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Website Building (Got tips?)

yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
in Off Topic (NRR)
Looking to make a basic website with information on Rural Japan, I'll start off with a blog to document
my travels and experiences, and then move on to include other content.  Got a few Q's for those that have
experience with this shit, as I am a complete newb and am struggling to foresee the possible problems that
I may face:

1) Any recs for a web host considering my needs?

2) If wanted to switch from a Wordpress theme I was using but I wanted to keep my domain name.  How easy/difficult is it to transition to a new look website (custom)? 

3)  Any recs for a custom website builder? 
Just like a good doctor, hard to locate? 

Appreciate any general tips and advice as well!

  Comments

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,903 Posts
    I hear geocities still runs in japan.



  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
    DOR, I think Blackvinyljunkie's HP is on Geocities, is it not?  lol 
    b/w You seem pretty technically sufficient.  Got any advice?
  • JectWonJectWon (@_@) 1,654 Posts
    I hear that Squarespace makes it pretty dang easy to put a site together.  I think they have a free trial, too.

    http://www.squarespace.com/

  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    yuichi said:
    Looking to make a basic website with information on Rural Japan, I'll start off with a blog to document
    my travels and experiences, and then move on to include other content.  Got a few Q's for those that have
    experience with this shit, as I am a complete newb and am struggling to foresee the possible problems that
    I may face:

    1) Any recs for a web host considering my needs?

    2) If wanted to switch from a Wordpress theme I was using but I wanted to keep my domain name.  How easy/difficult is it to transition to a new look website (custom)? 

    3)  Any recs for a custom website builder? 
    Just like a good doctor, hard to locate? 

    Appreciate any general tips and advice as well!

    1. Depends on your skill level: Asmallorange, Dreamhost, Digital Ocean
    2. You can export your posts if you want to move them to a new wordpress installation. Generally Wordpress themes don't have much going on visually so it can be easy to recreate using css. 
    3. Website builders are shit. People who build websites are shit. You generally just need to be clever enough to manage your own site. If you need butt simple I would go with Wordpress or Tumblr. If you're actually interested in building your own site. I can def recommend Dontfeartheinternet.com, Lynda tutorials, W3schools, Bootstrap, sublimetext2, and Ws_ftp.

    Advice - You can Learn HTML in 1 day. You can learn CSS in 1 day. You can teach yourself with Youtube videos. Make a folder on your computer and store simple html documents with notes about things you've learned dealing with HTML, CSS, and Javascript commands offline. It's indispensable, and comes in handy whenever you're working on a new site, and need to remember how to do certain techniques. Stay away from WYSIWYG's and Custom Website builders. 

    - spidey
  • PicklesPickles 67 Posts
    I have squarespace and its easy..even i can do it and looks sharp
  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    I think Wordpress is great. You need to find a theme that suites your subject matter and then spend some time modifying it to make it look right. Just picking a theme and going with it raw typically does not look good. My site took a long time to get right for selling records. Oh, and Elegent Themes's themes are amazing. Support is great too.

    However, if you want to use these themes, you need to host somewhere which will be a monthly cost (unless you are self hosting). May not be as attractive an option if your site is not generating revenue.
  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    SPlDEY said:

    1. Depends on your skill level: Asmallorange, Dreamhost, Digital Ocean
    2. You can export your posts if you want to move them to a new wordpress installation. Generally Wordpress themes don't have much going on visually so it can be easy to recreate using css. 
    3. Website builders are shit. People who build websites are shit. You generally just need to be clever enough to manage your own site. If you need butt simple I would go with Wordpress or Tumblr. If you're actually interested in building your own site. I can def recommend Dontfeartheinternet.com, Lynda tutorials, W3schools, Bootstrap, sublimetext2, and Ws_ftp.

    Advice - You can Learn HTML in 1 day. You can learn CSS in 1 day. You can teach yourself with Youtube videos. Make a folder on your computer and store simple html documents with notes about things you've learned dealing with HTML, CSS, and Javascript commands offline. It's indispensable, and comes in handy whenever you're working on a new site, and need to remember how to do certain techniques. Stay away from WYSIWYG's and Custom Website builders. 

    - spidey

    I dont agree with much of this. Yes it's fun/rewarding to learn yourself but if your goal is to put out content for others to read above spending time learning how to do it yourself, then there are some ways to do so that look great. If you put up a basic html site after learning for 1 day, it's going to look like Dukem's First Homepage. On the other hand, as I mentioned above, if you are going to use a 3rd party design/template, you still need to put the time in to make it look right. Dont expect to have something that looks exactly like what you imagined without putting some work in just because you're using (and possibly bought) a theme.

