on the reviews. Adding a comments bit is something I wouldn't know how to do.
 
Hi,

Your best bet may be to use something like

https://www.blogger.com/start

You can write your reviews etc as blog articles and people can comment.

Now I am a web developer, and I could offer you advice about coding and designing your own database. But unless that's a direction you want to head in, there's no need.
 
Hi,

Your best bet may be to use something like

https://www.blogger.com/start

You can write your reviews etc as blog articles and people can comment.

Now I am a web developer, and I could offer you advice about coding and designing your own database. But unless that's a direction you want to head in, there's no need.

Thanks for that. I don't suppose you know of any Bloger websites, similar to mine that I can look at as an example?

Also can you upload files like PDFs as well?

I thought those kind of sites where mainly for adding blog entries. Would I be able to set up a Media Collection page like I have at the moment quite easily?
 
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Thanks for that. I don't suppose you know of any Bloger websites, similar to mine that I can look at as an example?

I thought those kind of sites where mainly for adding blog entries. Would I be able to set up a Media Collection page like I have at the moment quite easily?

Newspaperproject.org

You'll get control over the right hand nav menu.

Which means when you create an article containing a list of your media collection, you will be given a url like

http://www.thisismyblog.com/index.html?viewpost=45

You can put that in your menu for a direct link to that post, etc..

People could potentially comment on any page you put up, though i wouldn't be suprised if you can disable commenting.

You can also upload photos which you can attach to your articles
 
Newspaperproject.org

You'll get control over the right hand nav menu.

Which means when you create an article containing a list of your media collection, you will be given a url like

http://www.thisismyblog.com/index.html?viewpost=45

You can put that in your menu for a direct link to that post, etc..

People could potentially comment on any page you put up, though i wouldn't be suprised if you can disable commenting.

You can also upload photos which you can attach to your articles

Oh I see is that first link one? It looks pretty complicated - hard to find different pages.

I was hoping to have it similar to the way it's set out now.
 
Oh I see is that first link one? It looks pretty complicated - hard to find different pages.

I was hoping to have it similar to the way it's set out now.

It was the first link I came across

I HEART HOLLAND

in the top bar click 'next blog' and you can cycle through the designs.

But generally I think the menu is on the right... it will also update automatically, displaying articles by month etc..

You could create all your current pages as articles, and then create links to them from the menu.

The more control you want over a site, the more you'll need to know about coding your own.
 
It was the first link I came across

I HEART HOLLAND

in the top bar click 'next blog' and you can cycle through the designs.

But generally I think the menu is on the right... it will also update automatically, displaying articles by month etc..

You could create all your current pages as articles, and then create links to them from the menu.

The more control you want over a site, the more you'll need to know about coding your own.

Cheers. I suppose I could give it a go and see how it turns out.

Is there anything similar to freewebs I can use? I thought it would be possible to use something like that and choose a pre-made template like I do now, or is Blogger just generally better than that sort of thing (or better for me)?
 
Most of the sites like freewebs which offer simple site builders etc have vanished over the past few years because of free blogging sites, most people only require the need to blog, anyone else wanting more will usually just buy a bit of space and throw up a site on there because it's so cheap these days, also avoids all the adverts etc.

Some pay hosting sites offer site builders still I believe.
 
Cheers. I suppose I could give it a go and see how it turns out.

Is there anything similar to freewebs I can use? I thought it would be possible to use something like that and choose a pre-made template like I do now, or is Blogger just generally better than that sort of thing (or better for me)?

The requirement of a comments sections of the site, was a limiting factor when it comes to prebuilt solutions. Which is why a blog site fits, and you could work around it.

But as mentioned above, Google sites at first glance looks quite powerful. They may offer a similar solution, with more flexibility over design.
 
Sign up for a google email then you can make a blog on blogger, free website on google sites/wiki and 1024 MB picasa pictures storage. :smashin:

Blogger and google sites are very easy to use no web experience needed.

https://www.blogger.com/start
Google Sites
Picasa Web Albums Features

Cheers. I have a google account so I started making a site on blogger. It's not ideal for what I'm looking for but it seems alright so far.

