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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Well really, what's the point in having friends if you can't use them?
So, my wife is starting up a home business and we think she needs a web site. Are there any of these 'build it yourself' sites worth looking at, should we hire the proverbial 12-year-old-boy (despite court orders to the contrary), or is a professional the only way to go? Or something else.
I only ask here because so many of us/you seem to be pretty knowledgeable on these compu-thingys. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Hate to say it but, Apple/Mac makes it very easy... and the software comes bundled with the OS... |
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Joined: May 2003 Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Some internet service providers give you the tools to make your own website. |
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Joined: November 2004 Posts: 1374
| two companies that we use are Homestead.com for our commercial sites, .orgs, and .coms and also NetAtlantic for our e-zine publication
very newbie friendly, no need to know html or coding. Char built all of our sites using them
www.brevardfreecycle.org
www.forherandnow.com
www.thefreebiecafe.com
www.freecyclefabby.org
there are lots of options out there.. and some pretty good wysiwyg editors like Nvu(new view) that let you build your own pages without too much geekspeak.
Glenn |
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Joined: January 2005 Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | APPLE/MAC |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | My daughter designs websites. She needs money and Dad needs her to make some. |
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Joined: August 2002 Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I think it depends on the business and the purpose of the website. The answer to that question will determine how you should go forward.
With that said, a general rule of thumb is: An amateur website = an amateur company. If you're OK with that, then do it yourself. If she wants a real business, she needs a real website. Savvy buyers know the difference. |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
Hate to say it but... No you don't. You love to say it. You're an ApplePimp!
But I'm not buying a computer (though a Mac in in the budget for the coming year) just for one need.
(BTW, song is ready in two versions. One a pretty strong melody, great title and hook. Now, I just have to record them......after the seasonal rush, no, really!)
This business won't turn a profit until sometime late next year and I'm death on debt. So the Homestead thing looks pretty interesting right now. (non-geek friendly is important. All I know how to do it type.) Any down side to it? |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
I think it depends on the business and the purpose of the website. Goods points all.
She's making fine fitted custom brassieres. It's a real hands on business. So nothing will actually be sold on the web, it will just be a point of contact for people on the North Island to find her.
A few pictures, descriptions, and a contact address.
As most of the referral contacts will be through existing retail and medical outlets....and hairdressers, never forget the hairdressers.
And just plain women talking to women. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I wear a size 48 A-B, please. |
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Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3408
Location: GA USA | You can register a domain name really cheap. I use namezero.com. My two domain names cost me $15 a year each. You can set up the actual web site at homestead or something else free and use namezero's url forwarding.
So the address would be www.handsonbras.com even though it's parked with a free service. If you move the website, just adjust the forwarding address. |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | don't get me started....... |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by fillhixx:
Originally posted by Jeff W.:
Hate to say it but... No you don't. You love to say it. You're an ApplePimp! I like to think of myself as more of a "Facilitator"... |
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Joined: December 2004 Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
I wear a size 48 A-B, please. Where's Heather when you need her???? :D |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | With the (soon-to-be) demise of TwoManGroup, I've recently been looking to establish a webpage on which to list my solo gigs . . .
John B turned me onto Yahoo, and I just recently opened an account. It's fairly basic, but it's inexpensive and quite intuitive for the beginner.
You can even select one of their themed "templates" and easily modify the look/content to suit your needs.
If it allows me to publish some pics, audio files, and gig schedule (which it does), it suits the purpose (for now).
Webpage design is something(else) I've ALWAYS wanted to learn, but never found the time to.
Perhaps NOW, this'll prod me along. I'd always designed the "look" of the TwoManGroup site, but Rick's Mom's company hosted it, and made it "work" with the graphic files that I'd e-mail her.
Once I become proficient in Flash, I'll look into setting-up a more comprehensive site, but for the time being, the Yahoo site'll work fine . . . |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by fillhixx:
All I know how to do it type.) Any down side to it? I can see one down side. She better do her own typing. |
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Joined: July 2005 Posts: 3408
Location: GA USA | Now that was funny, MIB. |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Jeff W.:
I wear a size 48 A-B I told you it's a hands-on business. You'll have to deliver them here. (I promise to personally warm her hands first.)
