Jim,
I’m going to document my every move in getting my regular html site onto WordPress. When I’m done I’ll write the steps in as simple a matter as I can, and if you want to, use it on your site so people can ask you more particular questions instead of "step" questions. If it doesn’t drive you crazy, please answer the questions in any order you like but number your answers incoordination with my questions. Here goes….
Considering there’s stuff you have to download for the making my regualr website into a WordPress website
1) Can I do this transition to wordpress using Windows ME? I know it’s old but I just don’t have any problems with it, and I haven’t had any time to work with my new computer with XP Pro. (Forget Vista)
2) Are there any well known operating systems that would be difficult to use for this transition?
3) How much RAM do you think I need?
3) What should I make sure my Webhost has in place before I start this transition?
4) What do you think of this question to ask my webhost – Is there anything I should know before I transfer my site to wordpress?
Thanks a bunch Jim,
Roger
Roger,
Who is your webhost – I can then answer in greater detail.
I’ll walk you through the entire process – no worries! Just remember me when you start raking in the bucks, OK
Regards,
Jim.
Jim,
1) I guess it’s a different process for each webhost. I called my webhost and they said that on the control panel (where things like promotional options, preferences options, files options, logs, security, domains, software/services and that sort of stuff is located) under software/services is an option called Fantastico Deluxe. I went into Fantastico and saw a long list of "scripts".
So I guess the first thing for a reader intersted in wordpress should do is to call their webhost and ask if their webhost has scripts available to turn their site into a wordpress website?
My webhost is Bluehost.com
2) You say wordpress is great, but what is it? Why should anyone be interested in WordPress to begin with? What can it do for me?
Thanks,
Roger
I don’t have an account on bluehost, but my hosting companies do have fantastico although I have never used it. I’ll have to play with this to guide you correctly.
Why use WordPress? Oh, I can give you reasons all day login why you should use a CMS (content management system) like WordPress, but I’ll mention a few.
For starters, your competition (big business with big bucks) will / is using some type of content management system that was either built by their staff or is freely available, such as WordPress. I’ll bet you a bottle of Magnesium Asportate that you can’t find a big site that is static and ranking in the top ten for their term.
To compete, your site has to be dynamic. If it isn’t, you’ll be spending all your time making changes to individual pages, correcting errors, adding content and more.
Automate all that and you’ll have time to concentrate on your content. Without good content, forget about having a successful long-term site!
Another benefit are themes, literally thousands of them to chose from and they are all free! For those that get themes from sites other than WordPress, watch out! I just came across a footer file that had obfuscated code that gave the creator full control of the links that appear on your site. This is the second time I’ve found code like this! I’ll show you how to spot and fix these themes later.
Plugins – little add on programs are another major benefit, such as WP-DB-Backup, WP-Cache, Translation tools, adsense formatting tools, seo tools and so much more. These programs with the right WordPress configuration will allow you to stand head to head with the big guys (and most times, beat them).
These are just a few of the reasons why you should use WordPress. There are other CMS packages out there as well, such as Joomla, but my experience is with WordPress.
We’ll set up a temporary site and work on that; once it’s completed and configured, we’ll then make the switch and few minutes later, you’re up and running! This is an important part and can really mess things up if not done correctly.
Not to worry – I’ll guide you through this and in the end, you’ll wish you had done it sooner. If not, I’ll give you 100% of your money back – oh, that’s right, I’m doing this for free
Do you have a spare domain? If not, then buy one and we’ll use that to play with.
Regards,
Jim.
Jim,
I’ll remeber you if I make the big bucks, and I’ll remember you if I don’t ;>
That Jim guy. Man, I should have stayed at the track. Cold beer, warm sun.
Now I’m stuck infront of this computer all the time.
Jim, I have a bunch of domains I’m losing money on. Let’s use CO2Network.com. It’s a site I already have up. If you want just a domain, let’s use getafixedrateloan.com, both domains rented from 1&1.com.
Thanks Jim,
Roger
Hi Roger,
If you don’t have a directory for this domain set up, which it looks like you don’t, then do the following:
Log into your 1and1.com account by visiting admin.1and1.com
Click on the Administration Tab (next to the Account tab).
Click on the Domains Icon
click on your domain getafixedrateloan.com (nice domain name BTW)
next to Destination you’ll see Edit, click on that
Under Home Directory, choose Create New Directory
type in /GFRL and select OK
Now that we have created the directory to house our wordpress files, we’re going to set up a MySQL Database.
