Q&A Having an awesome website!

[Le Pertti]

So I've been trying to think about my future online presence and strategy.

I could just buy we hosting where I have my domains now, but it's like the same price as squarespace but I have to code my own stuff.

Speaking of squarespace, that what I would like to have since the ease of use and looks good, BUT they aren't very friendly toward adult content.

Any ideas of other alternatives that I haven't considered?

 

[lashman]

So I've been trying to think about my future online presence and strategy.

I could just buy we hosting where I have my domains now, but it's like the same price as squarespace but I have to code my own stuff.

Speaking of squarespace, that what I would like to have since the ease of use and looks good, BUT they aren't very friendly toward adult content.

Any ideas of other alternatives that I haven't considered?

well you could just try using wordpress ... and maybe buying the visual composer plugin

it would basically make it kinda/sorta like squarespace ... maybe just a tiny little bit more complex ... but really not that much (basicaly zero coding needed ... maybe a bit of CSS here and there, but that's about it)

 

[Le Pertti]

well you could just try using wordpress ... and maybe buying the visual composer plugin

it would basically make it kinda/sorta like squarespace ... maybe just a tiny little bit more complex ... but really not that much (basicaly zero coding needed ... maybe a bit of CSS here and there, but that's about it)

I used WordPress for years before and even coded some sites for work... That's why I would rather stay far away from it haha. Never could get it to look good, not like you can with squarespace.

 

[lashman]

I used WordPress for years before and even coded some sites for work... That's why I would rather stay far away from it haha. Never could get it to look good, not like you can with squarespace.

that's why i mentioned visual composer

google it

 

[Le Pertti]

that's why i mentioned visual composer

google it

Looks good! How necessary is it to get the premium edition? Also does it do anything to combat the WordPress sluggishness?

 

[lashman]

Looks good! How necessary is it to get the premium edition? Also does it do anything to combat the WordPress sluggishness?

necessary? hmmm ... depends on if you want/need any of the premium components ... like, you can make a nice-looking and functional website without them ... but if you want more "complex" stuff on there - you're gonna need the premium version ... but you can definitely at least start with the free one and then upgrade to premium if needed, so you don't have to make a choice before you start doing anything

as for the sluggishness - not really ... although - they've improved it A LOT in the last few versions, so there's that and if not - blame Copons, he works there now

 

[Copons]

I used WordPress for years before and even coded some sites for work... That's why I would rather stay far away from it haha. Never could get it to look good, not like you can with squarespace.

Developer on WordPress.com here, and:

No but seriously, Squarespace is amazing, and I love its style.
Though, WP revamped its editor recently, with a shiny new block editor one called Gutenberg which was massively contested by the community (for "political" reasons mostly), but imho it's a joy to use (more on self-hosted WP.org sites than our own WP.com sites, to be perfectly honest) and is very flexible, especially if you are a developer and you have some working knowledge of modern JS.
Give it a try, it's free! :3

(Full disclosure: I'm part of the main team who ported/is porting Gutenberg from WP.org to WP.com)

Post automatically merged: Feb 23, 2019

as for the sluggishness - not really ... although - they've improved it A LOT in the last few versions, so there's that and if not - blame Copons, he works there now

Ah!
If we don't consider badly coded themes and plugins, most of the time the sluggishness is caused by sketchy shared hosting (like the one I use for my personal sites ), and by the fact that some of them use some massively obsolete PHP versions.

 

[lashman]

Ah!
If we don't consider badly coded themes and plugins, most of the time the sluggishness is caused by sketchy shared hosting (like the one I use for my personal sites ), and by the fact that some of them use some massively obsolete PHP versions.

... or by bad Italian programmers

i kid, i kid ... luv ya, bby <3

 

[Le Pertti]

Hmh maybe I will go that route, setting up a WordPress site again! It's years since I last fully used it so much have changed I bet. It will be awhile before I can start with the project so have some to consider. Thanks for the tips! I will return to the topic with massive amount of questions when I do start.

 

[lashman]

Hmh maybe I will go that route, setting up a WordPress site again! It's years since I last fully used it so much have changed I bet. It will be awhile before I can start with the project so have some to consider. Thanks for the tips! I will return to the topic with massive amount of questions when I do start.

please do

and no problem!

