Making a Website: Services and Features?

[MakerOfGames]

Hello everyone!

I have an interesting question here that I hope you guys can answer me as many of you have your own websites.

I know how to make websites in their viewable format, but how does the hosting process work? I have just gotten myself a copy of Dreamweaver CS3 and am working on making pages for my game "company"(quotes as it is not registered and has no games to show off yet). Anyhow, so I know how to use all the features in Dreamweaver to make a site except for forms as I took a web design class my junior year of high school(about 2 years ago). Whenever I am able to finish one of my game projects, I would like to launch a company web page that would included forums and user accounts to receive things like email notifications and such. So, I know how to make the physical site, but how do you add features like user accounts and forums? Is there anything built into Dreamweaver? or is it a site hosting service? Do I need to have my web host configure this or can I code it myself? Basically I would like to know all about what goes on behind the scenes with websites and what my options are for going about hosting a site.

[darksmaster923]

you can use a content management system, or a cms. joomla seems great but i never actually could install it properly. the only one that i could use is php fusion which is very good http://php-fusion.co.uk/news.php and e107 http://e107.org

[Agentarrow]

Alright, well, first you'd need a domain (duh) You can get .co.uk and .co.nr for free, Godaddy does .info, .net, or .org for $5 USD and scottcrew does .com for $8 USD
Then there's Hosting. Scottcrew sets up the server, creates everything you'll need, and has great customer support $65 USD (annually) for your personal server. (Try telling them Brandon and Ethan referred you, It may get you a discount) Then you get FileZilla, login to the server (Scottcrew will set you up a username and password and e-mail it to you) then you just double click on all your files. Within five minutes your site is up.

so shop around but I recommend Scottcrew web services
I've also heard good things about Host Gator, but I also heard terrible things about customer support.

[MakerOfGames]

That helps a little with the process, however I am really curious as to how the data from user entered forms is taken and converted into data for the webmaster and stored on the site/server. Is this what web hosts do for you? you just need to create the pages? How would I make a user account section and have auto-generated email notifications for signing up?

[ardentcrest]

Ok. first join http://rfcommunity.0lx.net/ and make an account.

There you can goto "Fantastico type installer" and create a CMS or forum.

I would go for E107. as I think its one of the best.

you can then mess around with it to see how it works.



ps all data is held in a mysql database.

you can also add Sub domains, Addon domains and Parked domains with your account.

If you need any help with this just PM me. Im doing a site for AA using E107 and creating a new theme for him.

[MakerOfGames]

I don't think you understand my question. How exactly do the forms I make on my website get stored to my web server and how do the account systems work? I don't need webspace yet, I just am very interested in knowing how all the "behind the scenes" stuff works. Like how you add encryption to pages and keep data secure on your server. How is the data stored on the server and how do website administrators/webmasters access it? How does all of it work? I want to know more than just "create an account". Do you understand what I'm getting at?

[darksmaster923]

they usually use a MySQL database and use php to create tables and set up accounts.
and just to say opensourcecms.com leyts you demo the cms

[ardentcrest]

http://www.php-mysql-tutorial.com/cms-php-mysql.php
http://www.intranetjournal.com/php-cms/
http://www.opensourcecms.com/index.php? ... Itemid=156
http://www.dmxzone.com/go/?3953
http://www.sitewonders.co.uk/cms_conten ... ement.html

just some links on how to create an cms, this will give you all the info ou saked for

[MakerOfGames]

Thank you! That was just what I was looking for. I didn''t hear of CMS before now, and thought SQL was only another database program like Microsoft Access as well. I have much to learn about web hosting! Thanks for the links!

[paradoxnj]

MoG, if you don't want to make a CMS, you can always download Joomla. That is a free CMS. This website uses Joomla.

[vrageprogrammer]

http://www.byethost.com

awesomest Hosting ever. 24/7 , never down(dunno, never for me)
No lag.