Building a website? I haven't a clue

[VeRetired]

A long story shortened.
I belong to an association for retired Merchant Seafarers and during the years of travel we all made many friends who have been lost through migration and the dissolution of the British merchant fleet. For this reason I have been given the difficult task of creating a website, for the purpose of old shipmates from around the world communicating with each other.
I got a web design program; Web Page Maker that doesn't require any knowledge of html. All you do is copy & paste and there's an array of tools that make the creation of an acceptable page quite easy.
Having secured the domain name: http://www.liverpoolsailorsandships.com/index.html I put the site up for viewing and had every intention of seeking tutorials on how to develop the site into a multi page forum, but I hit a wall when I tried to create internal links e.g. a forum section where people can submit messages, photos and other forms of interaction, consequently everything has stopped. Little did I know that Web Page Maker is well known for it's dismal support and I can't find a help forum to ask for assistance

Therefore, I post a request for help and would be extremely grateful if there is a member who has knowledge of site building and loads of patience to walk me through the process of completing the site.

Thanks

 

[VeRetired]

I just tested the domain address and for some reason it cannot be opened. It was operating alright this afternoon so I can't explain the failure. I apologise for that.
Please don't let that discourage an offer to help.

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

It works for me but very slow - are the pictures big?

 

[VeRetired]

Yes John, they are too big (I've reduced the images to 72dpi in the new folder) as soon as I gather together enough pages, I'll repost and the loading speed will improve.

 

[Doc Lenny]

Hi

Suggest asking the moderators for some advice on forums since they may know a liitle of the logistics of such a (potentially) large task.

In the mean time why not put an email address for people to register their interest. For general web building try http://www.w3schools.com/ helped me loads. Don't think it's going to be a cruise though!!

Good Luck
________________________________
Lynda, moderator.

We only moderate, so can not help

 

[breezer]

Try

<a href="//www.diynot.com"><font size="6">link</font></a>


but where you see diynot.com change it to what you want to link to.

I would also strongly recomend you get a picture file size reducing prog such as paintshop pro, because if a site takes long to download, people will go elsewhere

 

[VeRetired]

Thanks for the helpful replies, unfortunately, I've tried mixing html script (that I've pinched from a couple of sites; right click, view source) with Web Page Maker and it doesn't work, or at least I can't get it to work. I'm going to take a bus ride to Liverpool Community College tomorrow and I'll ask one of the teachers in the IT dep't. to sort it out, they're very helpful. I've got the same program on a laptop so they can build the site in front of me.

I appreciate the advice regarding the image sizes but as I've said that is NOT the finished product, in fact what you have viewed is a sub folder, not public.html. My next task is to understand the cPanel with the hosting program, and when I learn how to do that I'll present to world a screen with fast loading images.

Helpful advice is still welcomed

 

[nik161]

how many pages are you thinking of? pm me, I can help with websites. £cheap.

or if its just to help you out while you get on your way, then £0 cos I am kind like that

 

[moderator]

How can any one PM you, we have no pm on this forum.

Also please note forum rule 7 (I have removed your signature)

 

[nik161]

How can any one PM you, we have no pm on this forum.

sorry, didnt spot that!

Also please note forum rule 7 (I have removed your signature)

thanks for sorting my sig, sorry about that too.

 

[VeRetired]

how many pages are you thinking of? then £0 cos I am kind like that

Then you are my man


I would like to have a page similar to this forum where people can submit questions and others respond.
I would also like to have page where people can send photos and I can show them as thumbnails but the viewer can enlarge them

Html script will do I've sorted that snag out

Thanks

 

[eggplant]

but first you have to hack the board to enable PM's which are for some strange reason disabled.

 

[breezer]

I think you will find you cant have a page similar to this forum, you have to have the whole forum

Although the software is free i would say it does need a lot of looking after, could you do that?

reason i say it is because i used to have a "guest book" on one of my sites (a guest book lets people leave comments on your website) I had to scrap it in the end because some people would just post links to adult sites.
Also as a forum becomes popular the amount of webspace it uses goes up imensly, this has to be paid for, which is why DIYnot has ads, get the wrong ads and you get no money coming in

I am not saying its a bad idea, but is it what you really want / look after

I got round the problem by having a form to fill in, then publishing the comments for all to see.
This way is much easier, but I still get "silly" posts i.e people asking to link with me when i dont take links, the drawback by having to fill in a form is that not a lot of people do, but i look at it as good because i have no more abusive comments for others to see which would spoil it.

but good luck

 

[WoodYouLike]

Another option (instead of a forum) would be intergrating a blog in to it where people can leave comments, or even write own posts where others can comment on.
Most blogs are free, see Blogger or a bit more advanced and IMHO more options/features Typepad.
All you need to do then is place a link to the blog on your main site.

 

[VeRetired]

Thanks to everyone, you have made me aware of the pitfalls ahead.

When I said I wanted a page similar to this, I meant a page where people can post a greeting, goodwill message or tale of their experiences of yesterday. It will NOT carry banners or adverts, so it wouldn't be very profitable for scammers or abusive mail.
Having said I'm well aware of the bizarre behaviour of some people, but I'll take the chance.

I appreciate it's difficult to convey advice without being able to connect through Windows Messenger or something similar, but you have tried to help and for that I thank you.