Click on the Administration Tab
Click on the MySQL Administration icon
Click on the New Database tab, it’s hard to see and right under the MySQL Configuration heading
You’ll be prompted for a description, enter something like WordPress and select MySQL 5.0
You’ll see a summary of information, Database name, username, password, etc. – Write these down.
You’re done at 1and1 for the time being. Now you’ll download and FTP program.
Fantastico can automate things up to this point. However, it can’t help you install plugins and themes, for this you’ll need a program that will transfer these files to your server. Some hosting companies don’t have fantastico, so we might as well do it ourselves (wasn’t hard, right?).
The FTP program I use is FileZilla located at ht tp: //filezilla-project.org/download.php (actually, CuteFTP now, but FileZilla if free).
Download the recommended windows version of FileZilla and install it on your computer.
When you are at this point, let me know.
Regards,
Jim.
Jim,
At Destination and Edit I get Home Directory but under Home Directory there’s no Create New Directory, only Forward Your Domain. If you choose that, they want a web address "Forwarding destination … Ex. 1and1.com". I don’t see Create New Directory.
Roger
Hi Roger,
I think you are in the Select Destination Type area.
Right under that is the Home Directory area which tells you the current directory, home directory and existing directory. What is the current directtory? I’m guessing / right? Under Home Directory, choose create a new directiry, then type in /GFRL and select OK.
If the current directory is something other than /, then stop and let me know what it is.
Regards,
Jim.
Jim,
I called 1 and 1 and they said I have no hosting with any of my domains. The only way to do that directory stuff is to have webhosting. I do have webhoisting at bluehost. but I don’t have any domains there. Anytime I put up a site I point the domain from 1&1 to Bluehost. I really don’t want hosting at 1 and 1 because I have virtually limitless webspace at Bluehost until August 2010. I called Bluehost and they said there’s a wordpress installer option in Fantastico Deluxe. Here’s what’s in Fantastico: (I see wordpress under the 2nd heading section – blogs
Fantastico
Navigation
Fantastico Home
Control Panel Home
Blogs
b2evolution
Nucleus
WordPress
Content Management
Drupal
Geeklog
Joomla
Mambo Open Source
PHP-Nuke
phpWCMS
phpWebSite
Post-Nuke
Siteframe
Xoops
Customer Relationship
Crafty Syntax Live Help
Help Center Live
osTicket
PHP Support Tickets
Support Services Manager
Discussion Boards
phpBB2
SMF
E-Commerce
CubeCart
OS Commerce
Zen Cart
F.A.Q.
FAQMasterFlex
Hosting Billing
AccountLab Plus
phpCOIN
Image Galleries
4Images Gallery
Coppermine Photo Gallery
Gallery
Polls and Surveys
Advanced Poll
phpESP
PHPSurveyor
Project Management
PHProjekt
Site Builders
Templates Express
Wiki
TikiWiki
PhpWiki
Other Scripts
Moodle
Open-Realty
phpAdsNew
PHPauction
phpFormGenerator
WebCalendar
Extras
Language
Side menu appearance
Email notifications
Installations overview
If I click on wordpress I get
Short description: WordPress is a personal publishing tool with focus on aesthetics and featuring cross-blog tool, password protected posts, importing, typographical niceties, multiple authors, bookmarklets.
Homepage: ht tp: //wordpress.org/
WordPress support forum
(We are not associated with the support forum)
New Installation (2.3.2)
Disk space required: 4.52 MB
Disk space available: 204787.5 MB
Current installations:
None
(See all thos MBs I have – 200 gigabytes.)
Thanks,
Roger
Jim,
I did change the DNS on getafixedrateloan.com from 1 & 1 to Bluehost (ns1.bluehost.com ns2.bluehost.com)
Roger
This puts me back as I don’t know bluehost options. How much did it run you for the hosting package?
Jim,
$166 for 2 years, ($6.95 a month) for1,500 Gigabyte Hosting Space, can host unlimited number of domains, 2,500 POP/Imap email accounts, 15,000 GB of transfer, 24/7 phone support, etc., etc.
Roger
Jim,
Is it easier to get my advertising in place before turning over to wordpress?
Roger
If this is true for all pages, then you could use ultraedit to search and replace in files and replace with
Before you would search and replace, you will need to create a directory called /includes and inside that directory, create a blank file called ad.php
Also – make SURE you have a backup of all your files just in case!!!
Without a pattern, you’ll have to modify each file and insert the ad in just the right spot.
It is easier with wordpress, but you could do this now and see how much you make for the first week, then when you move to wordpress, you’ll have something to compare with.
It’s up to you Roger.
