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Client Wants an Online Guestbook

Discussion in 'General Web Design Discussion' started by Blackhawk095, Aug 9, 2011.

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    Blackhawk095 Active Member

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    I'm designing a website for a client. She is an author that is trying to get her name around. She would like a guestbook so people can leave comments on her website. I don't think this is very necessary, but it's not my call. I have never created a guestbook myself and I'm still learning PHP. Are there any reliable tutorials/programs that could help me out?


    Blackhawk095, Aug 9, 2011
    #1

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    mlseim WDF Staff

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    Does she know what spammers are?

    You can find many guestbooks via Google: PHP guestbook scripts

    Most of them have problems of some kind ... no captcha, anyone can comment,
    bots can overload it and crash the site. I suppose WordPress would be the best
    way to really do it ... comments only by registered users, or the admin has to
    OK the comments first. But it sounds like you're not going to do a WP site.

    I would recommend that she publish some books for free via Amazon Kindle.
    As people download and read the books, short stories, whatever, they leave
    "reviews" about the book. If I were to write a story and gain exposure, that would
    be the very first place I would publish (Kindle, Nook, Online, etc) ... for free,
    until I became established somehow.

    The guestbook will probably only get comments from family and friends, who will
    love the books (of course they will). Fake, untruthful reviews will not to the author
    any good.

    .


    mlseim, Aug 9, 2011
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    Ronald Roe Well-Known Member

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    Try Disqus. Ridiculously easy to implement comment system with basic spam controls. If she insists on a guestbook, tell her you won't do anything that died before the millennium.


    Ronald Roe, Aug 9, 2011
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    Blackhawk095 Active Member

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    Do you think setting up a word press website would be best? I've been reading. Some of the plugins would be very helpful for setting up the things she wants. I just have a few questions about it:

    1. My client would like to be able to make basic updates herself. Does WordPress have some type of easy CMS?
    2. Would I have to rebuild the design I have around wordpress, or can I just install it into the design?
    3. I'm building the website on my own testing account on 000webhost. Will I have to reinstall anything when I change the files to her hosting account?


    Blackhawk095, Aug 10, 2011
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    Ronald Roe Well-Known Member

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    1. Wordpress is a CMS.
    2. Yes and no. You'll have to add code to your existing code, and structure things a certain way, but it isn't difficult to get there if you have a well-coded, solid design.
    3. No, but it would be easier if you did. You technically could move it over, but it would seriously be easier to just reinstall everything.


    Ronald Roe, Aug 10, 2011
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    DanExcell Active Member

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    Summed it up right there (lol)...


    DanExcell, Aug 10, 2011
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    Blackhawk095 Active Member

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    I don't like the idea of a guestbook either, but that is what she wants. Wordpress should make it slightly more secure from spammers.


    Blackhawk095, Aug 10, 2011
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    mlseim WDF Staff

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    Wordpress involves a MySQL database, and WP PHP files (of course).
    You find a template you like (many online for free), or buy a nice theme template.
    Then, you customize it however you want.

    I recommend you subscribe to a different webhost ( a new account ) and install, build,
    configure, customize it, on there. Once finished, point her domain name to the new site.
    Or have her subscribe to a 2nd account, do it there, and she can let the current account expire.

    Don't create it on your test server and then re-install and move it ... that's too much work.


    mlseim, Aug 10, 2011
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    Blackhawk095 Active Member

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    I could directly build it on her hosting account.


    Blackhawk095, Aug 10, 2011
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    shovenose Account Closed

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    That's what you should do.


    shovenose, Aug 11, 2011
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