Topic: Need help starting a website...

[Scyphi]

You seem to really have this thought out, Texace, consider me impressed.

[Alieo]

Thanks... I still don't know what to do about food stamps. I'm not too worried about it though. I imagine that those who want to use this service won't be on food stamps, though, the incapacitated folks that I intend to reach may have food stamps, so it'll be an issue down the line. Shouldn't prevent the launch.

[Alieo]

UH-OH! I'm an idiot...

So I signed up for Bravenet, and for some reason, I thought I was paying for hosting, and I purchased this Bravenet Pro... and it cost $99 (50% off from $199) for one year of "Builder, all Tools and Services"...

I was gonna pursue site building with WordPress... should I pursue getting a refund for this? Or should I just use the damn thing for a year and switch over next year when my thing expires. That offer of $99 a year is good for the life of the account... but if I switch to WordPress in a year, how hard is it to move all my content over there?

[Pumo]

Actually, regardless of the fact that the service includes Builder, tools, etc. you can install WordPress over there right now, as those tool services are mainly helpers for complex websites, and as a Hosting service you can upload to it whatever website/blog/forum system you may want, like Wordpress.

A benefit of those tools included in the package are probably (I don't know much of Bravenet services) MySQL management and PHP utilites, and those may come VERY handy for making a Wordpress website.

So I don't think you made a bad choice here, as you can start to make your Wordpress site as soon as you want while using the extra tools you paid for.

[Alieo]

Actually, regardless of the fact that the service includes Builder, tools, etc. you can install WordPress over there right now, as those tool services are mainly helpers for complex websites, and as a Hosting service you can upload to it whatever website/blog/forum system you may want, like Wordpress.

A benefit of those tools included in the package are probably (I don't know much of Bravenet services) MySQL management and PHP utilites, and those may come VERY handy for making a Wordpress website.

So I don't think you made a bad choice here, as you can start to make your Wordpress site as soon as you want while using the extra tools you paid for.

*whew!* okay... okay... Thanks for calming me down some... yeah you're right. Extra tools could be useful. But this is my first rodeo, so I dunno how complex I'm gonna get, but knowing me, when I get into creating something, I go all out.

[-<WillyP>-]

You don't need the tools, just install your site. What they call tools, are thing like a guestbook, forum, site counter, etc. You can just copy a script to your page to instal them but that won't get you a professional looking site. It's the 'Pro' part that includes MySQL, PHP, FTP, etc...

BTW, Bravenet Pro is what this site is hosted on. No tools

Now the next thing to do is register a domain. Use the form on Bravenet. That way you don't have to hassle with transfering it. Once you get a domain, I will walk you through installing Wordpress, if you want to go that route.

[Alieo]

You don't need the tools, just install your site. What they call tools, are thing like a guestbook, forum, site counter, etc. You can just copy a script to your page to instal them but that won't get you a professional looking site. It's the 'Pro' part that includes MySQL, PHP, FTP, etc...

BTW, Bravenet Pro is what this site is hosted on. No tools

Now the next thing to do is register a domain. Use the form on Bravenet. That way you don't have to hassle with transfering it. Once you get a domain, I will walk you through installing Wordpress, if you want to go that route.

I have the domain, and I have downloaded the WordPress 3.7.3 zip, but... these instructions, even the detailed instructions are in Chinese to me... I know what only some of this jargon means, but not enough to follow the directions that were provided. For example, in the WordPress "detailed instructions," it says:

"If you will be uploading WordPress to a remote web server, download the WordPress package to your computer with a web browser and unzip the package.
If you will be using FTP, skip to the next step - uploading files is covered later."

I know Bravenet is the server I'm uploading to, but I dunno if it's a remote server or not, and I know it's got something that mentioned FTP on there. I know what FTP is, and I assume that's where you store the files for use in the website, but I just don't know too much beyond that. I dunno what the heck an SQL is, or what it's for. I've been to websites that were down in the past that would say 'SQL error' or something like that.

I just wish there was a very simple idiot-proof website editor that let me drag and drop buttons, let me edit the colors of the trims and the buttons, and let me input text wherever like a CD labeling software. Then, when it's ready to publish, I click on some magic button that says 'show code' and I take that code, copy and paste it into Bravenet (wherever codes are supposed to go there) and that's that. I'm too technically challenged to understand basic installation instructions. And I don't have money to be burning to pay some webmaster.

WillyP, if you want to invest the time in trying to help me install WordPress, I would greatly appreciate it, but I'm just gonna tell you right now, I'm probably gonna frustrate the heck outta you. I shall try my damnedest to catch on because my business, my brainchild, is at stake here, and needs to get launched.

[-<WillyP>-]

Right.

So next step is getting an FTP client. That is, a desktop software that communicates with the remote server. Yes, your space on Bravenet's server is referred to as the remote server. Some people like FileZilla, I use WinSCP. There's also some that embed in your editor or even within Firefox.

I don't recall if you get an FTP account set up already but it's easy enough to do. Go into your Bravenet account, and just set one up. Write down all the details, username, server, and password, you'll need them in your FTP client. While your in there, turn on statistics. And set up a database.


But if you want, try using the builder included with Bravenet. Though I have never used it, I believe it is a drag and drop editor, you start by choosing a template.

I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can. If you want I can get Wordpress up and running for you in a matter of minutes.

[Alieo]

I "accidently" installed WordPress! Haha! It was under Bravenet's list of "Manage Software". But... I still don't know how to work it.

Sooo... what do you think of THIS program?:
http://www.avanquest.com/USA/software/fixit-utilities11-professional-146390//USA/software/webeasy-professional-10-new-version-500665?meta=Website-Design-Software

I was reading reviews for it. A lot of people gave it 2-3 stars because it didn't do some advanced thingamajigs but every bad reviewer said that it would be good for people who know nothing about coding, and that it's a true WYSIWYG. I want some opinions on this software before I go forking over $50.

[Alieo]

Nevermind... went ahead and bought it... however, I find it impossible to publish the website to my host (Bravenet).

Can someone explain how I do this? I keep getting a Winsock error. And I've been reading forums saying that webeasy doesn't support sftp while some people have made it publish. I seriously, seriously, seriously need to get this damn website made. This is very frustrating.

Maybe I'm filling this out wrong, but... WillyP, can you help me in how I look up the following:
1. Host name or IP address: (What is Bravenet's host name/IP address?)
2. User identifier: (Is this the username I used to sign into Bravenet or the different name I created to access sftp?)
3. User password: (Is this the password I used to sign into Bravenet or the different password I created to access sftp?)

Now, I managed to export the files from the Webeasy program and uploaded them into the host, but it comes out jacked up. Check out: www.aisle66.com

Now, check out the attached screen shot of what the index page SHOULD look like below:

~~~ARRGGHHH!!!!~~~


NEVERMIND! I THINK I DID IT! I just reuploaded all the needed files! HOLY SH*T! I THINK I GOT THIS! 
What I did was exported the Webeasy generated site to my computer, then manually uploaded each file one by one into the server. Hey, whatever the heck works, right? haha! I'm like that kid in math class that can't get it the easy way so I have to do all these crazy extra steps to finally get the problem.

[-<WillyP>-]

Grats on getting it done!