As for bluehost, if you feel comfortable, you can pass me your login and password and I’ll play around and get the feel for bluehost. Then I can walk you through the process. In the end, you’ll need more than just fantastico (you’ll need to ftp your themes, plugins, etc).
If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, don’t worry about it, I understand completly and don’t want you to feel that I’ll be offended in any way.
Have you already signed up for adsense?
Jim,
I think I’m clairvoyant.
Last night at about 3, I sent you my sign in stuff for Bluehost.
I am signed up for adsense; remeber those adsense search fields I was trying to lead directly to googe/products? See top left of /clean.html. I’m not going to bother with php includes for now if they don’t help in wordpress, although I do have to transfer my webpages over to the more efficient template I wrote – or will I be using a new template at wordpress? Finally, about 1+1. I just paid Bluehost $166 only 2 weeks ago. I’ll call them and see if I can cancel, but go in there (Bluehost) for me and see if it’s much different than 1+1. According to 1+1, the DNS for getafixedrateloan.com is already changed to bluehost.
Thanks,
Roger
Hi Roger,
I checked my email and did not receive any information, sure it was sent?
Don’t bother switching over to 1and1 – I had assumes your where already there. I’ll benefit from getting the experience with BlueHost, so once I have your login information, I’ll start familiarizing myself with the control panels, etc.
Your right, no need to bother with the includes as it won’t make any difference with WordPress.
Best regards,
Jim.
Jim,
That email address appears to be fabricated by google mail – jim@gmail.com. I won’t be using google’s "contacts" anymore. It’s all straightened out.
Roger
Jim,
I’ve spent 18 months on my site. I remeber someone once telling me that my site would be great for wordpress becuase of its 3 column format. How much more difficult and costly (in terms of download speed to readers) is an original site than using templates already part of the woprdpress world?
Thanks Jim,
Roger
Hi Roger,
It all depends on the wordpress template. Some are designed great and some very poor. The less graphics, the better.
There are a lot of three column themes out there – take a look at some of the links I sent you and pick out a few wordpress themes that you think would look good and I’ll help you make sure they load fast
Best Regards,
Jim.
Jim,
Could you do me a big favor and assess the speed of downloading of my pages of my site? Base it on the index page, /gain.html, /heart.html, /clean.html. The other pages are not updated yet. How fast compared to if I used a similar template in wordpress? The reason I ask is that you were saying there’s variability in quality from worpress template to wordpress template. My own template is only 8.9 kb and has no <div …>s. The only slowing tags I have are 14 tables (and the graphics which I assume is not related to the template downloading).
If there’s little speed or versatility for me to gain, I use what I have.
Roger
It’s hard to judge without running both tests from your server. We can get a copy of the site up and running (at least a page or two), then test your pages for speed, then move wordpress over and test those pages and compare.
Without both running on your server, it is hard to tell – you have a DB and theme in the mix with WP that will be impacted by your server. When you have wordpress installed, it will tell you the load time of each page, although we’ll also do our own test as well.
Regards,
Jim.
Jim,
I’m working hard at finding a 3 column, fluid theme that I like. It’s going to be a while. I saw one I thought maybe would do it but lost it. I suspect that these non html web pages will download faster than mine. Is it true you don’t have to worry about what computer someone is using, only the browser they’re using?
Roger
Hello Roger,
You do have to worry about what browser they are using when using cascading style sheets (css). What might work great with Firefox might not with Internet Explorer.
However, I found that most of the wordpress themes work fine with both and once you have selected a few themes, we’ll make sure they work with both BEFORE using it.
Faster – they may, it all depends on the theme. That’s why we want to select a few wordpress themes to play with – just in case.
Selecting the theme is the hardest part of moving to workpress (at least for me).
Best regards,
Jim.
Jim,
Selecting a word press theme is a killer. What does "widget ready" mean. What about "plug-in required"
Roger
Jim,
Been working on finding a theme to take the place of my site layout and came up with this.
google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1 &q=%22Wordpress+theme+generator%22&spell=1
Roger
Jim,
Found a bunch of software that could help with a wordpress site: Need Wind XP for all of them.
First four are wordpress theme generators
download.com/3001-2068_4-10806551.html?spi=cbef0c252cb4b0c549a4f5a6ad031de3
wordpressthemegen.com/
ht tp: //neutronics.syokz.org/2008/02/06/wordpress-theme-generator-for-noobies/
ht tp: //downloads.zdnet.com/download.aspx?docid=343475
For faster sites use more CSS, fewer tables: maybe this will help
skybound.ca/stylizer/
Adobe Kuler desktop for improving color coordination of your site
ht tp: //kuler.adobe.com/#
Once I come up with a new theme or new CSS code for my site, I’ll be ready for step one. After looking at so many I still like my layout I gotta work on the colors with the coordinator above.
