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What to do with free web hosting?

K

kilpajr

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 24, 2004
122
0
Auburn, AL
I signed up for 3 years free of 1&1 web hosting. I think they did this when they started to get their name out. I have no web programming experience except for a class I am taking right now where we are designing a very basic e-commerce website. I would create a website but I don't want to just put up a crappy one just to have one. This is my question, where can I find information on creating a good-looking website (i.e. macrumors, apple, etc.)? HTML is pretty simple but I don't see how to create great-looking webpages using it. Thanks for any resources you can give me.

Also, what advice would you give to a beginning website designer? I was thinking of creating a site/blog targeted to switchers/new users about the experiences and things I have learned since switching to the enjoyable/capable/non-crashing apple platform :) . I know everyone has a blog but I would be posting regularly, either weekly or biweekly and would try to provide good information.
 
kilpajr said:
I signed up for 3 years free of 1&1 web hosting. I think they did this when they started to get their name out. I have no web programming experience except for a class I am taking right now where we are designing a very basic e-commerce website. I would create a website but I don't want to just put up a crappy one just to have one. This is my question, where can I find information on creating a good-looking website (i.e. macrumors, apple, etc.)? HTML is pretty simple but I don't see how to create great-looking webpages using it. Thanks for any resources you can give me.

Also, what advice would you give to a beginning website designer? I was thinking of creating a site/blog targeted to switchers/new users about the experiences and things I have learned since switching to the enjoyable/capable/non-crashing apple platform :) . I know everyone has a blog but I would be posting regularly, either weekly or biweekly and would try to provide good information.
Click to expand...

I think you best next step would be to get a dot com, I know two place I feel as best and its $8 for a domain name and they take many was of payment, PayPal,CC, Back Transfer, etc... If you do that there are many hings you can do, I started my website when I was 14 and now I'm 16 and its "successful", so its not hard... You may want to use more then HTML like Java and some PHP, thats where I went wrong...
 
Thanks, I think I can purchase a dot whatever name from them. I can do that but I want to create a nice page first. In the class I am taking now we are using php and mysql but that is programming and database stuff. I think I can find information about that kind of stuff but I don't know where to find stuff about creating nice (graphical) websites. Macs R Us, where did you learn how to start creating sites?
 
kilpajr said:
Thanks, I think I can purchase a dot whatever name from them. I can do that but I want to create a nice page first. In the class I am taking now we are using php and mysql but that is programming and database stuff. I think I can find information about that kind of stuff but I don't know where to find stuff about creating nice (graphical) websites. Macs R Us, where did you learn how to start creating sites?
Click to expand...

Well mainly a site needs to have color but not too much... I still need work on many of mine.. And tables are very imporant to get them right, its a pain... Well I'm 16 so I learned HTML and Java just by practice... I think that you should work on a one and give us a link and we could help you from there...
 
Start your own pr0n site - $$$$$$ - ;)

dogeyes.gif
 
I'm definitely a mac fan. I have been a Windows user for way too long and the mac is a breath of fresh air. I would like to share my experiences and how to do different things as I learn how to do them. I just need to find resources on how to create an attractive and functional site.
 
kilpajr said:
I'm definitely a mac fan. I have been a Windows user for way too long and the mac is a breath of fresh air. I would like to share my experiences and how to do different things as I learn how to do them. I just need to find resources on how to create an attractive and functional site.
Click to expand...

Well buttons are very important you sould use Adobe and make some good ones first... As well as your main banner... But first you need to think of a name and what you will do with it...
 
If you're looking for how to make a site look good, find one that you like, and view the source to see how they did it. I don't condone copying, but getting ideas isn't a bad thing. For more inspiration check out CSS Zen Garden
 
kilpajr said:
Seeing as I have no girls to take pictures of, you want to see pr0n of me :p ? I didn't think so. Other ideas?
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I didn't mean featuring you...you would need to make yourself some "special" friends ;) :D :p
 
Try Templates

As it's for a business, and time may also be a factor, you may want to try searching out a few Template sites. You can easily find a good looking template for under $60 that includes images, CSS etc...

