Choosing a website builder?

[chazus]

the domain name gets connected via your host (in my case, 000webhost). I tell it to point "my website" to the domain. I then install and upload wordpress onto the host, so that my domain now shows the website.

[Deleted]

I know I should be trying to find this stuff out for myself, but how does adding a domain name to your wordpress work if it's external? (from godaddy, and not just upgrading from wordpress itself) In other words, if I found wordpress was pretty good and did everything I wanted it to, how do I then go about changing it's domain to what I want and through godaddy?

A domain name sends the visitor to wherever you specify it. I'm not familiar with godaddy but if it works like I assume it does you should look for settings for name servers under your account at godaddy and point them to your host's name servers. Yes, that means you'll have to purchase hosting as well; no company would host your site for free with a custom domain name.

[Deleted]

Wordpress is so needlessly confusing. And it doesn't seem to be what I want considering that when I'm adding in paintings, it's acting as if I'm just putting images on a blog. Carbonmade is free and it's so much better. :/

[Deleted]

Wordpress is so needlessly confusing. And it doesn't seem to be what I want considering that when I'm adding in paintings, it's acting as if I'm just putting images on a blog. Carbonmade is free and it's so much better. :/

Hey now, don't underestimate web developing. There's no one simple solution to everything. As I said before, your best bet is probably to either find a template that suits your needs or to find a CMS that's limited to the tools you want (such as Carbonmade).

Vanilla Wordpress is literally a blog so everything you do with it will be treated as such, you will need to find plugins that behave like you want them to.

[chazus]

Wordpress is so needlessly confusing. And it doesn't seem to be what I want considering that when I'm adding in paintings, it's acting as if I'm just putting images on a blog. Carbonmade is free and it's so much better. :/

If you like Carbonmade, go for it. I've never used it. I.. actually don't even know what it is. But use whatever's fancy to you.

Vanilla Wordpress is literally a blog so everything you do with it will be treated as such, you will need to find plugins that behave like you want them to.

Maybe it's just because I used to make webpages with Wordpress.... But vanilla, out of the box, just installed wordpress works as a website just fine. I've never even used the blog aspect before, so I don't know what you guys are talking about >.>

[Deleted]

Maybe it's just because I used to make webpages with Wordpress.... But vanilla, out of the box, just installed wordpress works as a website just fine. I've never even used the blog aspect before, so I don't know what you guys are talking about >.>

Can't say I used Wordpress too much but I don't think there are tools for making a slideshow or image gallery on a clean install? I mean, installing a plugin for it takes a minute, but to a first-time user I can see that being confusing.

What I mean by "treated as a blog" is things like pagination, pages for content blocks, archive modules, dating and author information etc. All of those things are there, at least for the default theme, aren't they?

[Iamanerd]

Well which ever you choose, building your own is the easiest/cheapest way imo. It also allows you to make your website function how you want it and design it anyway you want, it's not hard and if you're only showing your paintings and audio files well that can be built in a couple of hours. Just set aside a weekend and learn some HTML/CSS basics and then go to dreamhost or godaddy or wherever and host the site on there. Plus if this is for employers to see, it goes a long way when they see you took the time to make your own site and shows that you're open to learning new skills.

[Deleted]

I'll never understand anything about wordpress. Everything I read about it, it just doesn't work. This is so bloody frustrating. I think my mind just can't comprehend all this crap. I'm sitting here trying to find plugins on wordpress, and I can't. It's so messy and confusing. And that's not even the real problem, because I still have no idea how to get a domain or to get it hosted, or if they're the same thing or not.

[chazus]

I'll never understand anything about wordpress. Everything I read about it, it just doesn't work.

I'm not sure what you've read, then.

Install wordpress. Go to the management dashboard. Click "Add page". Type some stuff. Click submit. You have a first page.

[Deleted]

I'm not sure what you've read, then.

Install wordpress. Go to the management dashboard. Click "Add page". Type some stuff. Click submit. You have a first page.

Okay, I'll stop you there. 'Install'?

What do you mean, install? How do you install something that's on a browser?

Edit: I mean, it's not a program... It's a website...

[chazus]

Okay, I'll stop you there. 'Install'?
What do you mean, install? How do you install something that's on a browser?

Oh, I was under the impression you already had tried to set it up when you said it doesn't do what you want it to. It's hard to tell if it does or doesn't without trying.

Basically (and there are stupid easy walk-through step by step tutorials on this).

Download the newest wordpress.zip. Unpack it. Edit a couple files to make your passwords and stuff. Create a MySQL database (usually your web host literally has a 'create MySQL database button'). After that, upload the unpacked files to your FTP, and then go to the install.php website, put in names and passwords and customization (usually none needed from the start) and it's installed and set up. From there, all editing and new pages and uploading and stuff is handled through the website.

Keep in mind, even if you don't use Wordpress, chances are you'll still need to do and understand a fair bit of that. It's really a lot less complicated if you read the tutorial, which takes all of like.. 4 minutes.

[Deleted]

Okay, I'll stop you there. 'Install'?

What do you mean, install? How do you install something that's on a browser?

Edit: I mean, it's not a program... It's a website...

