Other Software > Developer's Corner
Designing Personal Sites - Programming POV
w3bcrawler:
Hey Asudem,
sj1k and I have started a programming-related website that runs on WordPress. The URL is http://www.uptone.ca/ .. it's quite simple to set up, there are a metric ton of themes (or you can design your own / have someone else do it, quite a few people make a living off creating WordPress themes), and there are also lots of plugins.
If you're interested in taking a peek at how WordPress themes are made, take a look at https://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development
w3bcrawler
[edit: added link to Theme Development in the WordPress Codex]
wraith808:
What's the difference from your perspective?
-wraith808 (May 22, 2016, 12:08 PM)
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I feel a blog is a mindless template which creates little to no skill to create by it's user. It's not impressive nor has a "wow" factor but simply exists to be a voice on the internet. A blog is about it's content, not it's design.
-Asudem (May 23, 2016, 03:06 AM)
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That's an incorrect view of wordpress.
A couple of links on just using wordpress to create static sites:
https://www.designwall.com/blog/how-to-create-a-regular-static-website-using-wordpress-with-optional-blog/
http://www.bloggingtips.com/2010/03/12/5-tips-for-using-wordpress-for-non-blog-sites/
The theme that I use for my static sites is Divi.
It allows you to build your site using varied included components, custom code, and/or third party components. I've found it very useful for such- I've not found a site I couldn't create.
Some examples can be found at http://www.elegantthemes.com/showcase/, though there are several examples if you just look for Divi example sites.
But I don't have content to write. I have code examples and programs for download, but who honestly goes through someone's portfolio to read the fine details and not just the bulletpoints? If I can't get their attention with a bullet and a screenshot, then I've already failed in my opinion.
-Asudem (May 23, 2016, 03:06 AM)
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There has to be a certain critical mass around programs IMO. Just having programs with no descriptions on a site, and nothing around them won't lead to people using them from my experience.
40hz:
I'm not seeing ASP.NET nor PostgreSQL in there, both of which I am currently using. On my server.
-Asudem (May 23, 2016, 03:06 AM)
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Oh! That's because it's not a Microsoft webstack. It's composed of Apache Web Server, MySQL, PHP, Perl, Python and SOFTACULOUS. When you mentioned doing a website I forgot there are some people building them on a Microsoft host. My bad.
Still, even with that, you could still use it to get a bunch of different web apps quickly installed and running to see what you think. You could also do some preliminary development work under it, and then migrate many of your files over to your own server if you're running something like Wordpress which isn't to fussy about platform.
IainB:
@40hz mentioned wikis (above). There are some quite nice websites that people have built that are basically just wikis. Wikis can be easy to set up and maintain, easy to provide a TOC (Table of Contents), easy to organise and index, and easy for the user to find their way around and read.
A wiki is a kind of PIM (Personal Information Manager). If a programmer kept their notes organised in a wiki in the first place, then it could be relatively simple to publish that as the repository of his/her notes and bits and pieces.
An example of something similar would be the PIM InfoSelect v8, which has the facility for the user to output all or some of its database (as required) to html, for publishing as a working online read-only database. It displayed notes and images just fine and behaved just like the client program in read-only mode. I never used it for that, but I did try it out on a website and it was simplicity itself and looked very professional, though a bit Spartan. I guess that's a potential distraction with blogs and CMSes - you have to start thinking about all the eye candy and touchy-feely stuff - and the actual content comes second.
Asudem:
That's an incorrect view of wordpress.
A couple of links on just using wordpress to create static sites:
https://www.designwall.com/blog/how-to-create-a-regular-static-website-using-wordpress-with-optional-blog/
http://www.bloggingtips.com/2010/03/12/5-tips-for-using-wordpress-for-non-blog-sites/
The theme that I use for my static sites is Divi.
It allows you to build your site using varied included components, custom code, and/or third party components. I've found it very useful for such- I've not found a site I couldn't create.
Some examples can be found at http://www.elegantthemes.com/showcase/, though there are several examples if you just look for Divi example sites.
-wraith808 (May 23, 2016, 01:31 PM)
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The examples in the showcase are outdated, sadly. The only one I was interested in looking at was this one:
Yet the site itself resembles nothing like that anymore. I will have to consult archive.org for closer inspection.
EDIT: YES! This is so close to what I'm looking for!
But I guess what I'm trying to understand is why create a static site anymore? What is the benefit of non-modular design?
There has to be a certain critical mass around programs IMO. Just having programs with no descriptions on a site, and nothing around them won't lead to people using them from my experience.
-wraith808 (May 23, 2016, 01:31 PM)
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Well, I mean I'd have some sort of text describing the program, but not some kind of instruction manual.
Oh! That's because it's not a Microsoft webstack. It's composed of Apache Web Server, MySQL, PHP, Perl, Python and SOFTACULOUS. When you mentioned doing a website I forgot there are some people building them on a Microsoft host. My bad.
-40hz (May 23, 2016, 06:14 PM)
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I'm not married to ASP.NET, but it is appealing to write the site in my native IDE. To be honest I should be learning PHP.
@40hz mentioned wikis (above). There are some quite nice websites that people have built that are basically just wikis. Wikis can be easy to set up and maintain, easy to provide a TOC (Table of Contents), easy to organise and index, and easy for the user to find their way around and read.
-IainB (May 23, 2016, 10:29 PM)
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I've considered doing it Wiki style, and I have nothing against it. I just wanted to break some molds somehow, and I don't think a wiki would give me the "flair" I'm looking for.
.. it's quite simple to set up, there are a metric ton of themes (or you can design your own / have someone else do it, quite a few people make a living off creating WordPress themes), and there are also lots of plugins.-w3bcrawler (May 23, 2016, 12:51 PM)
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In my OP I do mention that I could pay someone to design my site, but I would know deep down in my heart it's not my site. I will give wordpress an honest to goodness shot somehow, maybe find a nice EC2 I can pay for a few days and if I like it transfer it onto my main server and get rid of my Azure altogether.
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