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Website creation, software, etc
an_alt
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So my beautiful bride to be has finally decided to use the domain names she picked up years ago and "have a website". My questions involve the approach to take, what software to use, etc, but I'll lay out the situation first then ask the questions.
To explain where I'm coming from, I'm a coder by trade, but I specialize in middleware and things like web pages, UI, and minor technical details are somebody else's job 99% of the time. The last time I was doing websites in the late 90s, I may as well have put a Powered by Notepad logo on them. Her business is wholesale, her client base is already established, and she's not looking for new clients right away.
The plan for the website is pretty much in three stages:
1) Flat web 1.0 website with pictures and descriptions of the products for current clients.
2) As above, with the ability for current clients to place their weekly orders.
3) Open to the public as a standard commercial site with credit card payments and the whole nine yards.
I've already picked up a cheap Linux hosting account at 1&1 (I'd rather learn PHP than .NET) and transfered her domains to it. I figure I'll need a WYSIWYG web editor, image software, and a real FTP client.
Now that you know what I'm trying to do, here's my bunch of questions.
What should I use for a free/cheap web site editor? What's a good image creation/editing package? Anything better than Explorer for an FTP client? What else might I be forgetting?
Should I use the included MySQL database to hold the content or just go with the flat files with which I'm familliar? Where would be a good place to start with stage 2? How does one go about getting that whole online sales thing - custom software suite or use the 1&1 store?
If you can weigh in on any of the questions or point out things I've missed completely, I'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!
To explain where I'm coming from, I'm a coder by trade, but I specialize in middleware and things like web pages, UI, and minor technical details are somebody else's job 99% of the time. The last time I was doing websites in the late 90s, I may as well have put a Powered by Notepad logo on them. Her business is wholesale, her client base is already established, and she's not looking for new clients right away.
The plan for the website is pretty much in three stages:
1) Flat web 1.0 website with pictures and descriptions of the products for current clients.
2) As above, with the ability for current clients to place their weekly orders.
3) Open to the public as a standard commercial site with credit card payments and the whole nine yards.
I've already picked up a cheap Linux hosting account at 1&1 (I'd rather learn PHP than .NET) and transfered her domains to it. I figure I'll need a WYSIWYG web editor, image software, and a real FTP client.
Now that you know what I'm trying to do, here's my bunch of questions.
What should I use for a free/cheap web site editor? What's a good image creation/editing package? Anything better than Explorer for an FTP client? What else might I be forgetting?
Should I use the included MySQL database to hold the content or just go with the flat files with which I'm familliar? Where would be a good place to start with stage 2? How does one go about getting that whole online sales thing - custom software suite or use the 1&1 store?
If you can weigh in on any of the questions or point out things I've missed completely, I'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!
Xbox - PearlBlueS0ul, SteamPony wrote:I think that the internet has been for years on the path to creating what is essentially an electronic Necronomicon: A collection of blasphemous unrealities so perverse that to even glimpse at its contents, if but for a moment, is to irrevocably forfeit a portion of your sanity.
If you ever need to talk to someone, feel free to message me. Yes, that includes you.
an_alt on
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As far as storing your content you should be totally fine with just having your page content be on the page itself and only using a database to store order data. Unless you are constantly updating or adding products.
As far as online sales, I wouldn't go with whatever solution 1&1 is offering. If you are an experienced programmer then PayPal offers a wide array of tools and documentation for creating shopping carts for quick/easy payment and you will have full control over many things, unlike the average hosting provider solution.
we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
Any advice on web design software anyone? I've been told NVu, Coffee Cup HTML Editor (html/wysiwyg) are good options, but I'd love to hear some more feedback on that. I'm not shelling out the $400 for Dreamweaver, but I don't mind spending $50 or $60 for something that will save time and effort.
If you ever need to talk to someone, feel free to message me. Yes, that includes you.