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Ragingsun73
Ragingsun73 Calculating status...
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They want me to what? Create a Website??????

Apr 30, 2009 12:55 AM

Okay I need some assistance. My Daughters preschool is a non profit parent coop school. It is such a wonderful environment and so condusive to learning both for children and parents. Anyway, they have asked that I redesign their website. Here is my dilema

I have never ever even craked a book about website creation. HTML is like Kanji to me. I would love to create something WONDERFUL for the school I just dont think I am qualified.

So here is my question to you. Is there a way for me to make a site without knowing HTML? Is there an Adobe program that I can use to create something that is visually stunning without having to have too much content. Meaning I would like to use photos of the children, add maybe a calendar, and then a suggestion box type deal, informaiton on how people can donate to the school. etc. etc.

 

HELP!!!!!

I'm LOST, frightened, and alone in a deep dark forest that is WEBSITE design!!!!!

 

Thank You in advance for your assistance!

 

Michelle H

7692 Views   21 Replies   Latest reply: pcnw, Jul 23, 2009 4:01 AM
 
Replies
  • Don McCahill
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    1. Don McCahill,
    Apr 30, 2009 6:18 AM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    Adobe does have a program, but it is not cheap. Look at Dreamweaver. It is really a professional tool (as are most Adobe tools). You might want to  google for a freeware program instead (sorry, I don't know of any offhand).

     

    And I suspect you will get a lot out of this book. http://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Web-Book-3rd/dp/0321303377/ref=pd_ bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241097443&sr=8-5

     
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  • Kath-H
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    2. Kath-H,
    Apr 30, 2009 10:31 AM   in reply to Don McCahill
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    From Google, but I don't have any recommendations: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=build+website+%2B+quick+%2B+eas y+%2B+free&btnG=Google+Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=

     
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  • Kath-H
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    3. Kath-H,
    Apr 30, 2009 10:34 AM   in reply to Kath-H
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    And I second the recommendation for that book.

     
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  • Ragingsun73
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    4. Ragingsun73,
    Apr 30, 2009 12:29 PM   in reply to Kath-H
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    Thank You for your suggestions. I felt a little panic run the my veins yesterday when I was asked. LOL I had to remember that there are many many people out there that do webdesign for the fun of it and so will think of this as just another adventure.

     

    So Thanks for the suggestions. Please keep them coming!

     

    Michelle

     
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  • Ragingsun73
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    5. Ragingsun73,
    Apr 30, 2009 12:35 PM   in reply to Don McCahill
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    Thank You Don for your suggestion on the book. I have ordered it and am expecting it soon.

     

    I am also considering buying a student dreamweaver.

     

    Thank You Agan!

     

    Michelle

     
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  • Don McCahill
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    6. Don McCahill,
    May 1, 2009 5:32 AM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    If you qualify for either the student or educational prices on Dreamweaver, it becomes a great value. They are fully functional packages of the program, with all components of the full package. The only difference is that student software is not to be used for commercial purposes, while the educational can be.

     
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  • Ragingsun73
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    7. Ragingsun73,
    May 1, 2009 11:19 AM   in reply to Don McCahill
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    first THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of your help!

    Oh Don! You pointed out two very improtant differences for me and I thank you. As you can tell I am not very savy when it comes to this stuff :-)

    but I plan on getting there!

    Okay so education version can be used for the PreSchool. Would you suggest that I download a trial version of Dreamweaver? Or should I just jump right in the deep end and purchase the program?

     
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  • Kath-H
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    8. Kath-H,
    May 1, 2009 11:38 AM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    Why not start with the free trial? One thing though, there's a fair bit to know, and there's much (much!) more to webdesign than learning to work the knobs and levers on any application. Some knowledge of html and css is much recommended.

     
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  • rootadmin21
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    9. rootadmin21,
    May 11, 2009 8:52 PM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    Dreamweaver not gona help you much here since its an advance tool , better install joomla on the webserver (the easiest way) or use microsoft Office publisher.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    10. Marian Driscoll,
    May 12, 2009 7:45 AM   in reply to rootadmin21
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    rootadmin21 wrote:

     

    Dreamweaver not gona help you much here since its an advance tool , better install joomla on the webserver (the easiest way) or use microsoft Office publisher.