 

[Le Pertti]

So I'm thinking I will go with a Wordpress site, Gutenberg seems quite great! Now I'm wondering, just how much do I need to learn javascript in designing my site? I mean I will probably try and build my theme from the group instead of using themes. Also, just how difficult would it be to build an own gallery viewer in javascript? Since showcasing photos is the most important part for me and I've never found a gallery plugin for Wordpress that was any good.

 

[lashman]

So I'm thinking I will go with a Wordpress site, Gutenberg seems quite great! Now I'm wondering, just how much do I need to learn javascript in designing my site? I mean I will probably try and build my theme from the group instead of using themes. Also, just how difficult would it be to build an own gallery viewer in javascript? Since showcasing photos is the most important part for me and I've never found a gallery plugin for Wordpress that was any good.

probably quite difficult i know there are a few good ones for WP ... just not free

 

[Le Pertti]

probably quite difficult i know there are a few good ones for WP ... just not free

Mm I never explored the payed ones, my needs are quite simple so the new guthemberg thingie might be just what I need. I'm trying to decide if I will set up a local Wordpress install to start working on it or do it on a live site directly.

 

[Copons]

So I'm thinking I will go with a Wordpress site, Gutenberg seems quite great! Now I'm wondering, just how much do I need to learn javascript in designing my site? I mean I will probably try and build my theme from the group instead of using themes. Also, just how difficult would it be to build an own gallery viewer in javascript? Since showcasing photos is the most important part for me and I've never found a gallery plugin for Wordpress that was any good.

You can build themes without ever using JS, but of course some basics (with jQuery, for example) would make for some nice visual/UX additions.

Galleries are usually a PITA to write, but you can find thousands of ready to use plugins.
AFAIK, the most popular ones are Gutenberg-compatible, but I don't really know what it entails (e.g. you can manage them from inside the editor? just see their preview? etc.).
If you want to try some plugins without messing with your site, you can spin up a temporary WP install at Jurassic Ninja (it's what we use internally to do quick and painless tests on Jetpack).

Unfortunately I can't really help you more than this. I've been involved with the core development of Gutenberg for a long time, and then I went in parental leave right after it was released, so I'm not really following what the community is doing with that, themes- and plugins-wise.
I just know that I kinda hate the Twenty Nineteen theme, which is this year official one, and the first to showcase front-end Gutenberg features, but it totally looks incomplete to me.

 

[lashman]

You can build themes without ever using JS, but of course some basics (with jQuery, for example) would make for some nice visual/UX additions.

Galleries are usually a PITA to write, but you can find thousands of ready to use plugins.
AFAIK, the most popular ones are Gutenberg-compatible, but I don't really know what it entails (e.g. you can manage them from inside the editor? just see their preview? etc.).
If you want to try some plugins without messing with your site, you can spin up a temporary WP install at Jurassic Ninja (it's what we use internally to do quick and painless tests on Jetpack).

Unfortunately I can't really help you more than this. I've been involved with the core development of Gutenberg for a long time, and then I went in parental leave right after it was released, so I'm not really following what the community is doing with that, themes- and plugins-wise.
I just know that I kinda hate the Twenty Nineteen theme, which is this year official one, and the first to showcase front-end Gutenberg features, but it totally looks incomplete to me.

for what it's worth - i'm using the X Pro theme, i'm sure you know which one it is ... and visual composer

 

[Copons]

for what it's worth - i'm using the X Pro theme, i'm sure you know which one it is ... and visual composer

Funnily enough, at this point in time I don't really know much of what goes on in the "external" WP world, which is a bit of a shame, but also my team doesn't really dabble with that, so eh... (but yeah even I know what Visual Composer is )

 

[lashman]

Funnily enough, at this point in time I don't really know much of what goes on in the "external" WP world, which is a bit of a shame, but also my team doesn't really dabble with that, so eh... (but yeah even I know what Visual Composer is )

oh, you

this one: Pro | The Most Advanced Website Creator for WordPress

 

[Le Pertti]

Finally looking into installing Wordpress locally to begin with, but wow I'm exhausted already by looking into what I need to do.XD Any chance there are free web hosting thingies to install Wordpress on to start working on it?

