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Thread: Help with a web page

  1. #1
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    Default Help with a web page

    Anyone here have the ability to help building a web page?
    I have a website and a discussion forum, and I want to start a new one. I am no computer guy, and I had a lot of help when they were done 5 years ago, but those folks are unavailable to me now.
    I have a host and own the new domain name for a new site, but the PHP, MSQL, etc. are all Geek to me.
    I can get Joomla, PHPBB, or SMF forum software easily.I have lots of experience in admin, but little in the initial building.

    By the way, I am a poor man! Volunteer help would be great, but low cost alternative could work.
    Last edited by Papaw; 10 Jan 2010 at 07:49 PM.
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  2. #2
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    If you want a webpage that's integrated with message board features, I think Drupal would probably be your best bet. There's a bit of a learning curve to it as far as making it do exactly what you want, but you can make it functional from the get go. It's fantastic for quickly and easily putting together a site, too.

    Joomla really didn't impress me in any way, as it wasn't intuitive, easily customizable or even aesthetically pleasing.

    If you go with PHPBB, though, I know we've got a number of people who've tinkered with that by now and could give you advice or answer questions as needed.

  3. #3
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    I believe Drupal is one of the items available on my hosting program, Dream Host.
    I'll look into it.
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  4. #4
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    The vDrupal that we've been using on the front page here is a few versions behind the most current one, but looking at the documentation it doesn't look too wildly different, either. If you do go with it, I might be able to at least point you in the right direction.

    What are the services and options you want to have on the site?

  5. #5
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    I envision a web site dedicated to Brazoria County, Texas, where residents and visitors can find info in one place about events, people, and places in Brazoria County. I would just need the page to be a portal to a discussion forum for the county. When I want to find out about an event in the county, I have to rely on the newspapers that only report the big events, or the web, where I have to filter through numerous sites to find anything. I would like the forums to be where folks could post announcements of events, review events, places to visit, etc.
    I would also like to set up sections for photos from the county.
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  6. #6
    Elephant Feirefiz's avatar
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    I'd also recommend drupal. At the moment I don't use it much but I have set up several smaller sites and it seems like a good balance between complexity and flexibility.

    If your host doesn't provide it, installing it from scratch isn't a big deal.

    I guess the more difficult part is the forum, or rather the integration between the forum and other parts of the site. There is a forum module included with drupal, but it is primitive compared to real forum software like phpBB. You can have site that combines drupal and phpBB, just as this one combines drupal and vBulletin. Unfortunately I haven't done that myself.

    I am sure we could help you with many aspects of the site.

  7. #7
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    The forum would be the most important part, so if Drupal is not as good in that respect, maybe PHPBB is the way to go.

    Do I really need a full web page if I want to focus on the forum? Maybe a portal page?
    Last edited by Papaw; 10 Jan 2010 at 11:07 PM.
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  8. #8
    Elephant Feirefiz's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Papaw View post
    Do I really need a full web page if I want to focus on the forum?
    Not really. I can't think of much that actually requires anything besides a message board. Depending on how much editorial content you want it could be worthwhile, but that is primarily a matter of presentation.
    I guess it depends on whether you want to be seen mostly as a community or more as a publication.

  9. #9
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Papaw View post
    I envision a web site dedicated to Brazoria County, Texas, where residents and visitors can find info in one place about events, people, and places in Brazoria County. I would just need the page to be a portal to a discussion forum for the county. When I want to find out about an event in the county, I have to rely on the newspapers that only report the big events, or the web, where I have to filter through numerous sites to find anything. I would like the forums to be where folks could post announcements of events, review events, places to visit, etc.
    I would also like to set up sections for photos from the county.
    Is there a local Chamber of Commerce you could contact? If they are not already doing something like what you describe, they might want you to do it under their auspices, and perhaps they would provide any technical help you needed.

  10. #10
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    The local Chambers of Commerce are a good source of info on issues and events that they plan and have interests in, but once again, one would have to go to each of at least 9 CCs to gather county-wide info. I am thinking more on the lines of a gathering place of info not plugged in to the Chambers.
    Not everyone is a follower of Chamber activities.
    I have connections with some local museums and historical societies that will probably be one of the first audiences I will target.
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  11. #11
    Stegodon
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    Quote Originally posted by Papaw View post
    Do I really need a full web page if I want to focus on the forum? Maybe a portal page?
    No, but as someone who's implemented a few web sites in my time, I can tell you that it's easier to install Drupal\WordPress\Concrete first, then install the message board, rather than the other way around.

    I mean, it's not really difficult (technically) either way. What I've found, though, is that it's easier to get people to come to a site and click a "message board" link than it is to get people who come to a message board first to visit the accompanying website.

    You may later on find that you want to do a "community calendar" or "community blog" or something in Drupal\WordPress, and it's a lot easier to get people to participate if they have to go to a "main site" and see their options, rather than simply bookmarking the message board.

    Also, it's easier to just have Drupal\WordPress in place (even if you only use it as a landing\portal page at first) than it would be to "retrofit" the site later on.

    Just my 2¢.

  12. #12
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Papaw View post
    The local Chambers of Commerce are a good source of info on issues and events that they plan and have interests in, but once again, one would have to go to each of at least 9 CCs to gather county-wide info. I am thinking more on the lines of a gathering place of info not plugged in to the Chambers.
    Not everyone is a follower of Chamber activities.
    I have connections with some local museums and historical societies that will probably be one of the first audiences I will target.
    I still think they might be a source of volunteer technical help. Look at it this way - they would regard your site as a plus (even if it had no official chamber connection) because it would tend to promote tourism and business within the area they care about. And they may have some members who have free time on their hands ... perhaps one of their members is a web designer, currently unemployed, who wouldn't mind providing volunteer technical help simply to have something to put on their resume. All the Chamber would have to do is include a notice in its next e-mail blast to members that you were looking for volunteer TA to help set up a website.

    But, I'm making a lot of assumptions, none of which may apply. The model above would work in an international setting, perhaps not so much in a domestic one.

  13. #13
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    I have made the plunge- Brazoria County Forum
    Since I already have a hosting plan with Dreamhost, and an old PHPBB database for my first forum 5 years ago, I just revamped that DB and was up and running in less than two days with the only cost to me the domain name.
    The forum is simple and needs some fleshing out, but I was anxious, so there it is. Now I will have to promote it. The membership numbers are false, since I left the count as it was in its old form. I have put the link on my signature on several forums I frequent and sent it to all my facebook contacts, many of whom are in or from the same county.
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  14. #14
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    I tried to open your link but it didn't work.

  15. #15
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    Works for me.Brazoria County Forum
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  16. #16
    I've had better days, but I don't care! hatesfreedom's avatar
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    Well now you just need to polish it up and make it look different than the other bazillion forums out there, attract guests, etc. Good luck.

  17. #17
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    It works fine now.

  18. #18
    Stegodon Papaw's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by hatesfreedom View post
    Well now you just need to polish it up and make it look different than the other bazillion forums out there, attract guests, etc. Good luck.
    That's the plan. Different layout, skin, whatever you wanna call it.
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