    A content management system (CMS) like Joomla or Drupal or Wordpress (all free) is excellent advice for a school. The follow-up advice for this would be to have someone else set this up for Michelle. With no offense to Michelle, one does not just fall off a log to create a web site that is an improvement to something already present online.

     

    Ragingsun73 wrote:

     

    Is there a way for me to make a site without knowing HTML?

    Not a chance. Web design is more than knowing HTML.

    Ragingsun73 wrote:

     

    Meaning I would like to use photos of the children, add maybe a calendar, and then a suggestion box type deal, informaiton on how people can donate to the school. etc. etc.

    These are all handled in a good CMS. The best way to help the school is to find a web developer/designer that could set this up for you.

     
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  • Ragingsun73
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    11. Ragingsun73,
    May 12, 2009 9:36 AM   in reply to Marian Driscoll
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    Yes, yes, yes... I agree there is no way that I am going to be able to do this without knowing HTML. NO WAY! LOL

    And so I would like to thank you all for your advise. I plan on contacting web developers in my area to see if they would be willing to donate their services to the school. Since we have a tax id number we should be able to find someone to build the site.

     

    THANKS!

     

    Michelle

     
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  • Kath-H
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    12. Kath-H,
    May 12, 2009 1:41 PM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    Very wise. Good luck

     
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  • Nickj_UK
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    13. Nickj_UK,
    May 19, 2009 3:06 PM   in reply to Kath-H
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    Don't forget design .. that's a whole field on it's own and really what makes or breaks the whole thing. You can have quite simple even mediocre coding that will work and be very functional if the visual end is good. Then again you can have a beautiful visual front end that is is totally dusfunctional once you try to use it.

    A web site is a blend of function and design and a compromise between design and function.

     

    On CMS systms Joomla is quite big and complex, it still isn't something you can just dive into and make work. A reasonably easy starter level cms would be somthing like website baker which is pretty simple to use and simple to extend. Concrete cms is nice too and the dev team are very friendly, there's a very active user base.

     
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  • garek007
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    14. garek007,
    May 21, 2009 8:35 AM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    A second the pros don't want you to know about

     

    www.squarespace.com

     

     

    you're welcome

     
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  • Nickj_UK
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    15. Nickj_UK,
    May 21, 2009 12:42 PM   in reply to garek007
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    Now that's what I call advertising Kath.

     

    Ohhhh shiney shiney 60+ style varients .. Now that makes my almost infinite varients on buttons alone look really sad and all I can do with my bare templates is put any content anywhere on the rendered page. It's lucky I have a day job too LOL

     
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  • Kath-H
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    16. Kath-H,
    May 21, 2009 1:14 PM   in reply to Nickj_UK
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    Ermmm ... that wasn't me, it was Stan

     
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  • garek007
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    17. garek007,
    May 21, 2009 4:34 PM   in reply to Nickj_UK
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    yeah it is a bit limiting.  I have3 a friend that built this site with it

     

    www.gleepii.com

     

    and it looks great.  I'm tyring to build a friend's site with it just to see if I like it, it's kind of a pain in the a$$.

     

    but for newbies, it's something...

     
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  • Nickj_UK
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    18. Nickj_UK,
    May 22, 2009 1:47 PM   in reply to garek007
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    Nice, does the job well

     
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  • datedire
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    19. datedire,
    Jun 7, 2009 4:10 AM   in reply to Nickj_UK
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    You can try Cms like wordpress or joomla

    I am also new for webdesign but wordpress make it more easy

    my Thai wordpress site

    http://konruk.com/

     
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  • pattonmarketing
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    20. pattonmarketing,
    Jul 16, 2009 6:48 AM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    Yeah dreamweaver is the way to go :-)

     
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  • pcnw
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    21. pcnw,
    Jul 23, 2009 4:01 AM   in reply to Ragingsun73
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    I believe that joomla is the best way to start building a website with no knowledge of html, php e.t.c Take a look at this joomla site too : http://www.pcnetworks.gr  or visit the official site for joomla here : http://www.joomla.org

     
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