Nice people thread 2 - now even nicer

PasturesNew

misskool wrote: »

hello fc

Pastures: I need some advice, I need to buy(?) or register(?) a website?? This is for the project and then it needs a design and I'm getting a graphic artist to work on it.. We've got some content to go on plain pages and would like a blog incorporated in it. What would be best?

My generic advice to people is: Get a good, well-known, web host that has cpanel and fantastico (e.g. bluehost is one). Register your domain with a reputable company (I use 123-reg, but I don't use them for hosting). Point your domain name at the host. Then, because you have fantastico, poke about in there for scripts and you'll find you can "one click install" Wordpress. This is the version of Wordpress that you install on your own domain (so not Wordpress.com, which is the same software).

You'd then have:
- a domain name you aren't going to "lose" because the cheap. flakey s0ds went out of business (happened to me this year)
- hosting that you have good/easy control over (123-reg tends to tie you down to their packages too much for me).
- Wordpress would be installed.

Get a graphic designer who can design Wordpress themes. Install the theme (couple of clicks once you know which clicks).

Then you have: a highly optimisable, advanced, well supported, state of the art, customisable Content Management System that you can easily set up and run yourself. AND.... Wordpress has these fabulous (mostly free) things called plugins. You wake up one morning and decide your website needs extra functionality, do a google search and there's the instant solution either free or cheap, just a couple of clicks away.

You can set Wordpress up in two ways:
1] It is a blog/works like a blog, when you post a new entry it's at the top, just like a blog.
2] It is a website, like a website. You create pages, not posts, so it's static.

You can run two separate installations, separating the web pages from the blog pages, or fiddle around and get them both working from one installation (I've never gone down this route, so can't say how that'd work, but I bet it's straight forward really).

When I set up Wordpress I instantly get dbackup installed and running: this automatically backs up my entire site and emails it to my gmail account as an attachment every day, that's backup sorted out immediately and painlessly.

After that I just sit and think "OK, so what do I want this domain to do then" and add in the necessary plugins. I've got all sorts of functionality.

Every one of my domains runs on different plugins.

My downfall is never actually paying for a theme, so I just pick up free ones and they're really pants. And they take you hours to find. Free themes are plentiful, seemingly good, but really suck up your time to control.... you don't want that, so just find yourself a good, reliable Wordpress theme designer.

You can have membership sites, mailing lists, newsletters.... all sorts of great things that you'll wish you'd thought of 3 months down the line - and if you need to call a programmer each time there'd be a 2 month delay to get something vaguely like you meant, with a cr4p front end and a huge bill.

Two of my websites I've got set up so that the urls aren't dated. I've installed a plugin that says to itself: "Oh, she's not posted anything for 4 days, I'll take the oldest one and repost it". Which then automatically pings ... and google goes "oh - look - a new post - marvellous".

There's a lot more to it all than just the above. But that's what I'd say to anybody to do if they want: An instant, easy to use, reliable website that has 1000 different plugin functionalities that they can have up and running within 5 minutes of thinking of it (except some do require a bit more setting up, like mailing lists/newsletter list management). But you cut out all the time delays and specification writing and testing and costs.

HTH

It's a BIG subject.

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

After Harrow, Hemel is the next nearest, another no-go because I get lost trying to avoid the magic roundabout. Then Stevenage, but thats quite a distance away.:mad:

Practice the route on Google Streetview.

PasturesNew

Is this the magic roundabout you're all on about?
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=hemel+hempstead&sll=54.136696,-4.042969&sspn=10.333368,30.893555&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Hemel+Hempstead,+Hertfordshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.74621,-0.472262&spn=0.002664,0.007542&t=h&z=17

You can work it out online which lanes you need to be in as you can see where you'd be and where you'd be headed for.... if in doubt, hug the inside of the roundabout and go round twice, spotting, picking then using the right exit

John_Pierpoint

michaels wrote: »

The magic roundabout is fun:rotfl:

History of magic roundabouts:
http://www.mini-roundabout.com/networks.htm

The A13, Britain's answer to Route 66, retreats back to the 1960's at this deluxe version of a magic roundabout.

http://sunilprasannan612.fotopic.net/p19672478.html

I was going to recommend it to panic stricken air travellers trying to get to Stansted Airport. The traveller emerging from the Dartford Tunnel to a scene of total chaos on the M25 has the option of turning East along the A13. Then the airport (& M11) is less than an hour and a half away via this magic roundabout.

