It looks like may have picked up a client who wants us to design and build her new website. WooHoo! However, she wants to be able to update it on her own instead of paying me to handle it for her. Its understandable. Money is money after all and none of us want to spend any more than we have to.
The problem as I see it is in directing her to a program that will allow her to do it easily without having to learn a whole lot. I'm looking at Adobe's Contribute but I've not had any experience with it.
Any suggestions?
.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Net object fusion Do the site,, then give her the NOF files All set, and ready to go. Net Objects fusion is very user friendly especially for noobs..
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Cool! I've already got NOF.
Thanks Curtis!
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
Be careful- most clients are usually clueless about what is involved in maintaining a website, only looking at saving $$$- then they have you on speed dial, and you end up teaching them how to use the computer, build websites, and help them learn to type and spell- just so they can "save money".
Actually the "content management" ability is great and there are several ways to give the client control of the content.
Make sure you have it in writing or you could end up being someones "web slave"- ha ha
Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
Michael, I totally agree. No matter what method you give her to edit the content herself, she is going to have trouble learning it. Unless you establish up front that she will be billed for the time it takes to help her, she is going to expect free tech support.
Posted by Wayne Osborne (Member # 4569) on :
I use contribute to make my "news pages" My web guy locks everything else and just leaves me the text and picture boxes.. `I can send to him for a review before it gets published too.
Im not very techy so its ideal for me- easy to use- Esspecially if its a dreamweaver built site
[ November 30, 2008, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Osborne ]
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
It's impossible to know what the client can handle and of course they want to save money but it shouldn't be at your expense! Be very clear, from the beginning that they will be charged an hourly rate for tech support and you should be fine. You have to be up front and let them know, just like any other business, time is money.
Posted by Tony Ray Mattingly (Member # 469) on :
I have to agree with Mike also. I did it once and will never do it again.
Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :
DITTO TONY..."I'm REALLY good on the computer..." should be your first clue...
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Never the less, you got to give the client what that want is how the saying goes.
Money comes to those who make money come to them
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
quote:Originally posted by Joey Madden: Never the less, you got to give the client what that want is how the saying goes.
Money comes to those who make money come to them
Yes, and smile nicely when she comes back asking about rates for updating her website because she suddenly realized she's better off spending her time on other aspects of her business. Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
I've recently been through this also...
and lost the whole job because I couldn't/wouldn't deliver something 'they' could update.
(it was a voluntary thing, but 'they' think they knew better)
Anyhow, the new mob who're setting it up for them are doing is as a database-driven website, kind of like making up your own forum like letterville, except you(they) are the only ones allowed to post things.
If you know the website programs (it may take some knmowledge of CGI or ASP pages, I don't know) it can be done. I personally have stayed with html pages & basic knowledge of them & not delved into the other stuff, except for phpbb which is the forums/bulletin board stuff, which is not difficult, as we all use it here, anyway.
So, yes, website setups for the do-it-yourselfers can be done, and probably most easily via a database-driven site. Your own private forums type website is not difficult, and you can't stuff it up too easily, either.
Lets hope someone else who knows more about it than I do chips in now...!
Otherwise, as others have said NOF is good for newbies.
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Glenn, type in "free forums" into google & see how you go.
Alternately, you can download phpbb3.0 (free) and set that up & tack it onto an existing website for the bulletin board add-on. YOu avoid the free-forums-plus-banner-ads then.
HTH!
Posted by Chris OBrien (Member # 5409) on :
I'm in the process of designing a website for a client with similar goals. They want to be able to update content as needed. I'm using Joomla- it's an open-source content management system. I've created the static page in html, and converted it into a template for Joomla. Once I finish tweaking the layout and CSS, it will be ready for my client to manage themselves. There are a couple of GREAT videos over at lynda.com that explain in detail the joomla interface and how to create joomla templates from an html file. It's working out great for me so far!
[ December 04, 2008, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: Chris OBrien ]
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
Ha... came in here to say exactly what Chris OBrien said....
Check out Joomla, Glenn. It's made pretty much for that exact application.
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