If I had it to do over again

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  • sandman0011
    Staff Sergeant

    • Sep 2007
    • 49

    If I had it to do over again



    If I had it to do over:
    • I would probably seek the help of one of the BV developers on this site earlier in the game. They are not that expensive and are very good at what they do. At least a lady with a keen eye was for me…..Gotcha ya!!
    • I would get the template perfect, perfect, perfect, before I ever built page 2. I had the misfortune of having to fix over 125 pages after publishing because I did not catch a couple of mistakes. An http:// in front of a www. link; the wrong title and meta tags on page properties and some very, very key aesthetic issues (you see, I do not have an artistic bone in my body);
    • Once you have a template, everything else is just a cookie cutter. Fill in the content, save your pages and move on to the next topic. Don’t forget about your H-1 and H-2 tags (do a search on that subject…LOL) or the fact you need to put a |topic| topic| topic| vertical bar spacing in your title pages.
    • I would not waste a second trying to figure out how to build forms. It is a part of BV that needs some work in the tutorials and the new releases are overlapping the directions. Spend your time gathering content and let someone else build your forms for you. Sleep well at night and quit grinding your teeth. They know it is out of sync and are probably working on it.
    • Want a forum? Same as above. The phpb and soholaunch tutorials are behind the release versions. Like a blind man walking in a dark alley. Grab someone’s arm to lead you through the morass. Let them do it for you.
    • For the few shortfalls of BV, I still think it is the best drag and drop Web site building software on the market and the hosting service/price is hard to beat. Know what I like best? I have control of my website. I can make additions, deletions, corrections, changes, add new pages, photos etc. without having to have a web developer on my payroll, wait for or pay for them to make my needed changes or worry about the fact they are on vacation for the next 2 weeks when I am up to my posterior in alligators because of a mistake on my site. If I need to make a change. I do it! If I want to add a photo. I do it! If I want to add a new page. I do it! If I want to add a new link. I do it! Then, I publish it!
    • My first web site. Over 125 pages. I’ll have about 8 more before the end of January but much smaller than this one. This one was a hairy beast that just kept growing new legs.
    • I welcome you to visit my site and find out about this beautiful city in which I live. Perhaps you will visit someday. Medical and Dental Health tourism is a very big business here. Many of us are baby boomers getting ready for retirement and facing an uncertain future with rising health care costs in the US. A lot of that section still needs some work but it is my next priority. The local Docs are very interested in my site.
    • I’ll take all comments constructively and thank you in advance for your time to comment. It is not perfect but I sure am proud of her. Thanks again my lovely eyed lady. Would not be here without you. Stay warm! For all that are interested, she and I have never met.
    Sandman
    www.medellintravelguide.com
    www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
    www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
    www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

  • #2
    Re: If I had it to do over again

    I only scanned the first page (125, eh? wow....) but in your "Events" section, your links are under an image.

    I thought it odd also that your "open letter" at the bottom is such small font....I am sure that if it was one or two sizes larger it would appear more menaingful and part of the continuity.

    Nice layout and design. Colors are nice too.

    Comment

    • sandman0011
      Staff Sergeant

      • Sep 2007
      • 49

      #3
      Re: If I had it to do over again

      > but in your "Events" section, your links are under an image.

      You looking at it in IT or FF? Thanks for the heads up and response. I'll fix it.

      Chou

      Sandman
      www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
      www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
      www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

      Comment

      • sandman0011
        Staff Sergeant

        • Sep 2007
        • 49

        #4
        Re: If I had it to do over again

        Fixed. Amazing how stuff jumps around on you when you publish. Oh, the wonders of the internet!

        Folks, see what I mean. Find a problem, typo, bad link, photo covering a text box.

        Just go in, fix it, re-publish it and all is good!

        Thanks buddy!
        www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
        www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
        www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

        Comment

        • larazovich
          General

          • Jul 2006
          • 5811

          #5
          Re: If I had it to do over again

          Sandman - Run your home page through this - it is showing some dead links on your home page..
          Liz
          www.sebastopolparty.com
          www.raynordescendents.com

          Ring the bells that still can ring

          Comment

          • sandman0011
            Staff Sergeant

            • Sep 2007
            • 49

            #6
            Re: If I had it to do over again

            Wow. Thanks Lara.

            Actually, I am building some splash pages for my other intended sites so there are no dead links (all in my spare time of course...LOL). I'll check the other links to sites outside my site for corrections.

            The spell checker element of your link is really nice. I am a scrabble/typo fanatic so that will be great for my fat fingered mistakes. Maybe this could solve the "wish I could have spell checker" in the wish list site on the forum.

            A labor of love that turned into a labor.....and will continue to do so.

            The baby is born. May she grow into a beautiful young lady.

            Thanks for the feedback.
            www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
            www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
            www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

            Comment

            • larazovich
              General

              • Jul 2006
              • 5811

              #7
              Re: If I had it to do over again

              Originally posted by sandman0011 View Post
              Wow. Thanks Lara.

              Actually, I am building some splash pages for my other intended sites so there are no dead links (all in my spare time of course...LOL). I'll check the other links to sites outside my site for corrections.

              The spell checker element of your link is really nice. I am a scrabble/typo fanatic so that will be great for my fat fingered mistakes. Maybe this could solve the "wish I could have spell checker" in the wish list site on the forum.