 

[lashman]

Finally looking into installing Wordpress locally to begin with, but wow I'm exhausted already by looking into what I need to do.XD Any chance there are free web hosting thingies to install Wordpress on to start working on it?

hmmm, no idea ... maybe Copons knows

 

[Le Pertti]

Maybe I just need to do the local install, I mean if I can't muster the will to do that then how am I supposed to handle Wordpress again.XD

 

[lashman]

Maybe I just need to do the local install, I mean if I can't muster the will to do that then how am I supposed to handle Wordpress again.XD

yeah ... that's true haha

 

[Copons]

Monooboe You don't necessarily need a local install to use WP, although, of course it's easier to try stuff, and definitely a must if you want to write your own themes and plugins.

If you only need to try stuff on a temporary install that will expire after 7 days since the last login, go ahead with Jurassic Ninja
Otherwise, there are plenty of free hosting that use WP (although, I don't know enough to recommend any), but usually you'd get a heavily stripped down version, with very limited customization options.

If you want to try WP locally, imho MAMP is the easiest option. The pro version has a one-click installer for WP, but you don't really need it.
Instead, you could install MAMP, run it, start its servers, and just follow their guide: MAMP (Windows) Documentation > How Tos > WordPress

 

[Le Pertti]

I set up a local wordpress install! So will play around with it and try to have a functional site before I get webhosting and go live.

So get ready for a lot of questions since I will be very lost getting familiar with a this new fancyness in wordpress.

 

[Le Pertti]

Copons How possible/easy would it be to do a super barebones theme from the ground up and have most of the design be with blocks? I'm quite liking blocks!

 

[Copons]

Copons How possible/easy would it be to do a super barebones theme from the ground up and have most of the design be with blocks? I'm quite liking blocks!

Mmh, that would depend on your PHP skills!
Making a theme Gutenberg-enabled is rather easy, but usually to write a theme you'd need to know a few things about how WordPress works.
You might want to use a starter theme (such as our Underscores) as a base to start hacking around, but I'd actually recommend to pick a ready-made theme compatible with Gutenberg.
Most themes are actually much more barebones than what their previews want you to believe.
The current official theme, Twenty Nineteen, has been developed with Gutenberg in mind, but I totally don't like it at all. Though, its concept is exactly to be minimal with the blocks as kings.

 

[Le Pertti]

Mmh, that would depend on your PHP skills!
Making a theme Gutenberg-enabled is rather easy, but usually to write a theme you'd need to know a few things about how WordPress works.
You might want to use a starter theme (such as our Underscores) as a base to start hacking around, but I'd actually recommend to pick a ready-made theme compatible with Gutenberg.
Most themes are actually much more barebones than what their previews want you to believe.
The current official theme, Twenty Nineteen, has been developed with Gutenberg in mind, but I totally don't like it at all. Though, its concept is exactly to be minimal with the blocks as kings.

I don't really have php skills... BUT I did for work build a Wordpress site from ground up for a client.XD I'm think I should be able to do it again for myself... but I'm not paying as much as the client was so the motivation isn't there haha.

I remember trying out underscores before but got so overwhelmed with it, it wasn't as lean as I thought it could be. But think I will check it again.

I'm really liking images shown to full width now! Something I always wanted from Wordpress back then.


EDIT: OR wait! I think I will try and build it up from ground up. Learning how to do it has been on my "want to do" list. Just need to cut down on D:OS2 time.

HERE WE GO! I'm already dead aren't I?

 

[Le Pertti]

So I fucked up my code on a theme so the whole Wordpress is down. The problem now is that with XAMPP I can't write to the Wordpress folder! I've been throwing around read write things all over the place but it just doesn't work on Wordpress folders.

Ugh I just want to throw my laptop out on the street.XD

 

[Copons]

So I fucked up my code on a theme so the whole Wordpress is down. The problem now is that with XAMPP I can't write to the Wordpress folder! I've been throwing around read write things all over the place but it just doesn't work on Wordpress folders.

Ugh I just want to throw my laptop out on the street.XD

I haven't used XAMPP in probably 10 years, can't help you with that.
Though, it sounds just like an annoying but common permissions screw up.
I assume you are on Windows, and I don't dev on Windows anymore, but IIRC installing a server in the programs directory might cause such issues. Usually it would be better to do so in the disk root, but I understand that this isn't of any help right now...

 

[Le Pertti]

I haven't used XAMPP in probably 10 years, can't help you with that.
Though, it sounds just like an annoying but common permissions screw up.
I assume you are on Windows, and I don't dev on Windows anymore, but IIRC installing a server in the programs directory might cause such issues. Usually it would be better to do so in the disk root, but I understand that this isn't of any help right now...

