What is needed to create my own web site... ??

hello all at SevenForums

I have a a question I would really like some trustworthy help and advice for please..


I would like to create my own web site.
i understand I need to purchase some web space to do this.
this is where my problems begin. I do not know where to start.

What do I need to do to purchase my own web site ?
what things do I need to buy (always keeping in mind that I need to keep cost down)
I know cheapest is'nt always best. but I'm pretty sure there must be some good places to buy the things I need, to create my own web site for a bargain price. considering all the competition out there.

where do I start ?
what do I need to buy ?
where is the best and safest place to buy the things I need ?

I look forward to any help and advice

regards

Hi there
I suggest you FIRST attempt this on a LOCAL machine. You normally need to install IIS (it's standard in Windows) and then create a Web page and browse it.

However you can avoid this type of hassle by :

IMO actually the best way of learning this stuff is to either use LINUX - L.A.M.P --Linux/Apache/MySQL/php or W.A.M.P which is the same thing but in WINDOWS-- this then won't need IIS.

Look for tutorials on the web about doing this -- then when you are happy you can purchase webspace on a public server -- although if your site initially won't be too busy you could run it via the ISP --careful however as some ISP's exclude running a Server or a Web site on their broadband service.

Even if you DO have public web space always test it out locally first -- and remember also that not everybody uses I.E as their browser so you need to check your stuff with different browsers too.


Try something like this to play with -- suggest you test it on a Virtual Machine first.

Z:WAMP Server Pack - a lightweight, portable, and easy-to-install Web server package for Windows


Cheers
jimbo

You could save yourself some time and create a 'wordpress' website. You don't need to purchase any webspace or anything else. (there are also other providers of free websites but I can't think of any off the top of my head.)

I'm not sure how much space you get with it but it's a good place to start. There are many themes that are customizable to make it look like you want.

If you later find that you need more than this you can look into buying some space from a web hosting provider (I use IPOWER, but there are many others) I think I pay about $6/month for about 3gig of space and many other features.

You can also (with either a free wordpress site or a web hosting site) pay a small amount for a domain name so you can have a nice URL like 'YourSite.com'.

Hi,

First of all you need to think about what type of website you want? Will it be just a blog, or will it require a store/eCommerce software and/or it's own forum, etc?

Generally speaking if you are not a coder, and it will be a modest site with or without perhaps a small shop element then I'd suggest WordPress. If you want a more solid and capable eCommerce solution then Drupal would likely be your best bet currently. If it's a community forum site then I'd probably go with phpBB. These are all free and each powerful in their own ways.

Unless you intend your website to only be used by friends and family- avoid one-stop free website and hosting packages where you will not have your own independent domain name. For example- mysite.cheapaschipsweb.blah. Because as soon as you outgrow this you will pretty much have to start over, and probably have a good deal of hassle into the bargain.

Next as Jimbo says you should do a test build. The last time I looked all of the above mentioned solutions can be installed and developed on your local machine via installing only Xampp for Windows.

When you are clear about the design and have mastered the basic building elements, only then think about buying a name and any hosting.
At this juncture it's pointless thinking about hosting as it will depend on the type of site you will be building, as to what you will need and where best to get it.

One thing you should never do is buy/host a domain name with the same company your website is hosted with. Keep them separate and you will potentially avoid a lot of grief if/when you need to change your website hosting.

You can build a very credible site for free with minimal coding knowledge. Setting up your domain shouldn't cost more than £10-£20max, the hosting depends on the type of site you want/build.

If you need any detailed help as you progress please don't hesitate to ask...