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| general_tips [2024/09/20 02:50] – added link to "things you wish you knew" forum topic xixxii | general_tips [2025/07/07 04:29] (current) – formatting ribose | ||
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| Pieces of advice collected and consolidated from the Melonland forums in answer to requests for general website-making advice. | Pieces of advice collected and consolidated from the Melonland forums in answer to requests for general website-making advice. | ||
| - | See also: [[https:// | + | See also: [[https:// |
| + | |||
| + | ===== The questions: ===== | ||
| - | **The questions: | ||
| * I am new to making sites and I want some tips to improve. | * I am new to making sites and I want some tips to improve. | ||
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| * What to do when programmer' | * What to do when programmer' | ||
| - | **The answers:** | + | ===== The answers: |
| - | ===== Brainstorm! | + | ==== Brainstorm! ==== |
| * A couple of questions to ask yourself: what do you like and don't like about your site? What do you want it to look like and behave? Once you've got those more or less settled, then you can start adapting a template or creating your own. | * A couple of questions to ask yourself: what do you like and don't like about your site? What do you want it to look like and behave? Once you've got those more or less settled, then you can start adapting a template or creating your own. | ||
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| * Design is the most important bit, you can have crappy HTML and a cool design and it will still be cool. By design, I mean the layout, but also the mood and vibe. | * Design is the most important bit, you can have crappy HTML and a cool design and it will still be cool. By design, I mean the layout, but also the mood and vibe. | ||
| - | ===== Start Small! | + | ==== Start Small! ==== |
| * Remember to take it one page at a time, or even just one line of code at a time !! | * Remember to take it one page at a time, or even just one line of code at a time !! | ||
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| * Make a sketch, or a sort of storyboard of your site. Draw it out on paper and write down the functionality you'd like it to have. Then code what you can of it, static pages with explanational text to fill in what you don't know how to do. | * Make a sketch, or a sort of storyboard of your site. Draw it out on paper and write down the functionality you'd like it to have. Then code what you can of it, static pages with explanational text to fill in what you don't know how to do. | ||
| - | ===== Just Do It! ===== | + | ==== Just Do It! ==== |
| * After you learn the basics of HTML and CSS, just jump into the waters and start programming. You won't be able to learn another language by reading one or two guides and the same can be said about learning to build webpages. | * After you learn the basics of HTML and CSS, just jump into the waters and start programming. You won't be able to learn another language by reading one or two guides and the same can be said about learning to build webpages. | ||
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| * Sometimes I seem to have so much to do, not just the websites, that I spend more time thinking about what I have to do than simply choosing just one thing and at least making a start on it. It might be that's where you are at. | * Sometimes I seem to have so much to do, not just the websites, that I spend more time thinking about what I have to do than simply choosing just one thing and at least making a start on it. It might be that's where you are at. | ||
| - | ===== Steal! | + | ==== Steal! ==== |
| * Take inspiration from other websites and don't be afraid to look into the HTML/CSS that they' | * Take inspiration from other websites and don't be afraid to look into the HTML/CSS that they' | ||
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| * I built my first website in 1996. I did it by using "view source", | * I built my first website in 1996. I did it by using "view source", | ||
| - | ===== You Can Do Whatever You Want! ===== | + | ==== You Can Do Whatever You Want! ==== |
| * You’ll find a lot of rules about how you SHOULD do web design, be sure to break them at every opportunity but learn them first. | * You’ll find a lot of rules about how you SHOULD do web design, be sure to break them at every opportunity but learn them first. | ||
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| * Remember that the technologies are just tools, they will allow you to make what you want, but you have to find your creative inspiration yourself. | * Remember that the technologies are just tools, they will allow you to make what you want, but you have to find your creative inspiration yourself. | ||
| - | ===== Be Kind To Yourself! | + | ==== Be Kind To Yourself! ==== |
| * When the stuff gets too overwhelming take breaks in between coding sessions. | * When the stuff gets too overwhelming take breaks in between coding sessions. | ||
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| * I had the idea for my site in 2018, since then I've overhauled every element at least ten times over. I bet all the creators of those intimidatingly cool sites can say the same. Your looking at the culmination of years of methodical refining. | * I had the idea for my site in 2018, since then I've overhauled every element at least ten times over. I bet all the creators of those intimidatingly cool sites can say the same. Your looking at the culmination of years of methodical refining. | ||
| - | ===== Also... | + | ==== Also... ==== |
| * Don’t overdo Javascript, if your site can’t work with JS turned off then you have overdone the JS! | * Don’t overdo Javascript, if your site can’t work with JS turned off then you have overdone the JS! | ||
