I am considering converting my static website to Wordpress. I can't say I have good enough experience with Wordpress to make this decision myself without others input. Advantages I can see: 1. Good and easy to manage CMS 2. Ability to have blog feature all in under same structure rather than trying to maintain separate blog (within same or other URL) 3. Wealth of all those free plugins etc. Disadvantages I can see: 1. Limiting flexibility as I don't know PHP as yet. 2. I am not so sure if my content can be managed within Wordpress structure. I'd appreciate your views and suggestions on this matter. If you need to have a look at my site just click my signature below.
I am not so sure I would do that. An alternative might be a CMS like Joomla. When I see WordPress I immediately think blog and inexperienced. I would be more likely to browse your unique site than a site with a free template and WordPress.
I have my print company site in wordpress, it doesn't immediately reflect that is is a blog. Im sure the average surfer wouldn't even notice if its completed correctly.
knowledge of PHP is only required when you want to play and hack wordpress. Otherwise you wont need that. But you may feel little disadvantage if you run a website with lots of menus like top menu left menu etc. Wordpress is a blog cms. So, it runs like a train with lots of coaches behind it. New coach will be on top and so on. But overall it is good. You can even think of Joomla if you depend lots of menus and menu items with dropdown etc. Best Regards, Nirmal
Do it. I run several sites that appear to be static, by are actually powered by WP. I find that I update my WP based sites WAY more often than my other sites - when I'm at my parents house with nothing to do, I can simply login to WP and create a new page etc... If you're going to be writing your own template, then knowing a bit of PHP will definitely help. It's nothing to be scared about, basic PHP is something everyone should know and once you pick up the basics then it's like a snowball you'll get hooked and want to know more and more. WP rocks. PHP rocks. Get stuck in
My sincere thanks to all for your views and suggestions. I was already looking into getting to start learning PHP but a friend advised me that, beside HTML and CSS, I should learn C++ as most of the other languages based on it. He says once I learn C++ learning other coding languages will be a "Child play". My initial research mostly validates his views. Looks like I'll have to take the long and hard road instead of starting with just PHP. Beside, I like challenges and love learning new stuff. I just hope it won't take me 10 years or so to learn it. In the mean time, I'm warming up to the idea of using WP. I have been looking around and noticed some paid WP themes with features similar to CMS systems. Perhaps, I'll buy and use one of them. I don't think just a blog will do it for me. I need few static pages, menus etc. I like to stay with WP for it's support base and all those plugins etc. I'm thinking of creating a sandbox on my server and experimenting with one of those those CMS like theme. I'll let you know the outcome on due course, if I think my experience on this matter may be of help to others.
ThoughtPunk, I apologize if this is a side bar conversation type post I will pm or email you instead of more posts here; but I just looked over your site, its excellent... Clean, fast, intuitive, but it doesn't look like a Blog... I like it, and I am in the middle of deciding if I should keep on using Dreamweaver and my Wordpress Blog or try to shift over to just a wordpress site... I am a little unsure of how to make the change from where I am now, 20 pages or so, lots of text content and links to partnered providers; to a wordpress site? Just a different wordpress theme? or a specifically designed for a website wordpress theme? If you have any thoughs I would appreciate your suggestions. Steve The site is at www.stevesimon.us
I would definitely advise anyone to convert their static site to wordpress. It's very easy for anyone who knows even basic html. As already stated, you can easily create a static looking wordpress site. No one needs to know it's a wordpress run site at all. So you can benifit all around. With so many plugins for wordpress, possibilities are limitless. If someone wants something done, you can be pretty sure there'll be a plugin to make it happen. Another great point that I feel is worthwhile noting, particularly from a new to wordpress or new to html person, is that wordpress can be *automatically* updated from the very user friendly back end. So when the wordpress program is updated, it's point and click to update it on your site. The same is true for many of the plugins.