joshjack
Alabama
Senior Member
Joined: 11/01/2007
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I've been using free Google Page Creator (now called Sites) to create and host the pages. If I want a real URL then I register one with Yahoo and get the email address to go with it.
Jackson Consulting Site
J
03 Ram 1500 Quad Cab with Hemi 5.7, HD tow package, K&N Cold Air, B&W Companion + Ball, Prodigy,
1987 Prowler 27.5',
Macbook Pro 17" (Fastest Vista Laptop  , iPhone)
Me and the DW and our
2 Dogs: Jackson (golden), Pumba (min-pin)
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creeper
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Senior Member
Joined: 12/22/2003
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I use iWeb because I'm getting lazy when it comes to website coding.
I use NVU for quick changes or quick fixes as well as some hand coding.
I use iPhoto for basic photo manipulation. For anything that needs major repair, removal of people, exposure fixes, cloning, I use Photoshop elements.
Blog and projects page
See Profile for more pictures and links
Link Exchange
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BigDog1333
Durand Michigan
Full Member
Joined: 09/01/2003
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Thanks for all the replies. I'm a recent full timer and have been interested in web design. Not sure what exactly I want to do. Would like to set up web site for some of the campgrounds we are at that either don't have one or need help refining it. Dave
Dave & Patti
'06 2500 HD D/A crew cab shortbox 4wl drive- Proudly made in Flint, MI
2001 30' Coachman Royal Deluxe 294RKS, 16k super glide hitch
DW Patti who likes to tow 5th whl and loves to camp
2 Rat Terriers, 1 toy 1 mini, Madison & MiniMe
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1492
Virginia, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/08/2005
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It depends on what you want to do? If you're primarily interested in publishing content to a web site, more so than design, than a blog would be the quickest route. Blogs tend to be the easiest for beginners since both content and design changes are made through the front door by just using a web browser, i.e. login to your blog's home page and begin publishing. One downside is that designing a custom blog site can be somewhat involved. Not the case if you use the supplied, or otherwise, the many free blog templates available on the web. Blogger.com and Wordpress.com offer free blog sites. If you have a Gmail account, you already have a free Blogger.com site, actually any number of blog sites you desire.
If you're interested in both content publishing and website design, then a traditional html based site would likely be a better route. One disadvantage is that both design and content changes typically involve using a separate software package, and need to be made via the back door, i.e. you'll need to upload changes to your server via an ftp client. One exception being a CMS(Content Management System) type of website. Once setup on the server, you can publish content and manage the site by logging into your account directly from your web browser. There are many free open source CMS systems around, and most web hosts now have some type of system through their hosting control panel to install them automatically, such as Fantasico. Take a look at OpenSourceCMS.com for examples. But I'd stay away from these initially, as they can require advanced tech "know how" in order to troubleshoot, or even to make simple design modifications. I would think RV.net is using some type of CMS for their web portal.
Choose a paid web host carefully, as many come and go. Also, I would not recommend signing up for a long term hosting plan, even if doing so would seem a financial advantage. The web hosting market is highly competitive, and many operate on slim margins. Also, a web host's performance, reliability and technical support can vary widely. Best to check opinions of any web host you intend on using. WebHostingTalk.com is one of the largest forums and an excellent source of user information.
Something else to consider. Why not use a free hosting service to get yourself up and running? It's not uncommon for newbies signing up for paid web hosting, to primarily end up using the host's email and very little of the actual resources they payed for, while they are learning the ropes. You can easily use a free web hosting site to experiment with, and then transfer the web site to a paid hosting service in the future. One big disadvantage of free hosting is they tend to be more unreliable than a paid site, and have little or no tech. support. Plus, to generate income, many free hosting sites rely on some type of web page advertisements such as Google Adsense. The exception being free blog hosting sites such as Blogger.com which pretty much lets you do anything you want with your site, including having your own paid advertisements. FreeWebHostingTalk.com is another good source of free hosting information.
Whatever route you choose, good luck with your new website! 
* This post was
edited 08/19/08 05:23am by 1492 *
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Chris Bryant
DeLand, Florida, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/26/2003
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If you are wanting to learn web design, look at http://w3schools.com/. The way I started was by building a website with Mozilla Composer, then looking at the code in 1st page, running it through the W3C validator and correcting it.
You might also look at http://www.opera.com/wsc/.
-- Chris Bryant
My RV Service Blog
The RV.net Blog
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