A simple question and answer Website Design

yus786

Hi

I'm after designing a website that

1. Will hold about 400 Q and A's to begin with
2. People can 'search' through these
3. Then i need a facility where they can email their question
4. Once answered - i want to facility to add this Q & A to the above bank of questions.

Is this fairly simple to do?

I've designed basic info type web sites in the past (using DreamWeaver) and am fairly IT literate.

Thanks

M4RKM

hiya.... i'll answer your queries in a simple format, like you asked the question...

1 - seems ok... 1 page, 400 database entries, displays say, 20 questions, and you click next and it displays the next 20, etc etc etc... (yes.. that is just 1 page)
then, you click on a question (page 2 of the website) and it displays the q&a...

probably the easiest way to set it out... so, you have a 2 page website now...

2 - with the database in the background, you'll be able to run a standard search function on it, and it should show results on a page... so we're up to 3 pages now... (obviously, you'd add the search box into the previous 2 pages, so it really is on every page of the site!)

3 - click here to email, and it take it to another page, and sends the email, put some captcha in, so it ain't a robot spamming blah blah.. we're up to a 5 page website... (email page, and thank you page)

4 - so, now you need your content management system in the background, which, would be, 7 pages long... 1 - log in, 2 - display of all questions, 3 - edit page, 4 - delete page, 5 - add new question page - 6 - thank you page, 7 - log out page (in a basic way, can be done with less pages, and different modules depending what you click.. but we're keeping it simple!)

5 - do you know how to design a website with a CMS, and a nice database behind it, because that is all you need!

7 pages for the content management (actually less, if you only want to add, and not edit/delete) and 5 pages for the main website..

easy really!?

jasonwatkins

it's actually quite easy to set up and install a CMS system if you're with a web host that allows PHP and MySQL

i've set up loads in the past so pm me if you need some help

M4RKM

why do i always think in making the pages myself, rather than using something prepackaged... .of course there are plenty of CMS options around.. if you get a decent host that has cpanel, and fantastico, it could be as easy as a 3 click install solution and your site is there..

oh yeah.. i think of making everything myself, because i design!! doh!

FreheitOverture

Its a little bit of PHP, not too difficult. I am currently teaching myself and can already program something like this, and if I can do it then anyone can. Or there are loads of open source CMS programs available which the web developer I work with swears by if you are in a rush and not being paid much. E107 is supposedly the best