Website Development

[jl3969]

I got asked by my father to create a website for a business that he just started. The problem is I have no experience whatsoever in this at all. However I am eager to learn. Thought I'd start the thread off with some basic questions:

Where is a good online place to start as far as learning?

Any recommended reading materials?

Programs (I'm downloading Dreamweaver right now...)

If you guys could offer me any basic tips and advice, as well as pointing me in the right direction, that'd be great.

[eyen]

maybe the only place you'd really need to go

http://www.w3schools.com/

[alexryb]

html.

css.

+

google.

[funkdoobi]

i'd suggest telling him to learn to spend money on professional services rather than asking his son to create an amateur website when he has no experience. if he wishes to be taken seriously, a shitty website isn't the way to go.

[keagan]

You don't need dreamweaver.

If you have os x this is a godsend for css-

http://macrabbit.com/cssedit/

[keagan]

i'd suggest telling him to learn to spend money on professional services rather than asking his son to create an amateur website when he has no experience. if he wishes to be taken seriously, a shitty website isn't the way to go.

That was stupid. Just because he is new doesn't mean his effort is going to result in a "shitty website". If he has some taste and takes his time...

Of course, if this is anything involving a shopping cart or some tricky php shit I would get someone to do it.

[jl3969]

Thanks, keagan for actual advice

He doesn't expect me to create the entire thing, although he said that'd be nice. I'm more responsible for layouts and content, but I wanted to at least get some sort of foundation in how websites work before I slapped something together.

I'm just trying to figure out the common elements in the corporate identity websites I like. Most seem boring but I guess that's the point? Anything you guys like as far as business websites (shopping carts not necessary)

[?uestionmark]

whatever you do. please dont go flash. html all the way

like this

M

[Gabriel]

make a grid

[mr fluffernutter]

http://www.cssimport.com/

thar are a lot of good examples of a decent corporate identity type sites on here, they're fairly graphic heavy in general but they mostly have great layouts etc

[mr fluffernutter]

but yeah, make a grid... align shit to that grid... columns are a good start...

navigation etc.

make sure there is a way to get back to the homepage...

don't use flash

don't fuck up

don't use more than a couple different fonts

do use colours that reflect the business(if he already has colours selected, that's cool too)

try and use css + xhtml if you can (there are too many reasons to list why)

don't use lame-oid stock photos of people being entertained by headsets and laptops or telephones and the sky

[Gabriel]

print what ↑ wrote in giant helvetica neue and pin it to the wall (if anyone asks wtf is this, just answer it's a John Maeda manifest or something)

[Guest Goose25]

Learning website design/development is tricky because it involves so much learning. If your dad is cool use something like wordpress and look around for 'skins' you can add to change the look and feel. Modify the css file in the skins folder to make the site look how you want it.

** This way you have something that works from scratch and is a 'mature' product with LOTS of options for design.

One big thing about making a website look professional is testing on all sorts of browsers - contact your friends and have them send screenshots of how the site looks on their browsers each time you finish a round of changes.

[Clockwork_killa]

i'd suggest telling him to learn to spend money on professional services rather than asking his son to create an amateur website when he has no experience. if he wishes to be taken seriously, a shitty website isn't the way to go.

QFT

Ive been designing websites for years now and trust me when I tell you, its not something you can learn in a few weeks.

Sure you can learn basic css and xhtml in a month or two, but it isnt just about knocking something together using them. You have to carefully consider the layout and navigation, then theres the issue of cross browser compatibility, oh and not to mention accessibility. If your site doesnt comply with the current accessibility guidelines/regulations then your dads company could get taken to court (google Section 508).

Basically, hire a pro, you can always redesign it yourself later on when youve got the skills.

[kunk75]

check out squarespace.com. not fancy but easy as hell, clean and templated. not exciting design wise, but just about anyone can use it.

[?uestionmark]

fuck it, make a blog.

[Guest larry]

I'd do it in wordpress, you'd be surprised at the number of professional sites that are using it or something similar ( mtv uk is done using drupal http://www.mtv.co.uk/ etc ) It works out of the box and if you don't want to do a custom install, there are loads of hosting companies that provide it pre-installed. Especially version 2.0 is great and very flexible, there are plug-ins available for most things that your site will need.