Website Building Software

[sidzz]

Am hoping to build a website soon. Have no knowledge of how to do this. What software would you recommend, or should i spend the next decade learning html?

Any info will be most appriciated

Cheers

Sidzz

[TizMe]

Depends, what do you want to put on your site?

[tomy]

Depends, what do you want to put on your site?

porno site

[sidzz]

just a pretty simple site to advertize a restaurant.

i'll tackle a porno site when i get better at web building

[ThaiAdventure]

Get someone else to do the site. Keep it up to date yourself.

The trade off is how long it will take you to learn and produce something professional as opposed to paying someone who does it day in-day out.

Once the design, layout and presentation has been done you should only have to replace words and pictures to keep it current (your menu for example). You can learn HTML, XML, HTTP, HTTPS,PHP,PERL (you will probably at leat have to look at all of these if you want things like online booking etc) in the long term while your business makes money now. That way you can decide how deep you WANT to go rather than NEED to go.

[sidzz]

Cheers for the advice....

You're not........................ a web designer by any chance????

[camster]

I agree the best way to get your site up and running properly is to get a professional (not a hack) to design at least the basic sctructure (logo if you dont have one, navigation bar, and overall look of the page layout. Then you can use something like dreamweaver to open the pages add your text and photos, then simply place it on the server. If you learn to do at least that much you will be empowered to keep your site updated.

[francois]

yes, get someone who know the job to do it properly.

I agree the best way to get your site up and running properly is to get a professional (not a hack) to design at least the basic sctructure

for the basics ... do it in a doc format and ask to someone to design the site, it has to be done with your approval on every single detail.

it's your site, put your taste in it, don't let someone else decide for you.

even a good designer has his own taste, and habits ...

impose yours, and manage the building.

and why not a good "hacker" ... don't take this word in the wrong meaning like it seems that it's understood most of the time.

a hacker is someone for who, no computing problem stay without solution!

searching and learning, this is the main way of hackers, the true ones, I don't talk about others crackers and sript-kiddies ... don't misunderstand

those last are pirates of the worst way it can be

another words, commonly used is "geek" and this apply to a lot of internet actors and devellopers, those who make the web getting better

and in many ways safer

and may I say ... Dreamweaver is a a little too pro for a beginner, don't you think?

might be better to start with a lighter one, like namo web-editor ...

[Edward B]

sidzz,

First you will need a domain name. You need to register one using any of many internet sites (www.register.com www.networksolutions.com etc).

This is probably the biggest decision you will make. It's like naming your baby! It should be something short and easy to remember and a name that reflects the business. Every domain name is unique. Take some time to think of a good name. Then check to see if no one else has taken it. Run it by some friends to get a feel for it.

The next step is to organise a host. This is a server that will store all your web site files. This server can be anywhere in the world. When you (or your web site designer) are finished designing the pages you can then upload them to your server using ftp.

During all this period you can sketch out a rough design for your home page. This is the page that appears when a user types in your domain name in their browser. It should be eye-catching and not too slow to load. You should also have some ideas about the purpose of your web site, will it take bookings or just simply be a one big page advertisement for your restaurant.

This will all cost money of course. The domain name, the host server and the web designer. Check out prices and compare. Good luck!

Hope that helps a bit!

[exchange1973]

Hi,

agree.... the most important thing is giving your site a name!

But be aware of registrating by yourself. It mostly costs even more as if you registrating in combination with rent webspace.

If you want to run a simplier site (without online-booking or huge databases) I advice you not to rent a dedicated server (a machine which only runs your site).

You better rent a website-package with for example 100MB Webspace and some GB free traffic!

In Germany you can rent such space for €5 to €10 (including international domain-registration). Setup-fee is around €10-€20! So you can run a site which is hosted in an professional environment (managed serverfarms).

If you need some help/support you can PM me!

Design:

for a few euros I can you setup a simple framework for your site! Also in Thai!

Contact me!

Regards

exchange1973

[randyksf]

Most of the folks are right if you want something that looks hot and really shows off your restaurant. Have professional to do it.

Then when you have time play use a software called Dream Weaver. Once you have a handle on the software then you can update simple changes.

My advice is to spend the time and energy into building the business. Not playing with something that can be addictive and time consuming.

Here are some hints and tricks.

1) Keep the site simple without Flash. Use the 5 sec rule per page. People will wait about 5 sec b4 clicking elsewhere. In Thailand most of us are on Dial-up at 40k.

2) Also there was a study last year and they stated 800 x 600 was still the most popular resolution used.

3) Purpose of the site.

4) A list of web sites you like, and what you like about them.

5) Using MS word and type out content examples

6) List the functions you will want in the site. such as specials, prices, directions (Map), e-mail, on-line reservations, parties all that good stuff.

7) If you want it in Thai or English or both.

Saying I want a web site is kind of like saying I want a car. It will save you a lot of time and stress having this information. Also you will give the web designer more to work with in quoting prices.

As to the hosting. That is the easy part www.AITCOM.net charges about $40 bucks a year for a basic site and domain reg. Your web designer can help you with this too if you don?t want to spend the time. I use www.dreamhost.com they seem to offer the best of everything. I am paying 10 USD with 500 meg of storage and can host 3 domains. AITCCOM.com is great for one domain.

