Setting up new website

[sms2vm]

Hi,
I am novice to the world of website design & development. I want to quickly set up the website with following features and want to know what skills, software, programming knowledge and technology tools I will need to achieve this-

1. A website with slideshow of pictures with audio that describes each picture. The slideshow can run manually i.e next picture will be shown (with audio) only after clicking on 'next' arrow.
2. Ability to maintain user master database i.e. logging is possible only after validating username/password
3. User can share or like this through social networks such as facebook, google+ etc.
4. On clicking a link, webpage should generate pdf file in predefined template with logged in user name on this pdf file.

Thanks in advance for help.

 

[chrishirst]

Given your requirements and this:

I am novice to the world of website design & development.

AND Your "timescale" being:

I want to quickly set up the website

The best suggestion is to hire a developer!

 

[chrishirst]

Alternatively.


Install a CMS that has all those features.

 

[sms2vm]

Thanks Chrishirst...you made my day. Quick means I have a month but given i am totally NEW, its quiet short period for me. No developers allowed, its my little project.
I took your second opinion and just downloaded Joomla...let me see where it takes me by EOD.

Happy new year to all!!

 

[sms2vm]

So after trying to a whole day today, i think Joomla may not be the right choice for me. I am not seeing the right template for my needs and moreover i might be locked into the template that only partially satisfies my needs.

I have below requirements to fulfill on my website-
1. The website I am asked to build is extremely interactive with lot of animation or videos
2. It closely resembles the e-learning requirements i.e. user going through a interactive lesson pages and then answering the questions at the end by choosing from available 3 options. System evaluates the correct answer and then overall pass/fail assessment at the end and issuing certificate at the end preferably in pdf
This also means system should track the progress as user may pause and come back later to finish the test/poll
3. Every lesson is page-by-page scrolling with audio/video (commentary) to read out the text on the page and add more audio explainatin on graphic on the page
4. User may have to pay for taking the course so we need visa/mastercard payment gateway/interface

Questions-
1.Based on above requirements, is it worthwhile going down the route of CMS and templates or shall i start from scratch and develop my own website from HTML editor and CS5
2. I have CS5.5 master suite collection, will that help in building what i am trying to build?

Thanks

 

[Phreaddee]

for a "novice" this sounds like a pretty ambitious project.
i'm not saying it can't be done, but a month sounds like a tight squeeze.

It would be more worth your while to take longer and do it thoroughly than to rush towards an unrealistic timeframe.

4. User may have to pay for taking the course so we need visa/mastercard payment gateway/interface

if this is the first time you've set up a payment gateway your in for a treat. getting banks to comply with your timeframe will be like pulling teeth. you can always go the paypal approach, but personally I dont like it. if i'm going to go to the trouble of a payment gateway i'll make it a seamless one.

your first set of four "requirements" and your second set of four "requirements" are all substantially different. you'll need to work out a reverse brief for yourself. the first set sounded like a pretty basic interactive site, the second an online learning portal.

put all the cards on the table and work out the best workflow possible before deciding on a cms. the more pre-production work you can do, the easier the development will be for you, and the less likely you are to encounter surprises along the way.

1.Based on above requirements, is it worthwhile going down the route of CMS and templates or shall i start from scratch and develop my own website from HTML editor and CS5
2. I have CS5.5 master suite collection, will that help in building what i am trying to build?

1. in your case I would go the cms route.
2. if your comfortable with the programs than yes. just don't rely on PS too much for page layouts.

I am not seeing the right template for my needs and moreover i might be locked into the template that only partially satisfies my needs.

build your own template.

good luck!

 

[sms2vm]

Thanks for reply....
You are right, even though, the first set of requirements and second set, both are linked but seems as different....may be can explain it later.

For now, I just want to move in safe direction and avoid rebuilding my website.

Will it be very difficult to build this using Adobe Master Suite tools..btw I am as new to Adobe Master Suite as I am to anything that I have done in my life.

I fully get it that what I am upto is huge task against tough timeline. I am fine to extend timeline by six months to get it right but by Jan end I really want to have a prototype with one course and educate myself (hands on) not just literature and validate lot of my thoughts against feasibility.

 

[Celestia]

The website development is not so hard but needs some skills so the development can be categorized in different parts , website design, website development through tools and techniques in which HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP etc is necessary and the tools to develop it are, dreamveawer , , Another phase is to buy domain and hosting to make it live ,,, Then you have to write unique content for the site and make it live.

 

[Edge]

The website development is not so hard but needs some skills so the development can be categorized in different parts , website design, website development through tools and techniques in which HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP etc is necessary and the tools to develop it are, dreamveawer , , Another phase is to buy domain and hosting to make it live ,,, Then you have to write unique content for the site and make it live.

There's no quick and easy way to do it. Your probably would have been better off with Wordpress rather than Joomla as it's a bit easier to pick up - stick with it and it will all start to make sense. Don't give up when it starts to get frustrating. I'd only build from scratch as a learning exercise. It's your first project so you'll have to accept you're going to make a ton of mistakes and be realistic about outcome. There are plugins for all the functionality you have listed.

 

[reverseengineer]

If you're not completely versed in web design I would strongly suggest hiring someone who can. They will know the ins and outs of SEO, design and proper slideshow setups. Good luck!

 

[sms2vm]

I agree. Being bit new to this, it will be long time before "I" can build my own website the way I want it. So I have decided to go pro. Talking to many folks, but there again, they may be pro but most are using standard templates, static pages and mom-pop sites.
I need am ecommerce site with some interactive e-learning content.
The two main needs I have is -
1. Arranging a picture by snapping the missing parts at right location
2. e-learning features for animated story telling book with graphic illustration, audio and some quiz at the end.

Moreover everyone is suggesting flash when I want responsive web design that will work on iApple devices.
May be I was wrong to think it's simple. So far no one I talked to have done this.

Let's see. Thanks for your replied....i will update if I decide to progress.

 

[Phreaddee]

the pro idea is probably a smart one, just a few things....

most are using standard templates, static pages and mom-pop sites.

NOT pro

Moreover everyone is suggesting flash when I want responsive web design that will work on iApple devices.

haha Idiots, NOT pro

So far no one I talked to have done this.

If they are charging "$500 for a website" or "Site in a day" IMHO also not pro.

people have and do, but if you go the pro route please don't go with someone just because they are cheap. it'll burn you each and every time.

and ma/pa/static/cheap/and flash folk wont even know what responsive design is, in fact you'll probably notice this in their html.

<body marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">
<center>
<table width="800" ... etc

and if that's the case run like hell.

 

[sms2vm]

I really want to go to pro and ready to go 10 times $500 or more, but my condition is show me the simplest working prototype with interactive feature before you earn a $ of that budget. It can be some website you have done earlier...I am okay with that. Actually my requirement is pretty simple...at least to me.

 

[Phreaddee]

That's totally fair, I wouldn't ever Go with anyone without seeing there work first...
Also you should be able to get something awesome for 5k...