Need direction

[Nick5434]

hi there.
i have an idea for a website i want to start. I'm pretty computer-savvy more so with the hardware. but i also play with photoshop, took two semesters of c++ and such i love learning new things that deal with computers. I know basic HTML. My issue is i want to make an account where people pay a small fee to be able to have certain information posted on my site. I've never ran a site ive made a few info based ones that just linked to a few pages but nothing major.

basically i need my site to let viewers
-make an account (login)
-pay a small fee to a paypal account or something
-able to advertise on my site if paid amount
-have user comments

What would i need to learn to do this? Is this PHP? im pretty ignorant with site design after you get past the point of designing a layout so if anyone can help give me advice on how i could go about doing this would be great!
Thanks in advance.

[JPnyc]

PHP would probably be the cheapest option since it dovetails so nicely with my SQL, an open source free database, and it is extremely widely supported by hosting companies. If you only accept payment through PayPal then it's a piece of cake to add. Credit card gateways are more expensive and complicated.

The languages that you will need to create this are HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP (or other server side scripting language) and SQL.

Now, before you sit down and start learning these technologies, be sure that there isn't a prefabricated solution out there that might serve your needs, such as certain forum or blog software.

[brad jones]

You could also do this with Microsoft's .NET. C# has a syntax similar (but not the same) to the C++ you took, so it woudn't be too rough to learn. You can download free copies of Visual Studio Express Edition (such as the Visual Studio Web Developer edition) from Microsoft. That will get you started at no cost.

http://www.microsoft.com/express/

Brad!

[max2474]

One of the best places in my opinion for learning the basics of php, css, sql, javascript, xml, asp, and more :
http://www.w3schools.com/

I know many others here also recommend it too :)

[sohguanh]

One of the best places in my opinion for learning the basics of php, css, sql, javascript, xml, asp, and more :
http://www.w3schools.com/

I know many others here also recommend it too :)

I second that also. For very simple and beginning entry to a new language it is indeed a very good site. We maybe seen as doing advertisement but if a site is good, it need not persuade us. Instead we will recommend them automatically :)