Some places are a lot cheeper but use will send pop ups or have banners. A lot of people will not go to a site with pop ups.

Finding a the name can be the simple or hard part of the job Keep it simple and as close to your restaurants name as possible.

good luck

[Guest IT Manager]

First thanks everyone for great input. Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

A few minor points.

1. It's a restaurant site for 40 seats. Online booking isn't an issue. It isn't a hotel so no need to pay in advance with credit cards.

So, XHTML and ASP and Perl are not needed.

Francois I like your idea. Do the format in Word then get it webbed on say Dreamweaver.

Buy dreamweaver o an approximation thereof in Panthip while you are in bangkok. It has good how to's and takes 5 minutes to get something up and running. Aslo easier to get files up to the server in the right way. Yes, yes all you experts using cute etc., dreamweaver is one stop shopping.

Leave flash out for the first little while it will just be confusing, except maybe use their buttons.

Name registrar, don't use Register.com, they are technical imbeciles. Use networksolutions. also cheaper, bettr service adn you can chat to people, not AI Email answering machines.

Host.. heaps throw a dart in "web page" in your phone book. Ask them about uploading to them. Find out the name of the directory you will load to. If it isnt your site name, go elswhere. I use apageintime.com very good service, incredible support and all round nice folks. Based inNew Jersey within a block of the Sprint Link and you can't get a lot closer than that.

Specifics needed, talk to me when you get here.

No I don't want to do it, but would throw a page or two together for you if you want. (Free)

[call_king]

I don't kow if any of you saw my OLD calls.in.th website but I was quite proud of it. It took me forever to add conetnt to it and it was only after about 4 months that 'friends' began telling me how crap it was.

The point being - Definitely get somebody skilled to di. It should save you hours and, there is nearly no way an amateur can do anything even bordering on professional without investing way too much time.

I used www.elance.com to locate a designer. Whislt we've had many problems the concept of elance is pretty good. Basically you determine what you want, and companies compete for the contract.

I learnt a few things the hard way. So my advice is;

Detail EXACTLY (word for word) what you want. Get to the stage whereby once you send the designer your requirements they can leave you alone and get on with it. The more time yo spend doing this, the easier life will be for you.

Set clear deadlines and demand daily progress updates. In my experiences web designers are notoriously unreliable. I have insisted that I make no pre-payment for work and offer a low rate for the contract but with a high fast-completion bonus. It hasn't worked perfectly yet as for a new site i'm now scrapping my 2nd designer and moving to the 3rd however I'm in no hurry, and all it required is for me to email the next guys the same detailed description as previously.

good luck with things.

Martin

[ThaiAdventure]

Cheers for the advice....

You're not........................ a web designer by any chance????

Nope. But I do my own and thats painful enough.

1. It's a restaurant site for 40 seats. Online booking isn't an issue. It isn't a hotel so no need to pay in advance with credit cards.

I don't remember seeing 40 seats in the spec. Know something that we don't????

Even though, advance booking helps estimation for staffing levels, fresh food order planning and gives the customer that "I am special" feeling. Nothing better than arriving at a restaurant and having "Reserved for ??????" on the table.

It can be as simple as an e-mail.

[udon]

Good advice above. I was a domain name registrar for nrly 5 yrs (yourname.com) until I got swindled out of my business back in the UK on arrival in Thailand.

Greed is NOT good!

Luckily, I sold the domain name 2 yrs ago for a good price to a co. in Florida

You can't do better than register a domain name thru godaddy

They can provide a private listing so you don't get swamped by spam etc.

If you need help, i'm only an email or phone call away.

cheers,

udon

P.S. I'm currently looking for a web designer, Thai or Farang, and good with Photoshop 8, for my new site in the sig. (cross posted)

[40theives]

As an experienced webdesigner I suggest you do these things:

1. Do not use Flash, hover buttons, banners, background images, image maps, PHP, ASP or any of that fancy stuff for your first site.

2. Put your most important info on your front page:

• Phone number
  
• Map of location
  
• Hours of operation
  
• Menu items and prices
  
• Plain text info searchable by Google
  
• Discreet photos showing what a guest can expect
  

This is the info 90% of people will go to your site for.

3. Use MS Front page or Dream Weaver.

PLEASE - remember that people go to your site to find info, not to be impressed with your web design. If you make me wait 2 minutes while your flash presentation loads I WILL LEAVE.

[stevenjm]

sidzz,

I,m a web designer - allthough I do not bother doing it full time - have learnt whats needed at college and am fluent with html, css etc.

I'll be in Bangkok next week and in the area for around 6 months. I like my food so if its just a quicky you need and have a computer I can use perhaps we could work something out.

You have numerous options such as a start from scratch site or using an existing free open source code script which would give you ability to login via an admin panel and add things or make changes as needed.

BTW - I am not affiliated in any way whatsoever but for budget options I would recommend digitalspace.net for hosting - us$3 per month with everything you need(php etc, mysql , 2.5 gigs bandwidth month, 10 mb, stats, email etc) I use them a lot and fully recommend them.

and for domain names either 1cheapdomains or godaddy.