WAHM Forums

I have an IT background and I know how to design using html, xml, CSS, JavaScript, and basic php, java. I can use micromedia and frontpage, I can create logos and flashes.

I haven't done enterprise level or database driven site; most companies require database driven complicated sites and some require .NET

I sometimes get people asking me to do site for them; they don't give me the input. My problem is that I don't know what their company does; I don't know what input to write on assuming or using general thought from other sites. I expect the company who wants the site shall give me input or information about the company written in word format or so....and I can do the coding...but most of them don't tell me and I get stuck.

So my first question is, where do I get the input? Do you guys actually get from the owner or do you make it up yourself?

My second question is, eventhough I know how to code and can make a site without having the database, I really want to learn how to make database driven enterprise based huge complicated site.

Can you tell me where to learn it easily.

I'm not sure I'd list Frontpage as something you're good at lol.

When I'm doing the site I'll do the layout and just fill it with lorem ipsum text, and then request the information from whoever contacted me to do the site. If they don't want to give me the input, oh well, they'll have a site with no content. You can't be expected to write it unless they hired you as a marketing firm, and even then you still need to get information from them.

As far as coding enterprise level sites, and learning it easily, it's not something that you can really "learn easily". Get a 4 year degree in computer science, at the very least take some classes at your local community college. Stop talking about and thinking about learning and actually just do. It doesn't matter if the site uses PHP, Ruby, .NET, etc. theoretically it's all the same. Same algorithms, say ways of pushing data between the server/client, just different structure and syntax of the code. Download PHP, MySQL, Apache (it's called the WAMP model if you're on windows, LAMP on linux) and just start doing it. Whenever you have a question about something google the answer, i.e. how to insert a row into a MySQL Database through PHP, you don't need to ask a bunch of people or get a book, it's a really simple google search. But honestly, if you're going the programming route take some classes at either a 2 or 4 year college.

Really the point I'm trying to make is this: You can read a handful of books on how to speak Chinese, but you're not going to know how to speak Chinese till you start doing it everyday. Same with programming.

Hi,

I already have a degree in IT and coding, creating data base by itself is included. At school, we didn't do complex enterprise based sites, but some projects we have done are in groups.

I didn't take PHP, but I learnt PHP basic reading online. I downloaded WAMP two months ago and the php programming part was not hard for me; creating database by itself can be ok, but attaching that to the php is a bit confusing to me.

I probably have to get book and practice or if you know simulation based software tutorial, please let me know.

Thanks for your response and help.

I sometimes get people asking me to do site for them; they don't give me the input. My problem is that I don't know what their company does; I don't know what input to write on assuming or using general thought from other sites. I expect the company who wants the site shall give me input or information about the company written in word format or so....and I can do the coding...but most of them don't tell me and I get stuck.

We run into clients from time to time that have very little to no content for their website. So we've seen there is a need for offering copy writing as part of our services so we charge an extra fee for this. It would not be included in the price of website. We are able to do this by working with the client to learn more about their business and the message they want to convey to their clients along with researching competitor sites to see what type of information they offer to their website visitors. Hope this helps.

I'm with WebMom. I prefer to design around content for optimum placement within a site's design. If a client does not have content, we do offer them the option to include copywriting services that will help to populate their website with professionally written content pertinent to their business.

Look into Expression Engine, Silver Stripe, and Wordpress. Of all the CMS programs I've sampled, they are the three best ones I've seen to date. Admin user interface for clients is a breeze with any of the above mentioned. When you've chosen a CMS, I recommend searching for and acquiring e-books, printed books, and/or screencasts that will help you understand the inner machinations of the script.

I forgot to mention. Since you do have background in programming, you could also create a custom CMS platform for your clients using CodeIgniter or CakePHP.