Unfortunately the powers that be have recognised its potential as a M25 bypass. Work has just started to dig a trench to bypass it, making a non stop route to the A12 at Chelmsford, thus undercutting the evening rush hour queues to get back onto Canvey Island.

http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/content/binaries/documents/Transportation_and_Road_Planning/Major_Schemes/Sadlers_Farm_Revised_Planning_Application_-_Drawing_718047_C2314_PA26_-_Figure_3.1c_Scheme_Plan_-_Addendum_to_ES.pdf

So it will get worse before it gets better.

View it and use it now before this magic roundabout joins the history books!

http://pixplot.com/?Album=Roundabouts#+051.566840+000.541699_17_S

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/65737

(The strange "mountain" on the London side of the roundabout is a circus tent)

Ellie2758

ooooooooooh spooky, was just going to look at Argos site but came on here first.

Argos has 6 arms, Tesco has 3 arms..........hmm, ponder, ponder, ponder <strokes chin thoughtfully>

PasturesNew wrote: »

Argos have one: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8500935/c_1/1|category_root|Kitchen+and+laundry|14418476/c_2/3|14418476|Laundry+and+cleaning|14418551/c_3/4|cat_14418551|Indoor+airers|14418554.htm

You can look online to see if they have one in a store near you too, and reserve it before dashing in to collect.

carolt

silvercar wrote: »

After Harrow, Hemel is the next nearest, another no-go because I get lost trying to avoid the magic roundabout. Then Stevenage, but thats quite a distance away.:mad:

Sympathise. Can't get OH to go to Watford, because he hates the complicated one-way system/spaghetti junction so much.

There is one advantage to not driving, you see - on buses, it's all someone else's headache. Plus buses can often go down the straightforward roads that are banned to other cars anyay.

lostinrates

Big dog has gone off to be washed, meanwhile dog-dog stole a victoria sandwich I did this morning for the freezer. Bad start to our ''special time'' together alone today. Anyway, whipped up the batter for an cinnamon ripple cake ...then realised I have no ground cinnamon. Blerugh.

vivatifosi

carolt wrote: »

Sympathise. Can't get OH to go to Watford, because he hates the complicated one-way system/spaghetti junction so much.

I have a technique for Watford too if you don't mind walking. Come off on the main road into town from J5 of M1 (not the A41) and then at second roundabout turn right towards Tesco. Park in the Tesco or top car park, walk into town from there (about 5-10 mins) and then get food shopping at end of main shopping and drive home. Not a hint of one way system and easy access to motorway.

Now, any other Hertfordshire towns you'd like help with, WGC, Stevenage, Royston, St Albans, Hatfield?

vivatifosi

PasturesNew wrote: »

Practice the route on Google Streetview.

Brilliant idea Pastures. As its a relatively new tool I hadn't even thought of using it for that.

lostinrates

vivatifosi wrote: »

I have a technique for Watford too if you don't mind walking. Come off on the main road into town from J5 of M1 (not the A41) and then at second roundabout turn right towards Tesco. Park in the Tesco or top car park, walk into town from there (about 5-10 mins) and then get food shopping at end of main shopping and drive home. Not a hint of one way system and easy access to motorway.

Now, any other Hertfordshire towns you'd like help with, WGC, Stevenage, Royston, St Albans, Hatfield?

LOL. Its making me smile. For a very bizarre reason that made sense to me at the time I sometimes use to drive to Watford from N. London to do groceries at that HUGE asda.