talkmagic.co.uk

OK so I want to create a web site, very original I know. Just because I wanted to reserve a domain name and because I feel like taking on a little project that would challenge my technophobia and allow me to enter slowly into the 20th century. Already set up wifi at home 10 years after everyone, and in the next few decades, I'm trying 21st century stuff

So I've got my domain name, and I read that Joomla was a good free software. Apparently, the application has to be loaded to my web space via FTP.

Problem is I don't even understand 3 quarters of what I just typed in that last paragraph!!!

Where can I go and educate myself about that, or has anyone here got any experience with loading Joomla that they wouldn't mind sharing?

Thanks
LP.

First things first, do you have web hosting? If you do, FTP is the method used to copy the files over to the server (it's a bit like copying files between folders in your computer, but over the internet). Contact your hosting provider for your FTP details, and you should just be able to visit the address they give you in Internet Explorer

I've never used Joomla before, but I hate to say it looks confusing to me! Can I recommend Wordpress to you? It's got a very quick and easy install (they claim 5 minutes, it'll take longer than that but it's still simple). If you're wanting to use Joomla for whatever reason then I (or someone else who's used it, if they're around here) should be able to help out once it's on your web hosting

If you don't yet have a host etc, then I can PM you with some suggestions if you wish

Hi Kolm;

thank you, yes, I have a domain name with 1&1.com and their home package thingie.

I can't quite remember why I chose them, maybe because I liked the colours and their name was easy to remember. Still, now that's what I have to work with

So Joomla may not be so good for me then, fair enough. Thank you for the recommendation about wordpress, I will check it in more details.

If I understand correctly, I need an FTP program to transfer the software into my web space, and then to load pages and stuff into it?

I think I need to go and grab a "for dummy" book or something.

Cheers
LP.

Le Petit Bateleur wrote:OK so I want to create a web site, very original I know. Just because I wanted to reserve a domain name and because I feel like taking on a little project that would challenge my technophobia and allow me to enter slowly into the 20th century. Already set up wifi at home 10 years after everyone, and in the next few decades, I'm trying 21st century stuff

So I've got my domain name, and I read that Joomla was a good free software. Apparently, the application has to be loaded to my web space via FTP.

Problem is I don't even understand 3 quarters of what I just typed in that last paragraph!!!

Where can I go and educate myself about that, or has anyone here got any experience with loading Joomla that they wouldn't mind sharing?

Thanks
LP.

To be honest, if you don't understand FTP and what you typed, there is no point at all looking at Joomla. You using Joomla would be like advising a beginner in card magic he needs to do perfect one handed faros and memorize it before he can control a card!

Joomla is an industry level open source content management system and way way way above what you need. I imagine.

May I ask what the site is for, and then I might be able to suggest some more friendly ways to start you going...

For example, if its a personal small site, you could just 'point' the domain name to a free blogging service like wordpress. They would they host the site for you for free and you could have a simple site with the basic "contact me, about me, why book me, gallery etc" for the price of your domain.

But if it's for a specific project that might not be the best solution. So, fess up. What do you need the site to do?

Le Petit Bateleur wrote:Hi Kolm;

thank you, yes, I have a domain name with 1&1.com and their home package thingie.

I can't quite remember why I chose them, maybe because I liked the colours and their name was easy to remember. Still, now that's what I have to work with

That and their heavy advertising everywhere m'thinks
1&1, if I remember right, have decent documentation for FTP. You should have an FTP address (probably your domain name), a username and a password. These are also probably your account username and password

If I understand correctly, I need an FTP program to transfer the software into my web space, and then to load pages and stuff into it?

Yup, use an FTP program (IE will do the trick - just replace http:// with ftp:// in the address bar - or you can use Filezilla which is quite nice) to upload the files. If you're using Wordpress, you just then need to visit the site, fill in the setup questions, then everything is all set up and ready for you to upload your skin with FTP (don't worry, that's dead easy and there's loads of documentation on their website)

Then write your content

I think I need to go and grab a "for dummy" book or something.

Web developers don't bite, honest!

This webiste joomlatutorials.com a good Joomla video tutorials that will help you start from beginning.

I find Joomla to be a bit heavy weight. I'd suggest looking a Drupal (http://drupal.org) which is also free.

DaveM wrote:I find Joomla to be a bit heavy weight. I'd suggest looking a Drupal (http://drupal.org) which is also free.

I have indeed, but I'm wondering if I'm best waiting until they release v7. I'm guessing this will be around February or March? Reasoning is if I upload v6.14 now, set something up, choose a theme, and it all changes in v7, I have to start from scratch again? Also I find it confusing enough to load a version, and I have no idea how to upgrade.

I'm not in a rush as to when I go online (it's an idea I've had for a long time now, so a couple more months don't make that much of a difference).

I've seen a lot of tutorials, looked at the themes etc... It looks quite straight forward to use when installed, or at least something I can learn by playing.

The hardest bit to me seems to upload the software on my web space. I have a domain on 1&1.com, and they offer the following advice:

http://faq.1and1.com/scripting_language ... hp/20.html

It get confusing to me at 8.

If I understand well FTP allows to upload the data file to my web space on the 1&1 server, and SSH to remote login to the server and perform the rest of the installation actions?

I'm thinking I could ask someone in the office to do the installation for me for a fee, but that would be kind of cheating

Not sure if 1&1 custumer support would, might be worth dropping them a note.

I keep digging

Thanks for the tips so far guys and girls.

LP

Yikes, that's a confusing setup. I don't mean this in a big-headed way, but I genuinely wouldn't expect anybody who doesn't know about web development/hosting to do that kind of stuff. I try to stay away from commandline stuff myself unless I really need to

Anyhoo, ssh is a way of directly connecting to your server only without the bells-and-whistles of a point and click operating system like Windows has. You'll need to download a copy of PuTTY (from here), and then connect by following the instructions here.

I think the rest of the steps seems like a case of copying and pasting the commands given to you, at least up to step 14

For Step 17, it's worth pointing out that when it says "the Insert key" it actually means "press I". And if you want to copy and paste the line, once you've copied the line into your clipboard you'll need to right click to paste in PuTTY. Don't forget to press I first, though

Wow. I'll be surprised if I didn't confuse you more there!

Hey thanks Kolm, I appreciate you spending the time reading through all this!

Yes, it did help

Tell me, how badly can I screw things up by trying it? Worst case scenario I mess it all up, will an IT expert be able to fix it for me afterwards?

Glad it helped!

And nah, if you do manage to screw things up beyond repair (worst case scenario) you only need to delete everything that you've uploaded and start again, no permanent damage