Best way to redo this site?

[Askalon]

First, i am not asking for anyone to redo it for me, I need to learn for myself so I can make changes easily.

Fellowship (http://www.fellowshipoftheblade.org)

I want to dress the site up a bit and redo it a bit, just not sure if I should use javascript, css or ?

Or maybe it is good enough as is and shouldn't be changed at all.

Thanks for your input.

Askalon

webslave

[PeOfEo]

ditch the frames. If you want the nav bar on every page to be the same, use a server side include via a server side language or ssi. For layout nothing beats css. Java script, no, try to avoid it if possible when you can. Client side scripting can make nice affects... a live clock maybe. But it is not your best bet when you are trying to make a site functional and accessable. Because 13% of the internet does not support it, if you depened on it 13% of your viewers get screwed. Also if you want to use it for thing slike say a login form, the password is right in the source code since java script runs client side.

[Askalon]

so redo it with CSS and SSI? Time to get learning i guess. I did a class once in CSS, but that was a long time ago. I don't think I am doing any login forms, buit that is fine. I am using PHP for some functions, such as a register for our gamedays. Would I want to rebuild that as well?

This is currently residing on a Win2K AS with Perl, PHP and MySQL. I will be moving it soon to a Windows 2003 Server with IIS 6.0 with the above installed.

[PeOfEo]

That is odd, using a windows server for php, but not using it for asp or asp.net. But yes you can do the includes with php, it is about the same as doing it in ssi. One more line of code and a new page format.

[pyro]

That's not odd a bit. I do the very same on my computer. Maybe you're right though, perhaps I should switch to Linux... :p

[PeOfEo]

I mean for a professional webserver. If it is running w2k3 it is more likely not to be a home system. But for a home system it is not odd because on your home pc you run windows. But if you ran a web server, a professional one, and used php why wouldnt you use red hat or something. It just seems like you have something there that is more economical why pay for the windows os when and you are not even going to use its scripting. the exception is a few of my friends, and probably my self in the near future who will all be running w2k3 for personal use just because it runs faster for gameing and has iis 6.

[spufi]

Also get rid of "mailto" and use actual forms for sending e-mail. Forms are much more professional looking, IMHO.

[Askalon]

This is a personal webserver on my DSL. I have a huge background in Windows (MCSE). My Linux is nill so I am very reluctant to use it as I wouldn't have a clue to configure it.

I currently host three sites off this server, we use PHP for forums on two of the sites so that is why we have it.

Once I get around to learning asp or .net I am sure I will switch to that, but for now this works so that is what I went with. Why? because I inherited this site from someone else who moved away. They had it on someone else's server that crashed. I was able to save some of it, but not all, hence the mixed styles. I want to make this site lean and more professional looking than what it is, but that will also depend on what i need to learn vs time for learning it. I guess right now, where should I concentrate my studies? SSI, CSS or ASP/ASP.net?

The PHP is not used on the regular webpages, only the forums and the monthly game day registration page.

Spufi: not sure what you mean by using a form instead of the mailto: function. Unless you mean like the php I am currently using. That I could do.

[davidbrent]

i think they mean where you have a mailto link,

<a href="mailto:me@me.com">Mail Me!</a>

then you should use a mailto form, well a more secure type of form using server side as people are more likely to give input or ask questions if they just type it in and click 'send'. I know i couldn't be bothered assking a simple uestion by logging into my email account and then doing it.

As for proffesional, well it does add a touch of class to the website! ;)

[spufi]

Originally posted by davidbrent
i think they mean where you have a mailto link,

<a href="mailto:me@me.com">Mail Me!</a>

then you should use a mailto form, well a more secure type of form using server side as people are more likely to give input or ask questions if they just type it in and click 'send'. I know i couldn't be bothered assking a simple uestion by logging into my email account and then doing it.

As for proffesional, well it does add a touch of class to the website! ;)

What he said. :) You could make the feedback and e-mail links both go to your form.

[Askalon]

Ahhh. I kinda thought that is what you meant, but beacuse I was using PHP for that I wasn't sure. I can make that change no problem.

I hadn't thought of anyone having to login to thier email for the mailto but I guess that makes a very valid point.

[PeOfEo]

and not everyone has a mail client setup so some people with web mail have to manually copy and paste the email which is a pain in the butt.

[Askalon]

Ok, I fixed the mailto to go to a form instead. Did that over lunch. Now on to fixing the rest of the site. I did a quick look at css, not sure how that will help me in redoing the site without frames. I should be able to get rid of frames and just use tables I guess, but then I have to code each page. Maybe that is where I use CSS huh? From what I have seen so far though, it just helps you define attributes, not the actual layout. I guess I am missing something and I should keep reading this tutorial.

[PeOfEo]

css does the layout, you would not be using tables at all. www.bluerobot.com (i sure do pimp that place a lot) has some very rudimentary layouts, look at how they are constructed. That is how css works. You set the properties to the element and give it an id or a class, it slides and stretches to be where you need it to be.