Updating and hosting client's site

[reen.blom]

Hallo everyone!

I am not sure if this is the right place to post my question, but here I go.

I am an amateur web-designer, I really enjoy creating the graphics and I studied a bit of HTML a couple of years ago, and CSS was introduced only to style the fonts and stuff, so I did my stuff in Tables. To my horror after completing a challenging project, I discovered CCS for layout! Grrrr it is totally another story, as I now have a pile of books on CSS and breaking my head over how to redo my site in CSS! (www.worldbellydanceday.com)

But now my friend asked me to design a site for her, and all good and well, but now I am puzzled on how is it done by freelance people. What worries me is how are updates are done? I can just design the site and then I can not really promise her to be there to update it! I know that she will not be able to do it on her own, unless there is some other way to do it...LOL

Some pages of the site do not need to be changed, but such ones as links and sheduele will definitly need to be updated! I was thinking to make a blog page for say, sheduele, but I cant do that for all the pages that need updating! Or can I? Oh well, to create a blog will be a new learning curve for me cos the closest to it I did was install a free ecard script on the abovementioned site.

Also I had another rather flattering offer that I turned down, because I have no clue how it is done - what I mean here, is that the lady that offered me to make her a website is in another country, and I can design the site ok, but how do you go around domain name, hosting and uploading? I can design site and send her a CD, but I know she will not be able to get the domain and upload the site, because when the 'layic' people ask you to make a site they expect it to pop online and to the rest they have no clue!

When you design a site, do you take the responsibility to host the site and the domain, and then you get yearly payments from your clients?

My other 2 attempts were also done in tables, www.inakolberg.com and www.geocities.com/kolberg_creations they do not validate. I think I will be dedicating my time to CSS now and proper validation...:-S

Would be grateful if someone could shed light on the matter!!!

Love and hugs,
Reen.blom

[JonathanD]

The website below is something I strongly recommend you take a look at. they write about standards and how to design a website:

http://alistapart.com/articles/

they are a very authoritative site on the topic.

[reen.blom]

Thank you for the link I will definitly check it out!

[reen.blom]

Any advice anyone please on hosting and updating practices? *confused*

[JonathanD]

I'm still not sure what you mean by "updating practices"

To update a website, you just make the changes and upload them to your site, that's it. There isn't really any other way to do it unless you're using a CMS.

[coolsaint]

I belive you should find some good Web Hosting who provides Domain Name Registration and Cpanel Hosting. Cpanel is a CMS (Content Management System). It is one of the best Hosting Management System avaiable and very easy to operate. I belive you will be able to learn it in short time. Above all I will suggest you to choose good Web Hosting Company whose support system is good. As you are a beginner in this Hosting thing you will be needing good support along with Hosting. Choose you Hosting Provider Wisely. I wish you best of luck.

If you are in Web Designing Business; today or tomorrow you have to be skilled in Domain Name registration and Hosting Management. It is essential. Trust me.

[reen.blom]

Hallo guys!

Thank you for the replies, but I do belive that I did not express my problem clearly!

I can upload and update and register domain and all...

But the friend that asked me to make her a website will surely NOT be able to do it on her own.....
She knows nothing about registartion and hosting...

SO how do I go about it... do I make the website and register and upload it and then what? Do I send my client a CD and the Cpanel details and hope she sorts it out?

Or DO I take the responsibility of hosting it and just send them invoice when payment is due?

IS there a way to make certain pages of the site updatable- say like sheduel page.... Do I use blog for that?

Because in my case I can commit to making and uploading the site but I can NOT be there to update it each time as she wants!

Geez I am so confused now!

I wonder if what I wrote makes sense now?

[coolsaint]

After uploading the website. You should take a full backup from the Cpanel - Backup . Put it on CD and send him. Oh Don't forget to keep a copy with you.
Web Site Design and Maintanence is two different responsibility. Try to figure out that and talk with your client about it. I belive he will understand it.