Hi all,

Fish out of water here :(

I'm a linux engineer. I build servers, firewalls, you name it. However, I have no artistic abilities at all. Right now, my domain's home page says "Nothing to see here..." I suck LOL

I have a personal need to set up a basic website. I have some project document files I need to share, with some text to describe. I already own the domain, and the server is online. I don't want to learn a ton of HTML and CSS... my career just wouldn't benefit from it, it's not what I do. I build the servers you use in your enterprise... what you put on the web pages is usually up to you :)

I'm looking to create a main page, that introduces the project I'm working on, show a link to download current document file (and maybe older versions), then show a log of historical changes to the document. That's it! Well, maybe room for a 2nd and eventually 3rd project, same requirements.

I'm looking for:
- ideas of basic templates for a simple site (few pages)
- someone recommend a free linux html editor (I've heard of bluefish, nvu, others? what's good?) wysiwyg would be great
- any security concerns for default apache install?

Plain pages would be sufficient, but boring. Some color and "jazz" would probably be better. I don't want to get carried away.

I'm grateful for any suggestions.... thanks!

Probably a CMS like Joomla or Xoops is best for you. And there might be a module/component for file management suitable for your requirement.

For testing the cms you can install on your server or download UniformServer (http://www.uniformserver.com/) to your local drive and install the cms.

You will also find a number of free and paid templates which are coded well and look great. They can also edited to your taste and design.

If you want to use template only check out http://www.oswd.org/

Mollio is another professional looking template. http://www.mollio.org/

More good ones here: http://www.solucija.com/home/css-templates/

Mollio is another professional looking template. http://www.mollio.org/
Mollio basic one column meets my needs just fine, I hope anyways :)

Thanks for those, I would have never found them!

I would also consider utilizing Wordpress as there are numerous free templates out there for this system.

If you have, or can get, Microsoft Office Professional, I'd recommend using Microsoft Publisher. It is VERY easy to use and quite basic. Definitely a surefire way to work around the learning curve that is coding. It also provides sample templates & other advertisement needs (Business Cards, Brochures, Direct Mailers, etc).

If you'd like to try something thats similar but free-based, download the Mozilla Suite and use the HTML Composer. Just as simple but free if you don't have Microsoft Office Professional.

Thanks for those responses!

We have Office Pro, but I rarely use Windows. It's not even installed on my laptop.

I'm running Debian Lenny (testing) linux. I'm looking for an open source linux HTML editor. I'm playing with eclipse at the moment. Will take a look at the Mozilla Composer next.

No worries. I think checking out Mozilla HTML Composer is still an option that should be weighed.

Mozilla Suite (http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/)
Download & Install. Goto Tools -> Composer (CTRL+4).
VERY Helpful "Getting Starting" Guide (http://www.thesitewizard.com/gettingstarted/mozillacomposer1.shtml)

Thanks for those responses!

We have Office Pro, but I rarely use Windows. It's not even installed on my laptop.

I'm running Debian Lenny (testing) linux. I'm looking for an open source linux HTML editor. I'm playing with eclipse at the moment. Will take a look at the Mozilla Composer next.

It's actually KompoZer and it's just an updated version of Nvu.

No worries. I think checking out Mozilla HTML Composer is still an option that should be weighed.

Mozilla Suite (http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/)
Download & Install. Goto Tools -> Composer (CTRL+4).
VERY Helpful "Getting Starting" Guide (http://www.thesitewizard.com/gettingstarted/mozillacomposer1.shtml)

Holy crap! I recognize that! That's the old Netscape Navigator Composer. Did Mozilla buy Netscape? Or just pick up the project?

I remember making pages with the Netscape Composer YEARS ago... we're talking the early '90's. Brings back a lot of memories.

Holy crap! I recognize that! That's the old Netscape Navigator Composer. Did Mozilla buy Netscape? Or just pick up the project?

I remember making pages with the Netscape Composer YEARS ago... we're talking the early '90's. Brings back a lot of memories.

Slick eye you've got there. Yes, I do believe Netscape discontinued the project and Mozilla picked it up. Not sure how this happens, but I'm sensing they bought it off of them. Don't quote me on that, though.

- any security concerns for default apache install?

howtoforge.net is a great place to start:
http://howtoforge.net/apache_security_testing_with_nikto

SI do believe Netscape discontinued the project and Mozilla picked it up. Not sure how this happens, but I'm sensing they bought it off of them. Don't quote me on that, though.

Netscape and Mozilla share a lineage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla

This might help: http://www.w3.org/Amaya/

Try Joomla. Joomla has better design options.

Thanks for everyone's feedback and recommendations.

I decided to do it right. I picked up a book, and I'm creating my first web pages with a text editor, that has syntax highlighting (linux KWrite).

That wysiwyg stuff is not a good idea for a green web page maker. I'm learning much faster with the text editor.

Anyone here use a lot of PHP in web site design?

After I finish this HTML/CSS book, I'm thinking of picking up PHP. I do have some databases I would like to front-end, and there's other things I would automate.

Try pmwiki available at http://pmwiki.org

With the Triad skin it is professional, easy to maintain, and quite secure with password edit protection enabled.

Jeff

What's the difference between pmwiki and mediawiki? It seems everyone uses mediawiki.

Not everyone; I use DokuWiki. :D

Not everyone; I use DokuWiki. :D

Ok, same question then :)

What's the difference between mediawiki and dokuwiki?

I'm planning on setting up a wiki soon, and I'm curious which one people here recommend, and what are the differences between the "more" popular ones it seems :)

Thanks

I chose DokuWiki because it supports flat file. I like my main pages to be on flat file, so if other portions of the server go wrong (even if they rarely do -- in fact, I don't remember they ever did), I can still communicate with my users easily and quickly.

You might consider checking this comparison chart on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_wiki_software) and Open Source CMS (http://www.opensourcecms.com/) to help make your decision. :)

Knowing people that run Linux and fits your profile quite well I am not surprised that you started to learn html from scratch in a text editor.

I recommend that you use a CMS when you get the hang on basic HTML and CSS so that you have an idea about what it is you are doing.

Joomla is a great and very good looking CMS that is Open Source (should fit you) made in PHP and easy to work with.
You have a front end and a backend. The content can be changed in the backend with wysiwyg editor and you can install many modules or components that can add all kinds of nice features as file remository or forum and much much more.

Thanks ObiKanobi, I will check out Joomla after I get a good understanding of HTML/CSS. You are right, we linux heads love techie nitty gritty details, so the editor is the best move for me. I can make simple changes from ssh'ing into a box, and editing a text file from the command line. :)

What about PHP? Does a CMS like Joomla generate PHP code, or at least have a PHP friendly editor?

I appreciate the feedback from everyone!

:)

It generates code and works with a mysql database. It would be a long post and probably over my capabilities to explain all about how joomla works with php.

I would say that the easiest way to get to know joomla and what it does is to go to their site (sites), you will find a massive amount of sites and guides and tutorials if you search for it on the web.

I could paste a lot of links but Im afraid it could be against the rules. But I am pretty sure you will find lots of it your self.

Good luck by the way :)

Ps. Just writing joomla in the location field in firefox will take you to the projects homesite.

Try TemplateMonster, great designes there.