Web Site creation Advice?

#1 OK, well, i would recommend setting up MySQL, PHP, and Apache with EasyPHP, or just by yourself. Then, go get PostNuke, and go customization crazy! You might need to get (or create) new modules for some of those things. Then get PHP collaboration, and whatever else you need at some script site like hotscripts.com. Go do whatever else you need to do (like get a domain name, ssl encryption) and that should do it. expand on that...

#2 There was a thread posted not even 2 days ago that kind of touched on this: Game Marketing Cornerstones: The Game Website

It would be helpful if we knew a little more about your products and projects.

I use NOTEPAD (I am not kidding). Our websites are driven by PHP, so I create a template and can modify the graphical look just by modifying a few JPGs, GIFs or PNGs.

#3 I also use notepad. I think Frontpage is a waste of time IMHO.

#4 @Kuhles I check the hosting company I dump my $$ into and a lot of those features you mention are included in the plan I pick. :) So that saved me a lot right there

@Randall I read the info but one thing is we want to do more then present a gamesite only company. Its really good information but we dont want to be a Gamesite. Games will be our in-house projects but we want room to show a variety of media needs from custom artwork to company logos etc.,, :)

@Both ok going to try out some of those PHP tuts and fired up my notepad and see what I can do LOL. thnks for the info Guys.

#5 If you like notepad, try textpad from http://www.textpad.com .

Textpad is shareware, but the free version isn't crippled at all - it just has an annoying little window that pops up.

My favorite thing about it is that you can open a bunch of files at once and just click on the name of the file in a box on the left to look at that file. You can configure alot of stuff, including compiling things from within the text editor, but I don't bother with that stuff.

There's also lots of free plugins.

Textpad is alot of options for programming, including syntax-highlighting for most major programming languages.

#6 Yeah, textpad is great.

And of course, if you like making websites with notepad, you'll love making them in vi... ;)

#7 I strongly recommend Macromedia (formerly Allaire) HomeSite, and even more strongly recommend TopStyle. The free version of TopStyle is very, very, very nice.

Woo for text editors, boo for WYSIWYG.

#8 There are lots of content management systems out there, so I would google for one or check Hot-Scripts before you go and learn PHP just to re-invent the wheel.

As for editors, I personally tap out all my PHP in Komodo.

#9 I'd recommend using Eclipse for web dev. I find using a pure text editor for HTML fine but anything more complex I like having syntax highlighting and if possible auto complete.

The nifty thing about eclipse is that with the right plugins you can program in pretty much any language with syntax highlighting (and other nifty features depending on the plugin). You can get a PHP plugin for eclipse here. There is even work being done on a plugin for torque script.

Eclipse also has CVS integration, so you can access CVS repositories and such right in the editor.

(/fanboy rant)

GF

#10 I use photoshop to make a design, then Image Ready to make a html version of that design/optimize the graphics.... and then textpad, textpad and some more textpad. And if I don't use textpad I'm using the editor that comes with visual studio (used to be called interdev, not sure if it still goes by that name) (becuase its also has nice syntax highliting, a formatting feature to format the html, and debugging features)

#11 I use a combination of methods for building websites.

I use a WYSIWYG editor for quickly getting a layout designed, I'll then use UltraEdit or another text editor to add in PHP code and/or to build up content.

#12 I am surprised that no one has mentioned it yet, but for WSIWYG editing, Macromedia Dreamweaver has no peer. It edits HTML, XML, PHP, and a large number of other scripting languages with color coding, highlighting and tag completion - and you can easilly switch from code view to graphic view.

But best of all it writes clean, indented code and does not touch your custom code. It also has SQL server intergration features, site-wide template creation, file checkout for multiple people working on the site, and a pretty good interface.

Also, you can set which HTML standard or browser versions you want it to check its code against.

Edit: oops, I can't spell

#13 PostNuke is the spawn of satan. I think it was written by AOLers (not really).

Truely, dont use it.

Edit Pad is also a good line editor.

You could always hire someone like me to set up your site for you providing you have your graphics ready.

#14 @Greg: TORQUE script Eclipse module?!? When is is available. I would love to have some auto-complete or intellisense. That would be fantastical.

#15 I'm not personnaly working on the eclipse module, I've just heard about it. See this thread about it though (it's even a recent one).

Hmmm....seems as though this is just for compiling the engine and working with it. No torque script editing module there, but I'm sure I've heard rumors of it.

GF

#16 Oh, I almost forgot! HTMLTidy is a wonderful addition to any editing environment. I use it to make sure everything I'm doing is XHTML 1.0 Strict, and to convert my named entities into numeric ones.

#17 I'd recommend Drupal, or Xoops, as a content management system against phpNuke at any time.

They're more structured and well written.

http://www.drupal.org/ or http://www.xoops.org/

#18 @all

Thanks for the info. I am looking into all this stuff with every free minute heh.