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Program Sets => All Others => Topic started by: bahhumbug on April 10, 2006, 11:47:02 AM

Title: Web Design
Post by: bahhumbug on April 10, 2006, 11:47:02 AM
This is really a carry over from the thread about Easter & working at home.



Anyway, our school doesn't have a website and I ain't too familiar with any web design software.  But I've been thinking I need to do something about it.



We've got FrontPage which the pupils use.  Is that a good place to start? Or is there other/better software? Or should I be trying to learn HTML?  :shock:



Any suggestions/advice welcomed.  :)
Title: Web Design
Post by: casper on April 10, 2006, 11:57:34 AM
Personally I would suggest learning HTML before using Frontpage/Dreamweaver/GoLive. If you want a ready made solution use one of the open source cms - mambo, phpnuke etc. They're generally easy to install and modify.
Title: Web Design
Post by: Ray on April 10, 2006, 11:59:01 AM
My advice is to sear well clear!!!



I done a website design course before i came here, Learned all the basics HTML Java script, bit about Photoshop, Dream weaver. If you are going to do it I would advise you to look into Flash. Dream weaver would be better than FrontPage if you can get your hands on it.



I used to do it here, for no extra money, then one of the science teachers wanted to do it she got pay rise for doing it, now the HOD does it Also for more money. We haven’t had a working website in about 3 years. I am having nothing to do with it!!!!
Title: Web Design
Post by: casper on April 10, 2006, 12:00:15 PM
Unfortunately looking after the website is written into my contract :(
Title: Web Design
Post by: Ray on April 10, 2006, 12:02:12 PM
Not in my contract but I actually quite liked doing it, but sure that’s the way things go!
Title: Web Design
Post by: bahhumbug on April 10, 2006, 12:43:37 PM
Yeah it's in my contract too  :cry:



Anyway casper, you're gettin technical on me  tsk tsk  lol



'If you want a ready made solution use one of the open source cms - mambo, phpnuke etc'



can you expand on this?  cms?  waaaaaahhhhh  I'm gettin scared !
Title: Web Design
Post by: casper on April 10, 2006, 12:58:11 PM
Sorry about that :)

CMS -Content Management System

Basically they are ready made system that allow for the publication of news, static content (eg Department pages) etc. If you look at the St. Michael's site - http://www.stmichaelslurgan.org.uk It's been created using the Mambo CMS - http://www.mamboserver.com
Title: Web Design
Post by: bahhumbug on April 10, 2006, 03:01:03 PM
Cheers casper, thanks.  I'll have a look at that.
Title: Web Design
Post by: flashharry82 on April 10, 2006, 04:02:34 PM
Have used Dreamweaver for bout 5 years, did macromedia certified flash level 2. Have used frontpage and a few others but none really compare to dreamwaever. Best way to start learning is get the basics of html/Xhtml(future compliant) and start from there. http://www.w3schools.com is good for lots of stuff. I've been fiddling about with ajax a bit recently which is fun.
Title: Web Design
Post by: casper on April 10, 2006, 04:21:04 PM
Another excellent site for hmtl is http://www.htmlgoodies.com Its written with the beginner in mind
Title: Web Design
Post by: Si on April 11, 2006, 10:17:56 AM
I have limited web-design knowledge, only really scratched the surface of Dreamweaver ( learning some ASP, connecting databases etc)  and Frontpage is a really awful alternative I think.  Maybe if I had learnt Frontpage first, I wouldn't have thought so, but Dreamweaver seems to be the easier to use.



Flash is a nice alternative but you will end up coding once you expand from the basics and that could be tricky to learn if you are just teaching yourself.



I must admit, I haven't tried any open-source web-authoring software as yet - I know that Open Office has a web-authoring application but I have never tried it.  



One thing I have learnt, ( told to me by a lecturer, whom I ignored, then learnt the hard way ), was to plan your website on paper first instead of working away on the fly.  You won't believe how much time you will save yourself.  Also, go through some html tutorials as you usually end up having to go through the code to make your pages work exactly the way you want them to.



Good luck!
Title: Web Design
Post by: Gerard on April 11, 2006, 10:26:11 AM
i know very little about everything web design... take nothing to do with our website.. think the school paid some company that ( in my own opinion) didnt do a great job.



www.stcolmshigh.org



if you want to have a look at it





very slow aswell.. maybe im just being a moan
Title: Web Design
Post by: casper on April 11, 2006, 10:49:31 AM
The company was Adream and they charge around 2 grand per site. They tried to sell their services here, but during their presentation they kept say that we already had a very good site - so the powers that be thought 'If we already have a very good site why should we pay 2 grand to change it' - so Adream basically shot themselves in the foot  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
Title: Web Design
Post by: Gerard on April 11, 2006, 11:17:45 AM
lol  they had the site up and running before i started here.... i would like to get some training inweb design also..something for the future anyway
Title: Web Design
Post by: flashharry82 on April 11, 2006, 12:29:40 PM
Quote from: "Gerard"
i know very little about everything web design... take nothing to do with our website.. think the school paid some company that ( in my own opinion) didnt do a great job.



www.stcolmshigh.org



if you want to have a look at it





very slow aswell.. maybe im just being a moan




It is very slow and unless they have some fantastic back end stuff which allows any staff to update site from ordinary documents or something it definitely wouldn't be worth 2 grand.



Quote from: "Gerard"
lol they had the site up and running before i started here.... i would like to get some training inweb design also..something for the future anyway




Design is a more difficult. I can program websites til the cows come home but my design and artistic skills are majorly lacking and it is something that is very difficult to learn if you don't just have an artistic flair. Most of my ideas come from other sites.
Title: Web Design
Post by: Si on April 11, 2006, 12:37:19 PM
Yea I agree, the design and look of the site can be the hardest thing to get right.  I would find myself looking at similar sites and choosing one to 'copy'.



Long live Plagiarsim !!!   :)



Btw, does anyone else think the Frontpage themes are horrible? I would never use any of those themes for a site of mine...
Title: Web Design
Post by: Gerard on April 11, 2006, 02:01:01 PM
im alright at the design end ( photoshop anyway ) dont know how i would go combining the both as i really havent a clue about the html languages etc