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#13 2021-03-16 13:10:12

gaekwad
Server grease monkey
From: People's Republic of Cornwall
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 4,134
GitHub

Re: Building websites in <this year>

Hi J-P!

I’ll echo Bloke’s comments, as usual he’s nailed it more eloquently than I could’ve mangled managed.

Some very useful and interesting points raised here, and not for the first time. One of the things I’m hoping to do soon-ish is to have a hosting live chat (likely starting with IRC and perhaps Matrix at a later date if it gets traction) with a low barrier to entry for anyone to jump in. You’ve absolutely right in that the threaded nature of a forum is regimented, and niche, and the regulars round here have sufficient know-how to just get on with it. I don’t know of many forums these days that are welcoming to newbies, and those that do tend to have a lobby / intro forum for new members to introduce themselves (some even require it).

Forums are sort of a bit Web 1.0 and a bit Web 2.0, and I’ve lost track where we are on the numbering scale these days. Are we Web 3.0 yet?

We’re working from a fairly low baseline with themes, though as Bloke mentioned there is work underway. There are many ways to skin a website cat these days, far more than when Textpattern was born, which either makes it easier or more difficult depending on your level of control.

We have Textpattern 4.8.5 coming out very soon (final tests happening now) and I am certain you’ll see a big leap in functionality from the Textpattern you have to the one that’s imminent. Lots has changed, and while we’re not at that nirvana yet where it’s found the balance of form, function and friendly, we’re getting closer.

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#14 2021-03-16 13:29:50

etc
Developer
Registered: 2010-11-11
Posts: 5,028
Website GitHub

Re: Building websites in <this year>

gaekwad wrote #329293:

I don’t know of many forums these days that are welcoming to newbies, and those that do tend to have a lobby / intro forum for new members to introduce themselves (some even require it).

That could actually help :-) Answering questions at the right level is often a matter of perception (unless you know the person well enough), and one feels discourteous to be too simplistic, as Stef mentions. But nearly all questions here get finally answered after a few approximations, afaik.

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#15 2021-03-16 14:28:59

Kjeld
Member
From: Tokyo, Japan
Registered: 2005-02-05
Posts: 446
Website

Re: Building websites in <this year>

etc wrote #329294:

That could actually help :-) Answering questions at the right level is often a matter of perception (unless you know the person well enough), and one feels discourteous to be too simplistic, as Stef mentions. But nearly all questions here get finally answered after a few approximations, afaik.

Yes, the textpattern forum is awesome, John-Paul. People are very understanding and helpful here.

If you have no experience with css, I suggest starting with some basic css lessons to get the feel for it and understand how it works. There are lots of online tutorials, like this one by w3schools

After almost two decades of using css, I still regularly consult this site when I am designing a new site.

Next is html. If you are already familiar with html, the Texpattern tags will make a lot of sense.


Old Photos of Japan – Japan in the 1850s~1960s (100% txp)
MeijiShowa – Stock photos of Japan in the 1850s~1960s (100% txp)
JapaneseStreets.com – Japanese street fashion (mostly txp)

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#16 2021-03-16 14:30:06

gaekwad
Server grease monkey
From: People's Republic of Cornwall
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 4,134
GitHub

Re: Building websites in <this year>

etc wrote #329294:

That could actually help :-) Answering questions at the right level is often a matter of perception (unless you know the person well enough), and one feels discourteous to be too simplistic, as Stef mentions.

I can certainly see advantages to having a lobby / triage / intro forum, and you make excellent points about the UX of this place. We are sometimes a little too effective about housekeeping, sometimes to the detriment of the casual browser.

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#17 2021-03-16 17:08:47

Destry
Member
From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
Website

Re: Building websites in <this year>

John-Paul F wrote #329286:

I’ve had a Textpattern-based website for 21 years (ish, maybe 20).

Maybe 17? I think the initial alpha was released in winter 2003, iirc. Or did Dean slip you the early ‘translator’ scripts? ;)

In any case, it’s remarkable that this is your first post after the full spread of time. Would love to see that website and read some of your writing, if you care to share.

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#18 2021-03-18 13:12:33

John-Paul F
Member
Registered: 2021-03-15
Posts: 39
Website Twitter

Re: Building websites in <this year>

Well, I certainly proved that this is a friendly and helpful forum. Thank you ALL, particularly Bloke for taking the time to reply so fully.

I’m familiar with HTML, and reasonably comfortable with Textpattern tags as a concept and in practice (but with huge blind spots). I’m looking to add some more gallery-type content and have no experience in that. I love what Kjeld has done with Japanese Streets…

It probably is a good idea to have some kind of Welcome Lobby to the forum, imo.

I’m excited about the new release, Pete. My current installation doesn’t have a Themes panel, and I’m looking forward to other new (to me) elements.

Destry, I’m confused, now. A friend of a friend, called Rob Brook set up my site while I was doing a particular job, which ended in 2002. But maybe I am mistaken. My site is flintoff.org, with a few bits of Wordpress installed in, eg, /art.

Edit by gaekwad: remove legacy version number.

Last edited by John-Paul F (2021-03-18 14:05:19)


Strictly Amateur

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#19 2021-03-19 20:24:52

Destry
Member
From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
Website

Re: Building websites in <this year>

John-Paul F wrote #329342:

A friend of a friend…set up my site while I was doing a particular job, which ended in 2002.

You’ve come a long way and stuck to theme. Bravo!

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#20 2021-03-20 02:26:39

Kjeld
Member
From: Tokyo, Japan
Registered: 2005-02-05
Posts: 446
Website

Re: Building websites in <this year>

John-Paul F wrote #329342:

I love what Kjeld has done with Japanese Streets…

Thank you for your kind words, John-Paul. This design was launched in 2010. I should really update it and make it responsive, but the site has been inactive since 2015…

I am currently developing a responsive Universal Design that will work for all of my sites, with small adjustments to make each site slightly different while simultaneously expressing a unifying brand image.


Old Photos of Japan – Japan in the 1850s~1960s (100% txp)
MeijiShowa – Stock photos of Japan in the 1850s~1960s (100% txp)
JapaneseStreets.com – Japanese street fashion (mostly txp)

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#21 2021-03-20 05:53:29

bici
Member
From: vancouver
Registered: 2004-02-24
Posts: 2,072
Website Mastodon

Re: Building websites in <this year>

Kjeld wrote #329370:

Thank you for your kind words, John-Paul. This design was launched in 2010. I should really update it and make it responsive, but the site has been inactive since 2015…

I am currently developing a responsive Universal Design that will work for all of my sites, with small adjustments to make each site slightly different while simultaneously expressing a unifying brand image.

your Old Photos of Japan site is perfect. by all means make it more responsive but keep that classic design!


…. texted postive

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