New User Questions...

[Nameless_ 1]

Ooh, thanks for the support. :)Those content management systems sounds really good, but I think I have to set up my site first before I use one... or I think that's how it works. Anyhow, I'll take a quick look at the list and see what's on it. The PM will definitely come though, just depends on when I do it. I kind of already have a design on my website, but getting started with a Content Management System would be excellent for starters...And for Bandwidth, now that I know what it is, isn't a problem for me anymore, and I won't be putting up lots of contents, and almost definitely not music or movies files (almost definitely because I might change my mind - you never know, people change).I might have to do a quick research on the differences between Databases and Flat File Systems before I get started though, I have heard it is hard to change once you get up and running, and I want to avoid all the hussle and fuss once I get started.And thank you so much for your post, rvalkass. :DYou're a pro.

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Ooh, thanks for the support.
Those content management systems sounds really good, but I think I have to set up my site first before I use one... or I think that's how it works. Anyhow, I'll take a quick look at the list and see what's on it.

The PM will definitely come though, just depends on when I do it.
I kind of already have a design on my website, but getting started with a Content Management System would be excellent for starters...

And for Bandwidth, now that I know what it is, isn't a problem for me anymore, and I won't be putting up lots of contents, and almost definitely not music or movies files (almost definitely because I might change my mind - you never know, people change).

I might have to do a quick research on the differences between Databases and Flat File Systems before I get started though, I have heard it is hard to change once you get up and running, and I want to avoid all the hussle and fuss once I get started.

And thank you so much for your post, rvalkass.
You're a pro.

A CMS takes the place of your website. More or less instead of using custom .html's and whatnot (index.html, xxxx.html, etc.) you will be using "index.php" to pull information from the database - it will pull *everything* from there pretty much - page names, information, etc.

As for changing between the two, it's not really that hard. If you ever do you can just copy and paste all the information from all the pages of one into the pages of the other (assuming it's a small site).

[Nameless_ 1]

Hmm... so, is there a place to download CMSs? I don't know... or will it be embedded into the Xisto's Logic Plan system?Re:I have taken a look at the Aptana Studio... Everything looks so complicated! I actually went to the site and to learn how to use it, but the video tutorials are so hard, with the CEO talking about the different functions and things that I have completely NO idea about.It's just like listening to a nerd talking about derivatives and tangents and all that - technical terms and technical meanings...Also, I might not need to have a WYSIWYG editor after all, after going back to my long lost but not so long lost site of w3schools.com.They give you sample places where you can try our coding and editing, so I might be able to code up there and then copy and paste the code somewhere safe so I can take it out for editing later if I want to.But I still want to master Aptana Studio... using w3schools.com isn't a long term solution, and while I can learn how to code on there, I will still need a program with everything I need on it as a file so I won't need to get scared about loosing the code or whatever...If I can only find that Dreamweaver MX2004 that I have lost so long ago...

[rvalkass 5]

Hmm... so, is there a place to download CMSs? I don't know... or will it be embedded into the Xisto's Logic Plan system?

Generally you can download them from their respective websites. The list I linked to earlier has links to each CMS's website on their pages, where you can download them and find out even more about them.

When you get your hosting it includes Fantastico, which lets you install various scripts automatically, including CMSs. It includes the following CMSs:

Drupal Geeklog
Joomla
Mambo
PHP-Nuke
phpWCMS
phpWebSite
Post-Nuke
Siteframe
TYPO3
Xoops

If you want a different one to those listed, you will need to install it yourself.

Everything looks so complicated! I actually went to the site and to learn how to use it, but the video tutorials are so hard, with the CEO talking about the different functions and things that I have completely NO idea about.
It's just like listening to a nerd talking about derivatives and tangents and all that - technical terms and technical meanings...

Aptana looks like overkill for what you want. It's geared more towards people writing web applications in PHP and stuff, which you don't want to be doing right now. Try out one of the other ones I PM'd to you to see if they're better for you - remember they're all free!

[Nameless_ 1]

Oops... OK, wrong program then... :-/I think I kinda know what CMSs really do now, there are a couple of sites that used Joomla, and I know that they help you set up your site and help you make it look it however you want it to look.I will get started with one of those, most likely Joomla, as I've seen what can be created with them. Fantastico sounds Fantastic for starters like me!(no lame pun intended)And meanwhile, I'll be able to go on w3schools.com and learn HTML, CSS and all that, and I can experiment and refine my website building skills while I have a website running already. :)Is it hard to change from CMSs to your own template?

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Oops... OK, wrong program then... :-/
I think I kinda know what CMSs really do now, there are a couple of sites that used Joomla, and I know that they help you set up your site and help you make it look it however you want it to look.

I will get started with one of those, most likely Joomla, as I've seen what can be created with them.
Fantastico sounds Fantastic for starters like me!
(no lame pun intended)

And meanwhile, I'll be able to go on w3schools.com and learn HTML, CSS and all that, and I can experiment and refine my website building skills while I have a website running already.

Is it hard to change from CMSs to your own template?

It's pretty easy once you get an understanding of what you are doing.

Both of these sites were made by using Joomla (my personal sites)

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/
http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ takeover.com/aion (Remove the space - I put it there to keep Google from indexing that address.)

As for the Aion site, it helps show a lot more of Joomla's capabilities.
Edited August 10, 2009 by rpgsearcherz (see edit history)

[rvalkass 5]

Is it hard to change from CMSs to your own template?

Most CMSs have extensive documentation and tutorials available for making your own themes/skins/templates/whatever for that CMS. Most also have a large variety of pre-made themes you can download if you want to use one of those. However, some are easier to work with than others, so before you pick which CMS to go with, make sure you check out how to theme it and whether you think you would be able to learn how.

If you want to switch from a CMS to normal HTML files you make yourself then that is easy - delete the CMS's files and database, and upload your files in its place. However, removing the CMS means you lose all the content you put in to the site! So, you'd have to be very careful to make sure you copy and pasted anything you'd written or uploaded to the CMS into pages on your new site. To be honest, I can't see why people would make this move - a CMS makes things much easier as your site grows.

[Nameless_ 1]

To rpgsearchez:

 

Wow... actually, Joomla is actually really quite good... I might not need to learn any coding with HTML and stuff after all (but I still am in the meantime).

I have been to your bryworld (it was on your profile) and like it, apart from the "Powered by Joomla!" bit, but your gaming site (which looks even better) doesn't have that, so I'm suspected I can take it off, which is wonderful!!!

 

(I don't know if you've heard or seen in your comment box, but I might give in an article on psychology... but I don't know very specific information on that, so it might not be as good as you might want it to be. And it'll take a long time to write as I'm pretty busy)

 

To rvalkass:

Nice... I'll definitely start with a CMS then (definitely Joomla! too) and start my site off with that. Now I just have to learn how to use it, and build a stash of myCENTS for emergencies in case I won't be online for a while, which is quite often.

 

It sounds easy to use, just depends on what your definition of "easy" is...