Website development–fun??? Yes, I’m sure that you think that thought is weird. Sometimes I think it is as well. I have to say, though, that I really enjoy developing websites. It’s the content I have more of a problem with, especially my own. What do I say? Why should I say it? I know that a website needs to be updated regularly, but what kind of updates?
However, I enjoy setting up websites, and posting other people’s content. I also like showing them how to post their content so that they can take ownership of it. I get a "zing" out of creating websites. Yes, sometimes it’s tedious, especially when something isn’t working correctly. Sometimes it takes a lot of my time. Sometimes I need a break. However, if I’m taking a break from one, I usually tinker with another. I guess it’s an addiction.
I create websites using an Open Source Content Management System (CMS) called Joomla! 1.5, and a series of extensions made for Joomla! 1.5. Some are quite easy to configure, and some can be quite challenging. I have probably created ten different websites using Joomla! 1.5. It allows me to put up complex websites up in a matter of weeks, and simple sites in a matter of days. It was quite easy for me to learn. Mind you, I already knew how to create websites prior to working with Joomla! 1.5, so it’s not like I was a beginner by any means. However, the learning curve isn’t as bad as you may think, especially if you aren’t looking for a complex site. There are hundreds of tutorials all over the internet. The Joomla! community also has a great forum for questions and problems.
Why did I choose Joomla! 1.5? I can’t really pin it down. I tried a couple of open source CMS programs, just to see what they were. Of the ones I tested, I preferred Joomla, and the support seemed good, so I went with that. The rest is history.
While I’m speaking of websites, I’ll go ahead and list the ones I own:
- CleverCelts ~ a website about my faith, family, and passions
- Entmoot Academy ~ a site devoted to homeschooling, with over 100 links to web resources categorized by subject
- Wooden Celt Creations ~ my husband’s Celtic woodworking site
Well, that’s it for now. In future posts, I will blog about my favorite extensions for the websites I develop.