Something I Have Never Shared Before Now.

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ahoustondj

ahoustondj

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 13, 2007
20,235
3,465
Texas
All my business has been gained from the following sources, going out and generating them, referrals and being represented by an Entertainment Agency. I have had a Website since 1998 but never really designed it to solicit new business, it was meant mainly for information. A couple of years ago I hired someone who I knew and paid him to do a Website for me. I told him basically what kind of look I wanted and he sent me a list of templates. I chose this one. We took down the older website which was nice. It took him forever to even start it on this one (Sept 2011) as he was forever having personal and Medical Problems in his life. He finally started it and got to this point and stalled. I kept prodding him to finish it and that is when things went South, we got into an argument. I left things at that and never called him back. His loss not mine because I was always there for him. It is cheaper for me that he is no longer involved in my life. I am thinking of having it professionally completed. It has been like this for two years. Believe it or not I have gotten some Gigs from it!

What you will see is just a Template, the Foreign Language words/print is meant to be replaced with my own verbage. The pages would have to be tweaked, some images removed and replaced by my own. One of the reasons also that I have not had it completed is that this is a Joomla Template and it seems like not everyone who does websites know how to Code in Joomla. They are more accustomed to working with Wordpress. (Leave it up to me to pick the most difficult one, eh!). Here it is, thoughts......www.ahoustondj.com
 
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The template is fine .. though without content it's tough to critique.

I would hide the site or put up a "Coming Soon" to the main landing page with your basic info. It does show up in web searches.
 
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redhotdj said:
looks very nice
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Thanks but I cannot take credit for it. The Front Page is the only one that has an extent of work. The other pages with English writing all had information dumped in them to be sorted and redesigned.
 
Joomla is a Content Management System. Your friend likely suggested it based on his current knowledge and experience using it. It likely far exceeds your real needs. As much as you like the templates - there are far easier and less costly ways to get a site up and running if you don't have a good handle on how CMS works (PHP and MySQL).

One thing to make note of is that there are TWO versions of Wordpress. One is Wordpress.com which is a free service (like Blogger) and the other is the real CMS like Joomla and Drupal.

Joomla is free open source software - good for designers, but as the site owner you PAY for that designer (who you will pay again when you want changes), and for certain other third party plug-ins/services you might install. So, as the end user - CMS may not be the right choice for you. Your site needs are probably relatively static - a place to make your pitch and provide some examples, along with some simple forms (inquiries, etc.) Unlike publishers and bloggers - your content doesn't continuously grow or change frequently.

My recommendation with regard to cost and simplicity is that you look at the different hosting options that can provide you with templates and instant websites - like Wordpress.com or perhaps even GoDaddy and similar hosting providers. This will allow you to manage your own site with very little if any cost beyond the hosting fees.

You might also consider some of the WYSIWYG software that will let you create sites (even from templates) but, ultimately post a site using standard HTML. You can resolve the script needs (forms) by inserting free third party modules that handle that function for you. The initial cost will be for the software - but, your site will be retained and managed by you on your own machine - uploaded (FTP) to the hosting service of your choice. You will pay nothing for edits and changes to the site and can change hosting providers anytime you need to for the best deal.

This site for example, (http://www.milburnattorney.com) was made with an inexpensive software, starting with a template, which then gets uploaded as standard HTML and CSS. The forms (http://www.milburnattorney.com/inquire.html) are actually free third party services (like "google gadgets, JotForms," etc.) That are inserted as widgets. The cost to the owner is nothing more than their monthly hosting fee with Network Solutions, GoDaddy, or wherever it resides (~$15 - $29 /mo.) plus the annual domain registration (~$16 /yr)
 
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redhotdj said:
very nice and professional looking
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That is the look I wanted. I wanted to stay away from the Homemade. I am a DJ not a Web Designer so I prefer to pay a Professional to get Professional Results. I admire those who can do it for themselves but it is not something I want to undertake.
 
Proformance said:
Joomla is a Content Management System. Your friend likely suggested it based on his current knowledge and experience using it. It likely far exceeds your real needs. As much as you like the templates - there are far easier and less costly ways to get a site up and running if you don't have a good handle on how CMS works (PHP and MySQL)..........................................
This site for example, (http://www.milburnattorney.com) was made with an inexpensive software, starting with a template, which then gets uploaded as standard HTML and CSS. The forms are actually free third party services (like "google gadgets, JotForms," etc.) That are inserted as widgets. The cost to the owner is nothing more than their monthly hosting fee with Network Solutions, GoDaddy, or wherever it resides (~$15 - $29 /mo.) plus the annual domain registration (~$16 /yr)
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Bob,
20 years ago I would have viewed creating a Website as a worthy challenge. Today I am lazy, if someone else can do the work I am willing to pay. All I would ask is to give me what I want. My guy lost out big time because I would have given him a big Bonus at the end. He missed out on that one. I even had to call the Template Owners to inform them of what the status is on the Template since it is Copyrighted and a License is needed for the use. They were able to track down the Purchase License. When I find someone who can finish the task at a fair price including Maintenance, I will buy another License to be able to continue with this one.

