I Want to start a website any advice?

[dragongreengolfgti]

Websites are very difficult to build I have quiet a lot of knowledge but I only really know HTML there are many other codes such as java, XHTML, asp the list goes on and different codes alow for different functions for example website with a search bar or login screen can't be done in HTML this is where my talent came to an end as I didn't have the time or want to learn the others. When it comes to design and looks I can make a website look fantastic my problem in the coding and I can only do HTML which caused me to hit a brick wall.

Yes i have been involved with html before and i am aware my brother can use this method quite well but not sure about the other ways for him either  I would like to learn as much as i can while doing this and i will need a search bar and login system for customers so i guess i will definitely need to learn how to make this work  Shame about you hitting brick wall can you not get back into it and learn the extra stuff as there must be lots of help out there now which i hope to find  cheers
mike

[dragongreengolfgti]

Websites DO NOT need to be difficult to build, provided you have a bit of rudimentary knowledge and understanding of the medium.  You also need to have the ability to dip into code when necessary.

Go look up Joomla and see what extensions there are which you could plug in to make the system do what you want.

I'll bet there are some.

Unfortunately your opening post does make it sound a bit like you know very little and I think that is where you're going to come unstuck, because you'll need to rely on other people to deliver what's in your mind.

If I had the time I'm confident what you've outlined could be knocked up and running within about two weeks.  There is definitely money in there, even if you get it to local prominence and then sell it, as happened with wightbay.com which has the local market here sewn up.

Luckily I feel as though I could manage to learn most aspects to do this and I feel my idea is a market which hasn't yet been touched.

I know a few people who could maybe help but again I'd rather the less amount of people knowing my idea at the moment the better   

Cheers for the comments much appreciated 
mike

[dragongreengolfgti]

ebid.co.uk is a good alternative already.

I must stress I am not trying to compete with ebay or gumtree or any other selling site this is specific to something else. They are purely how I'd like my site to be, using a similar and professional layout that's all 

[novadragon007]

Can a website be made before it goes online and tested by myself to make sure it is going well ?

Yes you can test to your hearts content. Dreamweaver website design software allows you to design the entire site on your computer and you can play around with it and get things to look and act the way you want to before uploading it to your ftp server (thats where its stored on a server and accessible by anybody that types the web address into their bar).

The design itself isnt complicated and there is many many websites available when you search that can guide you through it as long as you are patient you will manage just fine.

The part i found difficult and to this day still dont fully understand it was getting my website to appear on googles search results and as you design and read into things you will encounter this. Its a combination of keywords on your webpage code (a bit like tag lines for a youtube video) and using googles webmaster tools but it will all make sense when you start getting into this.

Like i said dont give up when you hit a speed bump just try and overcome it as best you can and like you've posted on this forum for help there is a million forums for webdesign aswell.

Good Luck

[Ben Lessani]

You are *way* out of your depth, in both the financial and practical sense. Unless you've got a few hundred £K lying spare, I wouldn't even bother embarking on it.

To generate enough footfall to make the project self-sustaining would be your biggest hurdle.

To make something like this work - you need any two of: money, experience and luck.

--

FYI. My background is as the owner of an E-Commerce web development firm for UK Enterprise businesses turning over in excess of £50M each PA.

[novadragon007]

You are *way* out of your depth, in both the financial and practical sense. Unless you've got a few hundred £K lying spare, I wouldn't even bother embarking on it.

To generate enough footfall to make the project self-sustaining would be your biggest hurdle.

To make something like this work - you need any two of: money, experience and luck.

--

FYI. My background is as the owner of an E-Commerce web development firm for UK Enterprise businesses turning over in excess of £50M each PA.

wouldnt go as far as to say that, only way to get experience is by doing and there is plenty of free design programs out there that can build and upload the site.

My site generated £400 quid a month in commission and that was starting from absolutely nothing.

Remember myspace was started by one guy, bebo was started by one guy with very little input and aol were stupid enough to buy that for over a million 

Its like working on a car with no mechanical knowledge learn by doing and if you do something wrong go back and re do it the right way.

[novadragon007]

FYI. My background is as the owner of an E-Commerce web development firm for UK Enterprise businesses turning over in excess of £50M each PA.

and yeah that is quite impressive and i appreciate your experience but where do you think every one of those companies started?......

with one person that had an idea...

[Diamond Hell]

You are *way* out of your depth, in both the financial and practical sense. Unless you've got a few hundred £K lying spare, I wouldn't even bother embarking on it.

To generate enough footfall to make the project self-sustaining would be your biggest hurdle.

To make something like this work - you need any two of: money, experience and luck.

--

FYI. My background is as the owner of an E-Commerce web development firm for UK Enterprise businesses turning over in excess of £50M each PA.

Ignore this utter self-serving tripe. It is completed nonsense. Vision and intelligence will go much further online then a bag of cash.

[dragongreengolfgti]

Can a website be made before it goes online and tested by myself to make sure it is going well ?

Yes you can test to your hearts content. Dreamweaver website design software allows you to design the entire site on your computer and you can play around with it and get things to look and act the way you want to before uploading it to your ftp server (thats where its stored on a server and accessible by anybody that types the web address into their bar).

The design itself isnt complicated and there is many many websites available when you search that can guide you through it as long as you are patient you will manage just fine.

The part i found difficult and to this day still dont fully understand it was getting my website to appear on googles search results and as you design and read into things you will encounter this. Its a combination of keywords on your webpage code (a bit like tag lines for a youtube video) and using googles webmaster tools but it will all make sense when you start getting into this.

Like i said dont give up when you hit a speed bump just try and overcome it as best you can and like you've posted on this forum for help there is a million forums for webdesign aswell.

Good Luck

I appreciate your help and drive thank you, I will definitely give this a shot and see how far I can get and if I fail which I am determined not to I can embark on something else the web is forever growing and is the way to advertise these days and like you say some of the biggest sites we're started from people with ideas and ambition 

[dragongreengolfgti]

You are *way* out of your depth, in both the financial and practical sense. Unless you've got a few hundred £K lying spare, I wouldn't even bother embarking on it.

To generate enough footfall to make the project self-sustaining would be your biggest hurdle.

To make something like this work - you need any two of: money, experience and luck.

--

FYI. My background is as the owner of an E-Commerce web development firm for UK Enterprise businesses turning over in excess of £50M each PA.

I also appreciate your input however people do have to start somewhere and even if this is is an ongoing idea for 6 months to a year it could develop with i feel minimal cash input to start with. I understand you work for a leading company but I also wonder where they started when it began. I have a good income at the moment which should be sufficient to get things rolling