I'm on a mac.'D I tried to uninstall it, but settings were still there and no guide I found were correct... So I installed another version and started from scratch haha. Using underscore as a base and been tinkering with it. It's coming along!

 

[lashman]

I'm on a mac.

gross

 

[Le Pertti]

gross

I love my MacBook pro.

 

[lashman]

I love my MacBook pro.

my condolences

 

[Ex-User (307)]

I love my MacBook pro.

(there are dozens of us, dozens!)

 

[lashman]

(there are dozens of us, dozens!)

you people disgust me!

j/k, lol

 

[Le Pertti]

So I've been working on my site... and I actually don't hate Wordpress anymore! Was much easier than I remember to get things working properly. Long ways still to go.

But I am wondering, I will have two sites and can I have both sites on the same Wordpress install? Like maybe even have the exact same site for both but for one I can hide a bunch of stuff? Both having own urls.

 

[lashman]

But I am wondering, I will have two sites and can I have both sites on the same Wordpress install? Like maybe even have the exact same site for both but for one I can hide a bunch of stuff? Both having own urls.

don't think so

 

[Copons]

So I've been working on my site... and I actually don't hate Wordpress anymore! Was much easier than I remember to get things working properly. Long ways still to go.

But I am wondering, I will have two sites and can I have both sites on the same Wordpress install? Like maybe even have the exact same site for both but for one I can hide a bunch of stuff? Both having own urls.

This should be possible with the multisite function (WordPress.com is pretty much a heavily customized WP multisite with hundreds of millions of sites), but I can't really help you on this, because I've had very limited experience with how the network is set up.
Try reading this guide or googling about it or "WPMU"!

 

[YourFriendMaynard]

I would love to write for this site

 

[Le Pertti]

I would love to write for this site

It's mostly just going to be a personal blog, but thanks for the interest! Or maybe I need a ghost writer some day haha.

 

[Le Pertti]

Decided to go live with my site! I feel I have the base in place now, still a lot to do and most importantly to fill it with content and get used to regularly blog and stuff, which is little weird for me since I've been so asocial and introverted for so long.

Anyway! www.fancierlust.com

 

[lashman]

Decided to go live with my site! I feel I have the base in place now, still a lot to do and most importantly to fill it with content and get used to regularly blog and stuff, which is little weird for me since I've been so asocial and introverted for so long.

Anyway! www.fancierlust.com

ooooh, fancy(ier )

 

[Le Pertti]

ooooh, fancy(ier )

Took a long time to get it very minimal! haha.XD

 

[Le Pertti]

So, how does one make ones site "secure"? Is there a free way to get a SSL certificate?

EDIT: Just found that my hosting has button for "Let's Encrypt"!

 

[lashman]

EDIT: Just found that my hosting has button for "Let's Encrypt"!

lucky you ... i have to do this shit manually every 3 months

 

[Le Pertti]

lucky you ... i have to do this shit manually every 3 months

Yeah seems my host will take care of that.

I just saw that there is a plug in for Gutenberg, I thought it was a part of Wordpress 5? Is there any need to install the plug in?

 

[Le Pertti]

I have a question about blogging, I'm mostly using the app to do it, but how do I change the author? I have an admin account and an editor account, the later which I want to be the face outwards. But from the app only the admin is the author. Tried googling but couldn't really find any help.

 

[lashman]

I have a question about blogging, I'm mostly using the app to do it, but how do I change the author? I have an admin account and an editor account, the later which I want to be the face outwards. But from the app only the admin is the author. Tried googling but couldn't really find any help.

i don't really know, sorry i know you can easily change authors on desktop

 

[Le Pertti]

i don't really know, sorry i know you can easily change authors on desktop

Yeah now I just go change on the site in chrome app. But seems such an oversight that I can't believe one can't chose or change author in the app. or at least define who is the default author. Isn't that possible to change site wide?

 

[lashman]

Yeah now I just go change on the site in chrome app. But seems such an oversight that I can't believe one can't chose or change author in the app. or at least define who is the default author. Isn't that possible to change site wide?

i'd blame Copons if i were you

 

[Le Pertti]

i'd blame Copons if i were you

Me too! Googling for it I saw people asking for it 4 years ago!