Website Development Help

!TIMMY! · #1 25-09-08, 01:21 PM

Lo all,

Didn't quite know where to put this.

I am after a web host like XIPPY but not for clans. I am looking for for one that has a web control panel so people who don't know html can update it. Also we can change the headings from e.g. 'clan roster' to 'staff'.

Can anyone suggest a web host?

TopSecret · #2 25-09-08, 01:28 PM

It sounds like you need a Content Management System, such as Joomla. If you want people to be able to add content without any HTML knowledge and set up user/staff groups, then it's ideal. As for hosting, are you looking for free or paid? With Joomla you need to be able to create a database and be able to run PHP, so some of the free hosting packages won't allow you to do this.

I used Joomla on a clan site that I used to run and it's pretty easy to get to grips with, plus there are loads of add-on modules etc. for it.

!TIMMY! · #3 25-09-08, 02:06 PM

That looks pretty good! I will look into it more, it will be used on a paid hosting.

equk · #4 25-09-08, 09:45 PM

Joomla is ok, but it seems to take so many steps to do anything

eg: post article:- Click Create New Article>Select category>type/paste text>submit>goto menu manager>edit main menu>create menu item> select type of link>select article to link to>select where to put it on menu>submit>click preview

on something like wordpress: post a article:- Click Create New Article>post what you want>click publish (it creates the menu itself from posted articles)

So I guess it depends on how complex you want the site. For my blog, I use wordpress with custom scripts to link into my gallery.

But for a company website I'm developing atm I'm using Joomla (which tbh is taking me forever)

TopSecret · #5 25-09-08, 09:50 PM

There are some add on components for Joomla that make the content management alot easier. I have produced about 4 or 5 different sites on it now and have tried quite a few CMS's, but always gone back to Joomla.

Here's the official Joomla Extensions site:

http://extensions.joomla.org/

There are some really helpful extensions on there and I find it a goldmine when using Joomla.

equk · #6 25-09-08, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by name='stuartpb'

There are some add on components for Joomla that make the content management alot easier. I have produced about 4 or 5 different sites on it now and have tried quite a few CMS's, but always gone back to Joomla.

Cool

I have tried loads of CMS's and 3years ago coded my own, but I just find most of them are overly complex for simple things like bloging etc

It might just be because atm I seem to be coding and re-coding the template stuff for this Joomla site I'm working on

just seems like one thing gets fixed and another bug appears.

I find it really cumbersome to post pages aswell, something which takes me 5min on my site takes me 30min on joomla.

Also regarding extensions, so many seem to be for joomla 1.x and not 2.x and cause problems even with compatability mode enabled

TopSecret · #7 25-09-08, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by name='equk'

Also regarding extensions, so many seem to be for joomla 1.x and not 2.x and cause problems even with compatability mode enabled

You mean 1.5.7? Version 2 isn't around yet. I know what you mean though about probs with extensions in the latest version. But I am still running 2 sites on 1.0.15 and they are fine and work well.

equk · #8 26-09-08, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by name='stuartpb'

You mean 1.5.7? Version 2 isn't around yet. I know what you mean though about probs with extensions in the latest version. But I am still running 2 sites on 1.0.15 and they are fine and work well.

It might have been specific to the extensions, but I tried 3 different extensions for scrolling+fading adverts that were made for version 1 on my 1.5 site and they all seemed to mess up the site.

I did find one which worked in the end tho.

I'm hoping once the site is finished it will be a lot more responsive and easier to add/edit articles.

It still doesn't seem that brilliant to me and when I showed a new user it, they got really confused with the web GUI.

I think something simple like wordpress is really good for clan/small business websites tho as you don't need a huge number of categories or pages and you can post news/match results and even screenshots very easily.

The past 5 clansites I designed have been based on wordpress or similar (eqnews).

Seanrb · #9 01-10-08, 01:59 PM

I use Joomla! for my website and whilst i think it's the best CMS about by far, for simple websites IMO there is far better. The complexity of it is too much for simple things like news updates for Clan sites.

It's taken about 8-10 add-ons to get Joomla to the point that it will do what i want it to properly, but i don't expect it to do everything as standard, it's impossible. Configuring 10 add-ons is still a hell of alot quicker than coding everything from scratch.

I'd probably look at Wordpress or similar as suggested already if all you want is a simple site with WYSIWYG editor for people without HTML knowledge to post news and updates. There's add-ons for it too so that you can add things like downloads later on if required.

!TIMMY! · #10 08-10-08, 08:02 PM

Ye Im now using Joomla and its pretty good. You have to be patient, but its worth it in the end.