You "install" a CMS on a server. If you use Wordpress.com your site is hosted at wordpress.com - no installation required, but you have no access to the files. If you use Wordpress.org you get the source files which you can install on a host of your choice. In fact you could even host it from your own computer if you wanted to. There's a learning curve for that, though.

In short; Wordpress.com is hosted by Wordpress and free to use. It's the easiest alternative but also the most limited. Wordpress.org is still free but it's not hosted at Wordpress so you'll need another host.

[Deleted]

Oh, I was under the impression you already had tried to set it up when you said it doesn't do what you want it to. It's hard to tell if it does or doesn't without trying.

Basically (and there are stupid easy walk-through step by step tutorials on this).

Download the newest wordpress.zip. Unpack it. Edit a couple files to make your passwords and stuff. Create a MySQL database (usually your web host literally has a 'create MySQL database button'). After that, upload the unpacked files to your FTP, and then go to the install.php website, put in names and passwords and customization (usually none needed from the start) and it's installed and set up. From there, all editing and new pages and uploading and stuff is handled through the website.

Keep in mind, even if you don't use Wordpress, chances are you'll still need to do and understand a fair bit of that. It's really a lot less complicated if you read the tutorial, which takes all of like.. 4 minutes.

How is 'installing' it any different than just...going to the website? I really feel like I'm missing something crucial here.

Wordpress dashboard...on the website?

- Jeese. Reading the last couple of posts has made me even more confused. It's sort of unbelievable that everyone that has a website has had to do this. I thought websites were sort of easy to make.

[Deleted]

- Jeese. Reading the last couple of posts has made me even more confused. It's sort of unbelievable that everything that has a website has had to do this. I thought websites were sort of easy to make.

Well, there's a reason people usually hire someone to do web sites for them. :-)

[Deleted]

1. Figure out how to 'install' wordpress onto 'mysql...bla bla bla bla' (No idea how to get that)
2. Figure out how to transform wordpress from a shitty blog into something that looks like a website.
3. Buy a domain name, and point it to the wordpress site?
4. Get a host? (Not the same as godaddy? Fuck if I know)

Yeah, no problem. :/

[chazus]

How is 'installing' it any different than just...going to the website?

Think of it this way. You buy a new computer and a blank hard drive. You put music on the hard drive. You then put it in the computer and turn the computer on and... nothing happens. The computer goes "No OS loaded."

It's the same thing here. Having files on your FTP/Host doesn't just magically make it 'work' and accessible. It doesn't make a webpage appear. Simply putting the Wordpress files on your host doesn't just poof a website. You have to tell it to do a few things first, and it handles the rest of actually 'creating' the website. After that's done, you have a web interface for changing things (from options, to themes, to adding and removing pages).

Here's an example. mcsaver.net (my website) uses wordpress. I have multiple pages that I've created, and I don't use the blog format. I dont make 'posts'. Read this now, and when I update it in a couple minutes, I'll show you WHAT I did.

[Deleted]

1. Figure out how to 'install' wordpress onto 'mysql...bla bla bla bla' (No idea how to get that)
2. Figure out how to transform wordpress from a shitty blog into something that looks like a website.
3. Buy a domain name, and point it to the wordpress site?
4. Get a host? (Not the same as godaddy? Fuck if I know)

Yeah, no problem. :/

Check out http://www.hostgator.com/apps/wordpress-hosting.shtml

They provide you with hosting, install wordpress on that space and register a domain name and point it for you. Obviously you have to pay for it, but it seems like they have a money back guarantee should you not be satisfied.

As for transforming wordpress; it should be as simple as browsing through themes (through the dashboard) then clicking install on the one you like.

[chazus]

I just updated my website.

http://mcsaver.net/info/wordpress-example/

That really took me all of like 2 minutes to do. No coding, no.... difficult stuff, really. I'd say the hardest part is 'installing' wordpress, which if you follow the walkthrough, is pretty easy.

[Incognito Noctix]

If you cba with wordpress and other such options, you could always just go with a free (or paid) host that comes with a WYSIWYG editor of some sort.
One decent bet (used to be at least) is webs.com. It shouldn't take very long, the basic plan is free, so it should be easy enough to see if you like it. They also have a multitude of templates that you can go through.

Doing it this way of course limits you in some ways, but it's still an option.

EDIT: Though upon further inspection, they have VERY limited web storage for their free and cheaper plans. Still, there are more options that work quite like this one.

[chazus]

My girlfriend (a web designer) suggested Wix.com, because it's a visual based (basically drag and drop) website editor. Granted, it makes trashy code, but if you just want the website to work and not bother, it seems like a good option for starters who just want to get a footprint.

Also, the order goes as follows.

1) Buy a domain name (Godaddy.com) - This is the NAME you own, nothing more. Its the words people type to go to your website. Herpderp.com, or whatever. "Godaddy.com" is godaddys domain name. Pick something short and memorable, if you can help it.
2) Buy/Get a web host. This is the place that both stores your files that you upload, and depending on who you go with, will provide things like an email account, MySQL, and other features which you may or may not need. The host is effectively the heart of your website.
3) From here, you can decide what to do. Some hosts provide tools, others do not. Either way, you will get your website up and running from here. If you use wordpress, you would upload it to the host, and configure it at that point.
4) From there, you build/design whatever you want.