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I recently redesigned my website from scratch. I used a content management system (CMS) to build it. For the uninitiated, this type of system allows you to change the data on pages fairly quickly while keeping the style of the website intact. It’s a far cry from the first website I built using Microsoft Publisher. The problem with that program is that it would never look the same depending on what computer and browser I was using. Anything that looked terrific on Internet Explorer, would look terrible on Firefox and vice versa. So I found myself forever tinkering with my website. It was a great when my writer’s block would kick in. I would have a legitimate excuse for not writing because I had to fix my #$@^&* website.
I used to work in a technology unit at my old day job. I am far from being a technology expert. But I have a basic understanding of how technology works and I’m willing to teach myself just about anything. So with enough time and patience, I rebuilt my website. I used a CMS called Joomla. It’s a pretty popular system. But Joomla was entirely different from anything I used before. I would have to start at the beginning to learn it. So with the help of the internet and armed with a “Dummies” book, I went to work.
First problem I ran into: Joomla was upgrading versions and the new version wouldn’t work with my current internet hosting. I contacted customer service and they sold me on trying a new hosting platform they were rolling out which would support the new version of Joomla. So I backed up my website, or so I thought, and had them convert me to this new hosting platform.
So I find out that I didn’t quite back up my website correctly (“D’oh”-with apologies to Homer Simpson). Also, when I switched platforms it deleted my old account. My website and everything else stored there was gone (“Double D’oh”).
If I had backed up my website correctly, I could have just imported it into Joomla and it would have converted it automatically (“Triple D’oh). But anyhow, now I finally have a nice, shiny new website, with plenty of bells and whistles. If you would like to see the results, please visit www.kevinmcnamee.com and let me know how it looks to you.
Unfortunately, now I don’t have any more excuses for not writing. Back to work.
0 Comments on Website Woes as of 4/29/2014 5:31:00 PM
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agreed. There is so much information out there, organising it is the great task. Google can always index your content, and serve it to the world, but for those patrons of your website or blog … making it accessible increases your value immeasurable. There are all sorts of approachs — tags, thumbnails, even random posts! …. a different solution for each content site. CMS is a fascinating issue … and something like wordpress can act as a rudimentary way to arrange your content. No good blogging and creating good content if it stays hidden in the dark of archives!
this is definitely where the expertise of librarians comes in. So much more than a Dewey Numbering system … taxonomies of information are your domain.
This is so correct, thanks for publishing.
This was a great conference! I learned so much about CMS and how real librarians can actually create websites with ease using open source programs like Wordpress! I went home afterwards and registered a domain name and got it hosted through Dreamhost; registered for a Wordpress account; installed Wordpress 2.8 through Dreamhost (soooo easy) and then began to create my library’s new website!
Thanks to NELA and all the presenters for a great day!
Hey Jessamyn - Spotted you at the DMV yesterday but didn’t give a shout as was too crowded for my comfort level. Guess Monday is not the day to hit the DMV! I’ve been working on switching over to wordpress for our website. I’ll have to try to look at your presentation later to see if I can pick up some hints. Wish I could have seen this one live - Rhonda