What do you think of this statement I read:
"ne thing many people don’t know about WordPress is
Jim,
Here’s an online CSS site templete/ theme generator
positioniseverything.net/articles/pie-maker/pagemaker_form.php
and it came from this site
csslayout.info/
Roger
Jim,
I found a site that provides 12 tableless templates. Can you tell me if this one is fluid width? To see all 12 click on "more nice…" on the left in pink.
mycelly.com/css_templates/css_template_03.htm
Roger
Hi Roger!
Give me a little time to check these themes out.
Hope all is going well!
Best regards,
Jim.
Jim,
Here’s the code for a fluid 3 column flayout with no tables in CSS
glish.com/css/7.asp
and another
ht tp: //beeex.net/web-development/css-web-development/12-standard-css-layouts
but I’m really looking forward to trying the software at the webaddress I sent you for converting html code with tables to CSS code with no tables. I’ll have to fire up my new computer and take the plunge into XP. I’ve been putting it off becuase for 7 years now I haven’t had to use antivirus software with Win Me and now I’m going to have to start.
Roger
Jim,
From what I understand, you don’t have to have your code tabless and in CSS but it’s more time consuming to change code when using wordpress. So I decided before even starting in WordPress, I would make my templete/theme as efficient as I can (no tables of html and using CSS instead) so I wouldn’t still be working on the template when using wordpress. I could avoid changing my template and choose one of the many online (called themes) but I couldn’t decide on one, so I’m working on what I have to see how that works out.
Roger
Jim,
I heard that I really don’t have to rewrite my code to CSS becuase that’s part of what WordPress is all about (technically). If one likes his/her own home-made template/theme for the many pages of their website, can you discuss the advantages of using a theme designed for use in WordPress over using a home-made theme.
Thanks,
Roger
The themes are all designed to read from the WordPress Database and produce a complete webpage.
Some themes use all CSS, some use a mix. Ideally, you’ll want pure CSS.
The advantage of using one that is already programmed for you is that you don’t have to do any work, or very little. In most cases, the chances are that the css used will be more organized than you creating one from scratch.
These themes also include php code used by wordpress (a little more than that, but we’ll keep it simple) and with a premade theme, you don’t have to try and figure out how to code sections, such as header, sidebar, footer, etc.
In most cases, you can find a wordpress theme that is close to what you like, then go in and change the color scheme, etc. Some themes even come with this ability built in so you don’t have to know any code at all.
I have created wordpress themes from scratch and it took me a good while, so I recommend choosing one of the free ones whenever possible (unless you are up for the challenge : )
There is one thing you have to watch out for with free wordpress themes obtained from sites other than wordpress, and that is hidden code, such as code in the footer that allows the creator of the theme to insert links into your site without your permission! I have been finding a ton of these tricks lately and they are well hidden!
If you find a theme and want me to check it out, post the location and I’ll review it as I have time.
Best regards,
Jim.
Jim,
If I was starting a site from scratch I could make myself like any and all the themes on the WordPress website. But trying to get my site fit into one of those would be like – I don’t know. The colors of my site are not great but I think the layout is perfect, as simple as can be. My site probably won’t grow in size or topic much so it’s not going to change much other than placing ads.
Another option, but one you’re not crazy about is using wordpress software to convert my site to wordpress material- because in the conversion a lot of efficiency would be gained but only half as much as could be gained.
How about this: I’ll finally put that new computer online, so it can be destroyed by viruses, and finally download those free and trial sites for creating CSS pages that I referenced a few entries ago. Would you think a wordpress conversion from a page already 100% CSS would be better?
Thanks,
Roger
Jim,
I created php includes references for the left and right columns of my website. Should I bother placing the references on each of my pages (27), or would that be wasting my time because when I change to wordpress none of the references will be used. I ask this becuase elsewhere I hear all you have to do with wordpress is copy and paste, copy and paste. You really can’t copy and paste PHP functions.
Thanks Jim,
Roger
Jim,
I guess wordpress is some sort internet vehicle or engine to or of the internet, and the php problem I worry about is a limitation of a cut and paste auto use template, where you don’t work with the code and just type or paste in the text. I guess after you finish with the auto template, you can go into the code that the auto template created and make changes, such as putting in php includes. How does that sound?
Thanks,
Roger
Roger,
How would you explain wordpress to those getting started now that time has passed
Regards,
Jim.