A web based feature I have no clue how to do...

Nakatomi2010

So, I've got a Home Server (https://galacticcentral.homeserver.com) and I'm trying to really make it a very family based appliance for my entire family... I've already gone and given everyone access to post pictures to share with everyone (Both my side and the wife's side of the family) Heavens known neither is using it but I did it, and I'm using it...

The next thing I want to implement is a little creative, and I'm sure would make Microsoft smile, just a little, knowing that their Home Server is being abused properly.


I want to create an interactive Recipe repository to share recipes in the same fashion between all of my family members....

Problem is, I have no clue how I would go about doing this sort of thing....

The server is basically Windows Server 2003, heavily modified, but the engine is there... And it IS currently hosting a website, show it should just a matter of setting up a database, and a web design, but I have no clue how to really do either one... Links to usefulness would be greatly appreciated...

Aridhol

I don't know how to do it but that is an excellent idea.

The Cat

Aren't you a computer tech by day :P

Anyway, whatever, there's no need to get too fancy. Just make a folder and then a form in Word to fill out, and your family can use it as a template. You'd need fields for: Recipe title, ingredients (a bulleted list that can be expanded would be the go there), method, cooking time, the number of people it serves, and a little intro paragraph "I cook this recipe when Weird Uncle Dave comes round for dinner, because I know he hates it and that makes me happy...". If it takes off, you could make separate folders for different meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner/baking/snacks etc), add a picture uploader, etc. You can do the same thing in Access I suppose, but that's a lot less familiar to most people and a bit scary-looking to anyone who just uses the computer to send chain-mails to their friends.

If you did want to get fancy, you could set up a html-based system easily enough, I think - I've done it myself as practice back when I was learning html and css, although I've long since forgotten it all due to not using it >.>. There's a billion good tutes on the web that would get you started, I think.

DrFrylock

Why don't you just install one of the three gazillion Wiki applications out there and then have a little RecipeWiki? It's simple, most of them are searchable, and you can set it up so anybody with a password can contribute. No coding required, and the syntax for formatting a Wiki page is about 10x easier than writing HTML. Also, the Wiki handles any access to an underlying database and also should keep track of all changes, so if someone accidentally screws something up you can roll back. Likewise, if a technically illiterate family member contributes a good recipe that's formatted horribly, you can just format it real quick.