Brand new and need help!

[katmax]

Hi I've been looking into web developing as of the start of this week-steep learning curve required!

I've looked about and the general consensus I got was that the best way to make a website on the cheap was to learn HTML and work on notepad. I've started playing with this and love it.

However I'm a bit worried that I will come unstuck with my limited knowledge before i come to publish on the web. I have a couple of ideas for websites the first is a local restaurant review site, hoping to make a bit of money from advertising local businesses when I'm up and running.

Right questions:

Can I achieve a workable and very slightly profitable site in the short term just learning HTML and CSS as I go?

Can I later add more complicated aspects such as members forums as in the meantime I'm going to have to get people to email me reviews which I'll add myself, I'd eventually like people to add there own reviews and ratings.

can anyone explain in a nutshell PHP and Mysql?

How do you get yourself somewhere to be seen on search engines?

How long do you think in your experience it would take to develop a (very mildly) profitable website, I ask because I'm hoping to knock literally a couple of hours off work a week to be replaced by this hobby so would like to know how many hours of my life this will eat away, I know it'll be more but I don't mind as it's something I'm interested in.

Any other tips you think a newbie needs to know would really be gratefully received as I really am starting blind!

Thanks so much!

[Alan]

Can I achieve a workable and very slightly profitable site in the short term just learning HTML and CSS as I go?

Yes. HTML and CSS are used for displaying information. As long as you add that information manually yourself (insert it directly between the relevant tags), then yes it's doable.

Can I later add more complicated aspects such as members forums as in the meantime I'm going to have to get people to email me reviews which I'll add myself, I'd eventually like people to add there own reviews and ratings.

I see no reason why you can't expand on it later.

can anyone explain in a nutshell PHP and Mysql?

PHP Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) is a server side scripting language. Information is passed to it from a client, which is then processed and spat back out. Somewhat difficult to learn and understand the basics, once you have a good grasp of them, you'll fly through it.

MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS). It is used to manage and store information. PHP and MySQL can work together pretty easily.

How do you get yourself somewhere to be seen on search engines?

The art of this is referred to as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Rule of thumb, the Search engine decides what goes onto it. All we can do is tell it what our site's about so it knows where to put us.


How long do you think in your experience it would take to develop a (very mildly) profitable website, I ask because I'm hoping to knock literally a couple of hours off work a week to be replaced by this hobby so would like to know how many hours of my life this will eat away, I know it'll be more but I don't mind as it's something I'm interested in.

It could take years to develop a website and it may never be profitable, or it could take a couple of hours. Depends on the idea behind it and the skill level of the developer. I can't give you a more precise answer.

Any other tips you think a newbie needs to know would really be gratefully received as I really am starting blind!

It really depends on your preference. Do you want to be a designer or developer, or both? If both, then start with designing sites. Get the basics mastered, HTML, CSS and then dive into JavaScript. There's alot of scripts and prebuilt software out there already so you should be able to survive on that unless you need something customised. There's alot of competition out there, so good luck. :)