I'll check out the google one next :thumbsup:
 
Who is your ISP cas?

A lot of ISPs offer you totally free webspace, where you can upload files and create your own website, entirely free of restrictions, adverts and pop-ups.

If you go down that route, you can then use offline HTML Editing software to create something really nice.

Have a look around the net at different websites - you can even rob a lot of the required code from most sites by right-clicking > view source and copying from there.
 
Who is your ISP cas?

A lot of ISPs offer you totally free webspace, where you can upload files and create your own website, entirely free of restrictions, adverts and pop-ups.

If you go down that route, you can then use offline HTML Editing software to create something really nice.

Have a look around the net at different websites - you can even rob a lot of the required code from most sites by right-clicking > view source and copying from there.

Vrigin. I don't know how to find out if I got free webspace (other than phoning them), but if I do that's another option I might try, cheers.
 
Vrigin. I don't know how to find out if I got free webspace (other than phoning them), but if I do that's another option I might try, cheers.

If you are set on having users comment on your reviews, then you'll need a prebuilt solution like a blog OR you will need to manage a database to store the user comments and learn a programming language interact with the data.

I doubt the ISP free webspace will provide a solution to be able to do this.
 
So far I've got this. I was hoping I could get some opinion son it before I continue. Just to see if the general format is easy enough to follow.

I'd like to be able to keep the first page 'blog free' and just have them archived but I don't know if that's possible.

Cas's Virtual Home

Thanks again for everyones help. I hit a brick wall with freewebs so it feels good to get going again.

If you are set on having users comment on your reviews, then you'll need a prebuilt solution like a blog OR you will need to manage a database to store the user comments and learn a programming language interact with the data.

I doubt the ISP free webspace will provide a solution to be able to do this.

Cheers. Yeah I would like it because the reviews are the main reason for me doing it, other than documenting my own media collection etc.

I can see why the blog option is so popular.
 
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Vrigin. I don't know how to find out if I got free webspace (other than phoning them), but if I do that's another option I might try, cheers.

I used to be a Virgin customer (well, Telewest) and their Webspace was fast and reliable as hell. You could also access fairly good stats on who was visiting your site and looking at what page, etc.

A quick search tells me you get 55Mb of free space with them:

Webspace - Customers Zone - Virgin Media

If you get things set-up properly, you can upload/delete etc as simply as using Windows File Manager.

I used to use MS Office's "Frontpage" as an HTML Editor, but they stopped making/supporting it I believe. With that, you could create websites as easily as making nicely formatted MS Word documents. You may still be able to find a copy of that software somewhere on the net.

A tip to keep the webspace as clear as possible: use an image upload site elsewhere to store images, especially large files. Photobucket.com is a good one. Same with videos, etc.

Also, you can buy a domain name for pretty cheap if you shop around. Otherwise, you'd be left with a pretty ugly web address. There a re a few free domain name suppliers too, such as: Free URL Redirection, No Ads! Short Free Domain Name (you.co.nr)
 
So far I've got this. I was hoping I could get some opinion son it before I continue. Just to see if the general format is easy enough to follow.

http://cas398.blogspot.com/

As time goes on, this page will be lost to the archives, meaning people will have to search to find it.

Cas's Virtual Home: Media Collection

This is the URL generated for that page. You should use that link to create a permanent short cut in your menu - if that is what you want to do.

I think you'll get results quickly this way.
 
Cas's Virtual Home

As time goes on, this page will be lost to the archives, meaning people will have to search to find it.

Cas's Virtual Home: Media Collection

This is the URL generated for that page. You should use that link to create a permanent short cut in your menu - if that is what you want to do.

I think you'll get results quickly this way.

I see what you mean, cheers. I'll give that a go.
 
looking good so far cas398 - you though about adding a personal banner / logo at the top?

here is my blog, not av related & not much on it at the moment :thumbsdow
Metal Detecting

Cheers.

I don't have photoshop or anything, even my Microsoft Paint has vanished :(

I suppose I could use Microsoft Works if it's got decent options.

Did you find all those on your first day metal detecting? that's pretty cool :thumbsup:. If I can figure out how to subscribe I will. I like your banner as well.
 
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