If you came during Music Fest you could admire, and drink in, The Dome. I think you'd be the sort to appreciate both the dome and the micro-brew provided. The view of the stage from the dome is pretty good to. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | and raise a glass to ol' Bucky Fuller... |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by fillhixx:
She's making fine fitted custom brassieres. Something tells me that's not nearly as hot as it sounds.
My $0.02 on the original question: Hire a professional designer. Period.
The basic mechanics of a web site (I mean a static one with just a few pages of photos) are trivial. Putting that together is a slam dunk.
But that's a completely different question than the graphic design of the site. Its worth spending some bucks so you have an integrated branding presentation: Web site, business cards, product packaging, etc. It should all tie together.
In most places, good designers are falling out of the trees. For a surprisingly small amount of money, you can get a professional result that will fundamentally differentiate you from your competitors. |
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Joined: March 2007 Posts: 665
Location: Tychy, Poland | Omaha did a good point. It's always amazing me that only a handle of normal buissnesses in USA has good webpage. a lot of them is made in plain html and it look just bad.
i don't like flash web sits, i like clean, modern look.
If you know anything about computers and at least basics of html / php, try joomla (www.joomla.org), but you will need to get a hosting with access to SQL database. |
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Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | I singed up with a basic server and am using idiot-proof "Mambo" freeware to edit and manage our page. Like LBJ says, flash is a b****ch. I do not have to know HTML or any of that: I just log in, enter the site "from the back entrance" (now now) and add stuff, change stuff etc. May not be the snazziest site but it gets the job done, which is to act as a digital/internet buisness card-plus-presskit. |
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Joined: November 2004 Posts: 4413
| What word is that with 4 spaces between the b and the ch prof?
BTW cd reviews to follow |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | 'eeat'....it's American psuedo-english for 'female of an irritating canine type.' |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Hillary?? |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Does she come when you call? |
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Joined: January 2002 Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | No, she comes when you don't. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Mmmm....mmmmmm.....mmmmmmm.... ....mmmmm..... |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Will you NEVER learn to breathe through your ears?!? |
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Joined: March 2006 Posts: 269
Location: Nîmes, south of France | Cliff,
This is completely off topic but ...
I didn't remarked that sooner but ...
your signature is the gold number (1+ square root of 5) divided by 2, or the square of itself minus 1 .... :eek: :eek:
Amazing ;) |
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Joined: November 2006 Posts: 3969
| Also known as the Golden Ratio. It's been used by architects & builders since at least the ancient Greeks.
Another cool thing abut this number: there's a numerical sequence called the Fibonacci numbers that goes ...0,0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,... notice that the next number in the sequence is the sum of the previous 2 numbers. But what's really cool is that if you divide one number in the sequence by the number immediately before it, you get the Golden Ratio! (of course it works better for larger numbers, i.e. later in the sequence).
What else is cool, is that this ratio/Fibonnaci pattern is found all over nature. The ratios of the sizes of the chambers in a chambered nautilus shell, the sizes/patterns of pine cone seed pods, pineapples, sunflower florets, etc., etc. |
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Joined: October 2005 Posts: 5327
Location: Cicero, NY | Interesting. I thought he just fell asleep leaning on the keyboard again. |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4820
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | .....a million monkeys at a million typewriters, that's our Cliff.... |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Yeah, well some people get excited over certain numbers . . . some just piss & moan . . . |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Clifford, keep that heretical Golden Ratio crap to yourself... and if I see any Fibonacci Sequence malarkey, I'm registering a complaint with Al. |
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Joined: November 2003 Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Whoops.... just read the posts above yours... hate being late to the game.
. . . "Act accordingly". . . |
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Joined: March 2002 Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | . . . "Act accordingly". . .
NicholsonRULES!! |
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