              A labor of love that turned into a labor.....and will continue to do so.

              The baby is born. May she grow into a beautiful young lady.

              Thanks for the feedback.
              Sandman
              you can click the thing that says link check and it will tell you which ones aren't working specifically..
              and yes, I love that site; it can give lots of great info.

              And, I know what you mean about the darn thing growing legs, I did one (www.pondandgardennursery.com) that was only going to have like 10 or so pages and it too ended up over 120 pages.. LOL

              Enjoy..
              Liz
              www.sebastopolparty.com
              www.raynordescendents.com

              Ring the bells that still can ring

              Comment

              • sandman0011
                Staff Sergeant

                • Sep 2007
                • 49

                #8
                Re: If I had it to do over again

                Beats the heck out of trying to find miniscule mistakes on every link, page etc on a 125 page site.

                Thanks again. Should be a mandatory task for every BV first publisher to make sure they "get it right" the first time.

                Hate to tell you how many hours I have needlessly wasted making corrections that could have been corrected in minutes had I "done it right the first time". Just consider the past 6 days, about 12 hours per day.

                I could have been out partying or building my next sites but no, I published without making my template perfect and paid the consequences. I can do 41 clicks, moves and adjustments per page in my sleep.

                Learn well newbies. Make the template perfect!

                Thanks again Lara
                www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
                www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
                www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

                Comment

                • whiteshepherd
                  Brigadier General

                  • Apr 2007
                  • 1341

                  #9
                  Re: If I had it to do over again

                  when I click the links in the top menu bar from the contact us page ... the about us, help, links buttons all go to page not found error 404 ... it also happens fro the home page as well ...??
                  kym, merlin & tala
                  creating white majick
                  www.whiteshepherds.com.au
                  www.unitedwhiteshepherds.com.au
                  www.merlinsmajick.com
                  www.kymdunbar.com

                  Comment

                  • sandman0011
                    Staff Sergeant

                    • Sep 2007
                    • 49

                    #10
                    Re: If I had it to do over again

                    I fixed the link problems but I think my Home/index page may be corrupted. The words are jumping around and the font sizes and colors are changing. Looks fine on my PC but when I preview or go directly to the site via the web, they all jump around, change color and get real small.

                    Guess I get to rebuild my index page.....does it ever end???

                    Get it perfect the first time!

                    Thanks for the heads up on the other links.
                    www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
                    www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
                    www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

                    Comment

                    • sandman0011
                      Staff Sergeant

                      • Sep 2007
                      • 49

                      #11
                      Re: Thank Goodness

                      It was just a bad HTML code. after I removed it, everything was fine.

                      Thanks again for all your comments and assistance.
                      www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
                      www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
                      www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

                      Comment

                      • flutem3
                        Private First Class

                        • Mar 2007
                        • 5

                        #12
                        Re: If I had it to do over again

                        Hi,

                        I enjoyed your remarks, Sandman. I have just begun...and I have a difficulty.

                        My software won't work because I had trouble with my email...so I punched buttons, etc. and ended up with a new IP.

                        What do I do? Just download the software again.

                        Thanks!

                        Carol
                        Carol
                        www.wabashfirstumc.org

                        Comment

                        • sandman0011
                          Staff Sergeant

                          • Sep 2007
                          • 49

                          #13
                          Re: If I had it to do over again

                          I'd defer your question to the mods but it seems like a good place to start.

                          Just remember. Get your template perfect before you ever build page 2. I am still fixing links when I could be adding content.

                          Good luck and do not be afraid to ask for help on the forum.
                          www.Premium-Commerce.com (Web Design)
                          www.MedellinTravelGuide.com
                          www.SouthFloridaForklifts.com

                          Comment

                          • larazovich
                            General

                            • Jul 2006
                            • 5811

                            #14
                            Re: If I had it to do over again

                            Originally posted by sandman0011 View Post
                            I'd defer your question to the mods but it seems like a good place to start.

                            Just remember. Get your template perfect before you ever build page 2. I am still fixing links when I could be adding content.

                            Good luck and do not be afraid to ask for help on the forum.
                            Hey Sandman - have you thought about doing a php include menu, as described here?
                            It may seem daunting at first, but will save you tons of time in the end...
                            Liz
                            www.sebastopolparty.com
                            www.raynordescendents.com

                            Ring the bells that still can ring

                            Comment

                            • flutem3
                              Private First Class

                              • Mar 2007
                              • 5

                              #15
                              Re: If I had it to do over again

                              Originally posted by sandman0011 View Post
                              I'd defer your question to the mods but it seems like a good place to start.

                              Just remember. Get your template perfect before you ever build page 2. I am still fixing links when I could be adding content.

                              Good luck and do not be afraid to ask for help on the forum.
                              Sandman,

                              Thanks for responding. Who are the mods?

                              What were the main things you did wrong with your index page? I am currently using the Homestead software. It was fine when I barely knew how to use a computer, and I knew nothing about building websites. It is expensive as well.

                              Blue Voda offers much more for considerably less money. For what we pay for a year on Homestead, we can get three years on Blue Voda.

                              I hear people talking more and more about web-standards. I know that Homestead does not comply. Do you know whether Blue Voda is better? I am not looking for perfect, but I would like better than what we have now.

                              Thanks for your time.

                              Carol
                              Carol
                              www.wabashfirstumc.org

                              Comment

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