Information Web Site
The most basic and most common web site is an information web site. Businesses use this type of web site to inform the visitor about the company and what they can do for them. Another form of an information web site would be a blog, where an individual, club,organization, or even a team would not only give information about themselves — but would also have frequent news items posted.
While DDS can certainly design an expensive and time consuming “Full-Custom” web site for those wishing to go that way, we feel a “Semi-Custom” web site offers a better bang for the buck.
Full-Custom
In a full custom web site, the entire site is hand coded and 100s of graphic items used in the web site are each created one at a time. Most every function of the site is custom coded to the exact specifications of the client. The benefit of a Full-Custom site is that there will be no other like it on the Internet. The downside is that they’re very expensive, take a long time to get up and running, and the client is at the mercy of the web master — as he has to make all updates.
Semi-Custom
We feel that a semi-custom web site using a canned php/mysql application is able to offer a full-custom look and feel, numerous features created for use with the web site application, be up and running in a very short time, cost a small fraction of a Full-Custom site, and most importantly — give the client full control over the site. Besides the cost and how quickly the site can be up — there are two main advantages to a Semi-Custom. The first is that the site can be maintained by the customer without the requirement of them knowing a lick of code. The second is that changing the look and feel of the site is a matter of changing the “Skin” — without losing a iota of context. No Longer is the client held hostage by the web master who designed their site.
We prefer to go the semi-custom route with designing a web site for our customers. We first analyze their needs, set up the site with the best application for their needs, work with them with selecting the theme/skin (from 1000s) that best fits their tastes, and we then modify the theme to give it a one-of-a-kind look for their site. At that point adding or editing context on the site is as simple as creating a Word document. The average computer user can be taught to maintain their site in minutes — or we can do that for them too.
This DDS Enterprises site is an example of a semi-custom site using Word Press. The look, feel, and functionality of the site was ready for context to be added through the built in editor within a couple of short days. Other examples of Word Press type of sites include: OldHippie.com, MoparStyle.com, BigRedRam.com, and NSS-Racers.com. You can see from those sites, and this one — that Word Press can off a very diverse look and feel based on the visitor you target. From Conservative to edgy.
Another canned application that works well for many situations is Joomla. A good example of a semi-custom site using Joomla is BigKahunaHosting.com.
Fact is that there are dozens of canned applications that are feature rich and secure, and which can offer a great low cost opportunity for quick and professional looking web sites that the client can easily maintain.
For those ambitious people who want to take on this task themselves, visit http://www.bigkahunahosting.com and you will note that there is a feature to install many of these canned applications with a couple of clicks.
eCommerce Web Site
Do you have products that you wish to sell on-line? Would you like to process credit cards, print pick and packing lists, charge the proper sales tax by location and shipping by location and weight, maintain a customer database for newsletters and on-line coupon promotions, and to be able to have an average user maintain the catalog? Would you like to have a one-of-a-kind look and feel that fits your product line? Well Zencart is the best application that we know of for a semi-custom on-line store. It is very complicated for the average webmaster to set up — but once set up it performs flawlessly. Again, you can install the application easily and free of charge with a hosting account at Big Kahuna Hosting — but the design and configuration is beyond the pay grade of most experienced web masters. An example that we’ve set up of a Zencart site can be found at http://www.bigkahunahosting.com/zencart/. That site often has a look and feel that will morph based on a demonstration to a customer or prospect — but will give you the general idea.
A less expensive option is offered by Southern Star Hosting. You will have less control over the options and the look and feel; and you pay monthly by the number of products in your catalog. However, it works for many people looking to sell a small number of products on-line.
Classified Ads Web Site
If you like to have a Classified Ad or Auction site (free or for profit) for your locale, organization, or special interest — we can quickly and inexpensively do that for you. Below are a couple of examples:
Bulletin Board Web Site
While there are dozens of free bulletin board applications on the Internet, some of which customers of Big Kahuna Hosting can install with a couple of clicks — the Mac Daddy of bulletin applications is Vbulletin. We have Vbulletin experience in:
- Installation, Configuration, and set up
- Skins
- Advertising Banners
- SEO
- Community Bulletins
- Add Ons and Hacks
- Just about every other facet of Vbulletin.
Dave Schultz had been installing, configuring, modifying, and designing Vbulletin web sites since version 1 in 2001. If you would like a board set up so you can administer it, or have a hosed board that you need fixed — we can help.
Forums we have created or fixed include:
Photo Album Web Site
We have experience setting up photo albums PhotoPost for maintaining and categorizing private photo collections — and/or selling photo hosting to others. While we feel that PhotoPost offers the most options — Big Kahuna Hosting accounts have the ability to install a couple of different free photo album applications, and Southern Star Hosting also offers a Photo Album Solution.