Re: How to Start

How to Start

I have a germ of an idea about a website/forum but unfortunately in all the years that I have been using a computer I have never bothered to learn about website building.
Would appreciate tips on where to start just to assess whether I am capable of it. Is it very difficult to do?
Being September, am wondering if I ought to telephone the local college to see if they have any courses.
I would rather have one to one tuition though so don't mind paying for this if it is not too expensive.

15 REPLIES 15

Posts: 228

For self-help on-line I don't think you can beat w3schools tutorials -
http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp
They certainly helped me to break free from M$ Frontpage and start to do some "real" website building
Cliff

Posts: 21,036

Thanks: 5

Hi Poppy,
You could do worse than by just installing SMF to give you a good base point.
http://www.simplemachines.org/
Appreciate that doesn't help with your website but I'm rubbish when it comes to design

I have a friend that sorted out mine for me

Posts: 22,212

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Fixes: 65

stumbling around, just now, I came across this site
http://www.wix.com/
which has about 90 "templates" that you can "edit"....
Not used it, but it says it is FREE and EASY to use..... looks like there`s plenty of choices, so you may like to play around with a couple to see how you much interest you need to get your website

I have had a look and a play with the w3schools site and it is very good - jam-packed with information. Not sure if I am up to working alone with it though.
Also googled web design for South Yorkshire and there are lots of choices but they are all about doing the website for you and I want someone to do the work with me so that I can learn and maintain it. As it is going to be a forum it is important that I understand the nuts and bolts of the thing.
The more I think about it the more I realize that I am going to need professional help so that will mean raiding the bank account I suppose.
James - is your pal in South Yorkshire and does he do it for a living? Also, what is your website?

Posts: 21,036

Thanks: 5

Hi Poppy,
He's my house mate

The main part of his job is in web design.
Mines @ http://unlikely-perfection.co.uk

Oh, well, that's convenient then - no wonder you leave it up to him. Going to have a look at your blog later - at first glance it is very 'male' looking and also futuristic.
Have just telephoned a couple of numbers obtained from Google. I think that because it is a forum I am going to have to let someone else do it and get them to teach me how to maintain it.
There is a slim possibility that I might get help with funding if I ask around.

Posts: 21,036

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I strongly suspect there will be many offers of help in how to install something like SMF from this forum.
My website is just a customised version of Wordpress, which shouldn't be too complicated.

Thank you James - I have more or less made up my mind that I am going to have to find funding to get it done professionally with the proviso that they teach me how to maintain it. If it was a simple site then I would have a go myself but as it is a forum I probably don't have a choice.
Have contacted one or two people who I know and might be interested so they might be able to help with advice and/or funding - will wait and see. Don't suppose that Plusnet have a sponsorship budget? As my idea is related to dogs, I suppose not.
In retrospect, I think that I was a bit naive to think that I could do it myself, but am grateful for all replies so far - they have helped to clarify my thoughts.

Posts: 21,036

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Hi Poppy,
I've replied to your PM.

Posts: 1,733

Web design can be spilt into two different skills. There are the technicalities of coding, getting a site that works, uploading and maintaining it and so on, then there is the graphic design aspect of creating a site that looks the part, is easy to navigate and so on.
If you want to do something fairly simple then check out local authority adult education courses. You will have to pay something for it but if you can find a local course it should teach you a lot about how to build a basic site.

Posts: 19,757

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a firm that host free forums that many small runs run on is http://www.forumer.com/

Denzil - thanks for advice. I agree that a local authority course would be fine if it was just a simple site but this one isn't.
Your breakdown of the skills needed is interesting. My input will have to be maintaining it so I hope that I am equal to the job.
Pierre - thanks for the link. Going to check it out. Had thought of using Plusnet but don't know the ins and outs of it all as I don't use the webspace that comes with my own domain.
Since posting I have had the thumbs up from the webmistress of one of the associated organisations (this had been discussed before at their meetings) so I am rather hoping that they might be able to help me with a bit of funding as I understand that it can be a bit costly to maintain over the year.
My 'mentor' so to speak quotes a figure of about £200 pa for her forum which she pays for herself.

Posts: 1,236

You can think of of options like Wordpress, Joomla for quick easy to build sites that do not involve any actual "web designing" yourself. There are more and more Wordpress sites appearing all the time, loads of free templates, hosting options and help available.
As Jameseh said for a forum you could use SMF like this one or phpbb, either of which installs itself with a few options. Also loads of free templates and help available.

Well, I've done it - registered the name and instructed someone to work on it so maybe in a few weeks' time I'll be back on the forum panicking for some reason or other. Am going to have a steep learning curve!
Thank you for all help and advice.