I signed up for the 1&1 offer too. Great deal! :)
 
Vector said:
You seem to have
pr0n on your mind today. :)
Click to expand...
Hey it's not me, what do you think the guy in that other thread is talking about when he says "I have files that are somewhat "sensitive", and should the lady find them could land me in some hot water."? hmmmm...hard one :D :p
 
NusuniAdmin said:
you could make a Keira Knightley fan site :p unless edesign has that covered?
Click to expand...
I really kinda play the whole Keira thing up here (hard to believe I know :p), but I'd never be so pathetic as to make a "fan site" dedicated to anyone...but I'll quite happily visit someone else's dedication ;) :D
 
Hey,

just to jump in... if you seriously want to learn about great web design, here are my thoughts on the matter:

1) Learn proper html, or more preferably xhtml. learn how to put a DOCTYPE at the beginning of your code, and then validate each and every page you write (www.w3.org) to ensure there are no errors in the code. Do NOT use proprietary commands (commands that will only work in one browser, such as IE).


2) Your best friend in web design is CSS (cascading style sheets). Use them to format your text, lay out your page, etc. Forget using oodles of nested tables to lay out your page. That was never the intention of tables, and only serves to create spaghetti code that is difficult to keep up.

3) Learn Photoshop. The truely great web graphics are created in PS, and then compressed down into GIF or JPG format for the web. Do NOT use PS to create your whole site, just the graphics for it.

4) If you want any little, non essential things like a clock, the date, etc displayed on your site learn client side JavaScript. Do NOT use Javascript for any purposes that are crucial to your website, such as navigation. Many people that surf the web turn off scripting, which means none of your javascripts will work.

5) Learn the back end, which is usually PHP and MySQL. It sounds like you are already getting a taste of this.

Enjoy!
 
Also, a general truth is that lots of design up front will result in a lot less fixing later.

Get down very clearly what you want to put on the site, what content should go on which page, how the navigation should work, etc. The more you work this out, the more the site will take form in your head, and I wouldn't be surprised if the visual aspects start to work their way into that conceptualization on their own. From there, it's just figuring out how to implement your vision.

Y'know, that's one of the reasons I've never put up a website: I've nothing to put on it. At least not that anyone would care about.
 
Thanks for all of the replies. I will try to find time to start working on this. If I ever make the site into something worth looking at I'll post the link here.
 
Off Topic:

Wow, another person from alabama. Both backtothemac and I are from alabama too.

War Eagle!!! :D
 
Vector said:
Off Topic:

Wow, another person from alabama. Both backtothemac and I are from alabama too.

War Eagle!!! :D
Click to expand...

War Eagle!! How 'bout them Tigers? 5-0

:D

EDIT: Why don't you have your location listed?
 
kilpajr said:
War Eagle!! How 'bout them Tigers? 5-0

:D

EDIT: Why don't you have your location listed?
Click to expand...

That Tenn. game was fun to watch, especially with my friends from Tenn.:D

They are going to go at least 10-1, their only challenge is UGA.

I just never listed it. I am from Birmingham, but go to Indiana University right now.
 
Vector said:
That Tenn. game was fun to watch, especially with my friends from Tenn.:D

They are going to go at least 10-1, their only challenge is UGA.

I just never listed it. I am from Birmingham, but go to Indiana University right now.
Click to expand...

Yeah, UGA is about the only competition I see that we have. Maybe I need to make an Auburn Tigers national championship page? :D I will graduate in Spring and if we won the national championship this year would be awesome! What made you decide to go to Indiana?
 
edesignuk said:
I didn't mean featuring you...you would need to make yourself some "special" friends ;) :D :p
Click to expand...

If I meet this kind of "special" friend, I think I will lack the time to actually make the page. :D
 
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