I believe in "live and let live". Let someone else make a living and a buck. My stubbornness is what is compelling me to continue as once I set my mind on something I tend not to waiver. That is the Capricorn Goat in me. LOL
 
rickryan.com said:
20 years ago the internet was not in widespread use.
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I never said it did and my comment was not meant to construe that ........here is an explanation. 20 years ago if something needed fixing, building, creating etc in Electronics, Crafts ideas etc I would have had the passion to jump into it. If websites had existed then for general use the same feeling and passion would have applied. Now, would you like for me to further break that down for you? Sorry, no Manual is available. :single_eye:
 
ahoustondj said:
I never said it did and my comment was not meant to construe that ........here is an explanation. 20 years ago if something needed fixing, building, creating etc in Electronics, Crafts ideas etc I would have had the passion to jump into it. If websites had existed then for general use the same feeling and passion would have applied. Now, would you like for me to further break that down for you? Sorry, no Manual is available. :single_eye:
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And yet ANOTHER example of where you are incapable of admitting you were wrong. Your words:

20 years ago I would have viewed creating a Website
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Technically speaking, 20 years ago would be 1993 - websites did exist and were rather easy to create, edit and maintain. From the code side of things, it really hasn't changed much. The basic 'concept' is still there - there's just bonus items now.
 
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rickryan.com said:
And yet ANOTHER example of where you are incapable of admitting you were wrong. Your words:
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That mentality is what is getting you into Hot Water with your Clients and Vendors. You are seeing the world through Blinders. In your past life, were you a racehorse or something like that....just looking down the track oblivious to what is on the side?
 
ittigger said:
Technically speaking, 20 years ago would be 1993 - websites did exist and were rather easy to create, edit and maintain. From the code side of things, it really hasn't changed much. The basic 'concept' is still there - there's just bonus items now.
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They existed, yes, but were not in widespread use. The average joe (i.e. a DJ) would not have been building websites at that point. I was just tweaking canute and of course he proved his inability to say "You are correct, I was wrong." once again.
 
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ittigger said:
Technically speaking, 20 years ago would be 1993 - websites did exist and were rather easy to create, edit and maintain. From the code side of things, it really hasn't changed much. The basic 'concept' is still there - there's just bonus items now.
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Except back then, everything was hand-coded and CSS was just taking shape. Joomla, Wordpress and other template based design tools weren't around .. I don't think MS FrontPage was out till 97ish.
 
They were widespread 'for their time' - though admittedly, nowhere near as prevalent as today. In the mid 90's, me and several others (aka: thousands) had Geocities pages galore, which were our own 'sites'. I never polled, but I imagine there were plenty of DJ's on this (Geocities) and other sites / domains. MIRC's were big back then too. Some had their own actual sites on dedicated servers - but not many. The next 'big' thing was MySpace .. and then Facebook.

Steve, you are correct, everything was hardcoded (which was not hard to do) - hence the comment about the basic 'concept'. It was there then and is still there now. Frontpage, PageMill, SiteMill, HoTMetal, DreamWeaver and the others made it easier to make pages / sites - because you designed them exactly like you wanted them to look (WYSIWYG). The problem was when there was an error, alot of these 'designers' had no idea what the code did. FWIW, the first versions of PageMill were out in 95. DreamWeaver got big in 97.

I was a DJ making webpages - I guess that makes me (and the thousands of others) not the average.

;)
 
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rickryan.com said:
And yet ANOTHER example of where you are incapable of admitting you were wrong. Your words:
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Balogny.
Canute very plainly indicated that were he 20 years younger he'd take on things that today he's only willing to pay others for.

More accurately viewed - You sir, are a finger pointer who not only can't admit when you yourself are wrong - but, go out of your way to address what you think is wrong with everyone else. From Photographers photo quality, party planner wardrobes, to bride's request lists, and customer email inquiries - you are a walking jukebox of gripes!

lens9630721_1266752620Baby_Play_Pen.jpg
 
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At any point in the last 20 years, he could have - others were / are. Though I'm not complaining about him making, having or not having a site back then. All I'm saying is that the technology was there.

;)
 
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