    Many Wordpress themes have a LOT going on visually imo.
  • JectWonJectWon (@_@) 1,654 Posts
    SPlDEY said:
    3. Website builders are shit. People who build websites are shit. You generally just need to be clever enough to manage your own site. If you need butt simple I would go with Wordpress or Tumblr. If you're actually interested in building your own site. I can def recommend Dontfeartheinternet.com, Lynda tutorials, W3schools, Bootstrap, sublimetext2, and Ws_ftp.

    Advice - You can Learn HTML in 1 day. You can learn CSS in 1 day. You can teach yourself with Youtube videos. Make a folder on your computer and store simple html documents with notes about things you've learned dealing with HTML, CSS, and Javascript commands offline. It's indispensable, and comes in handy whenever you're working on a new site, and need to remember how to do certain techniques. Stay away from WYSIWYG's and Custom Website builders. 


    How DARE you, sir.  Just kidding.  I'm all for encouraging people to learn that "computers aren't magic and neither is the internet" but do you honestly think that in 2015 a dude who just wants to put up a website needs to learn HTML, CSS and .js?  

    It's all fun and useful to learn, no doubt, but it might be a little overkill to have someone dive into it all if they are just trying to put up a site that documents travels and experiences.  
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    I would not recommend hurling yourself into learning HTML / CSS / and PHP unless you are 100% on board to doing that.  It takes years to really get familiar despite being able to learn it in a week.

    What's your budget?  What kind of functionality are you aiming for?

    Building a web site is as easier as it has ever been, but do you have an artistic eye?

    I know people who can break the hell out of Wordpress templates.... not familiar with Wix or Squarespace, but they are making web development into Pizza Hut.
  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
    Hey All thanks for the advice.  Definitely not looking to code shit myself if possible
    or intend to learn that stuff in a short period and expect it to look professional.

    A Small Orange's web hosting looks decent.  Another thing I'm wondering are:
    1)  Loading speed of your page dictated in large part by the web host?  Are differences marginal across accredited hosts?
    2)  What potential issues might arise with a web host?
  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
    RAJ said:
    I would not recommend hurling yourself into learning HTML / CSS / and PHP unless you are 100% on board to doing that.  It takes years to really get familiar despite being able to learn it in a week.

    What's your budget?  What kind of functionality are you aiming for?  For the initial website setup, like up to a grand?  But the free themes are enticing, as I'm not even sure my business will even gain traction.  As for function, I'd be nice to have updated content (from blogs/articles) load onto the home page somehow.  Will themes and plug-ins be enough?

    Building a web site is as easier as it has ever been, but do you have an artistic eye?  No.  and I am aware that awkward page layouts can turn off potential visitors/customers.

    I know people who can break the hell out of Wordpress templates.... not familiar with Wix or Squarespace, but they are making web development into Pizza Hut.
    ,

  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    yuichi said:
    1)  Loading speed of your page dictated in large part by the web host?  Are differences marginal across accredited hosts?
    2)  What potential issues might arise with a web host?
    1. Yes & No. Sometimes a slow host can affect performance. Usually it has to do with image compression, Flash, Embedded Videos, Bad coding. B - Yes, but I find SSD to perform pretty snappy when moving large files. 
    2. Downtime, Shitty Tech support, Hacking, Inflated bill, TOS Violations for breaking term rules, Fake UNLIMITED promises, Hidden Charges (WEB.COM), Always being asked to Upgrade, Website getting too much traffic, and need to go to a VPN, CLOUD or WP specific hosting

    Yuichi start with Wordpress , Tumblr, or Blogspot. Either way teach yourself to code. It's not as hard as these guys are making it sound. 

    - spidey
  • yuichiyuichi Urban sprawl 11,332 Posts
    SPlDEY said:
    yuichi said:
    1)  Loading speed of your page dictated in large part by the web host?  Are differences marginal across accredited hosts?
    2)  What potential issues might arise with a web host?
    1. Yes & No. Sometimes a slow host can affect performance. Usually it has to do with image compression, Flash, Embedded Videos, Bad coding. B - Yes, but I find SSD to perform pretty snappy when moving large files. 
    2. Downtime, Shitty Tech support, Hacking, Inflated bill, TOS Violations for breaking term rules, Fake UNLIMITED promises, Hidden Charges (WEB.COM), Always being asked to Upgrade, Website getting too much traffic, and need to go to a VPN, CLOUD or WP specific hosting

    Yuichi start with Wordpress , Tumblr, or Blogspot. Either way teach yourself to code. It's not as hard as these guys are making it sound. 

    - spidey

    Appreciate all of the sound advice.  I'm leaning toward A Small Orange, just off of impression.




  • mattBmattB (FTB) Anywhere 673 Posts
    SPlDEY said:

    Either way teach yourself to code. It's not as hard as these guys are making it sound.
    No one is saying don't do it.
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