I would like to start a website, but I have no clue where to start. I have made up sites on geocities, but they have a website builder that makes it insanely easy. I want to make a website with my own domain name(assuming its available) I see all kinds of websites that sell domain names but I have no clue where it goes from there. After you buy the domain name, is there some tool that you use to build the website, like geocities has? Or do you have to buy a program?
You should provide more details about exactly what it is you want your website to do, as that will determine what technologies you will require from a hosting provider, as well as determince what tools might be feasible for you to use to build it.
Try learning HTML so you can code your site, then get some webspace. Teeming Millions offers free space to Dopers.
Please buy your domain name somewhere cheap and reliable. DO NOT buy from Network Solutions! Try GoDaddy
Make sure you save your username and password for your registrar. Because when you find a hosting provider, you’re going to need to log into your registrar account and change your Nameservers to point to wherever your host tells you to.
I will reccommend Addr.com and a cheap and reliable host. I actually have my own hosting company but I still reccommend Addr to folks because of their price. They have *Nix servers so don’t expect to do any ASP stuff. Still a great price with alot of service.
You’ll need an FTP program to upload your files. They range from free to probably about $50. I use CuteFTP but that’s just me.
The HTML editor I use is Homesite I don’t use its WYSIWYG features but I assume they’ve improved. Others use Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive and Microsoft Frontpage. No one ever reccommends the last two but from what I hear they’re at least easy to use.
When trying to learn HTML go to resource sites and copy bits of code that you like and modify them yourselves. The Web is still pretty much open source 
Javascript sites like javascript.internet.com are helpful for making your site actually do useful things.
That’s all I gotta say. Good luck!
About a year ago, I did the exact same thing. I discovered www.hostica.com to be great as a host. You can register your domain there as well for $9.95/year. They have many different hosting plans (starting with $1.00 a month I think)…no popups, no hassle, very reliable. There is great self-support and video tutorials etc that instruct on how to go from nowhere to somewhere.
Basically, what you need to do is this:
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Register your domain name. Make sure you pick a reputable registrar, I’ve heard some horror stories. What this does is reserve your name for your use only. You need to point that name somewhere so…
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You need a host. A place to actually store your webpages. This of it like your own computer. You have a drive, right? On that you have folders with your files inside. A webserver is exactly the same thing, only it allows anybody to read those files using a web browser.
So you will have to pay “rent” for space on somebody’s computer, (called a server), or for somebody to let you store your pages on parts of a massive server with lots of other websites (called a virtual host usually).
- Then you need pages to put on that server so people have something to see when they come to your site. You can make those pages with lots of different types of software, or you can learn to do the coding manually, and make the pages in Notepad or anoter text editor.
You can get software that will help you build your website much like Geocities’ system. Look for anything referred to as a “WYSIWYG” editor. (Stands for What You See Is What You Get). The simpliest I believe is Frontpage from Microsoft. Front Page Express may already be on your machine for some simple editing, too
A) Buy domain name (if desperate do google search on 'Domain name hosting) and arrange hosting location.
B) learn HTML
C) Write webpage on napkin at bar like so:
<HTML>
<TITLE>A title</TITLE>
<BODY>
Blah Blah Blah
<br>
<img src=“http:/mydomain.com/apicture.jpg”>
<br>
Blah Blah blah
</BODY>
</HTML>
D) Save file using basic text program with .htm or .html suffix
E) Acquire FTP program
F) FTP saved HTML file to appropriate host
G) Refine and Repeat
This is a vast oversimplification but at the same time more or less all that is required. People who don’t want to learn HTML (at the very least) will have to find a program (there are plenty of free ones on the net) that lets you do ‘cut and paste’ design. As Nichol_Storm points out there are many resources for people starting out but be warned that you shouldn’t go into site design with expectations that it will be ‘click, click’ and done. Even marginally decent site design requires planning, some sense of design and at least a level of immersion in the technology of the endeavour.
Oh yeah, one other thing…
Visit this site for some good examples of what NOT do do! Go to the bottom and click on “Original Sucky Pages” for a great tour of sites that do all the wrong things.
The basic No-nos:
-DON’T automatically play a sound or song or movie when your page loads.
-DON’T pick a busy, repeating background that buries your text.
-DON’T EVER use a yellow font.
-DON’T EVER use ‘Comic Sans’ font.
-DON’T load up on animated GIFs everywhere (dancing frogs, rotating text images, flames).
-DON’T use that stupid ‘Under construction’ banner or gif. If your pages aren’t ready to be viewed by the public, DON’T POST THEM YET!
-DON’T overload on needless java goodies. They’re usually free and usually simple, but too many is annoying. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
One thing to know - don’t go typing your desired domain name into a registration site (as in checking to see if it’s available) until you are ready to buy it. There are some unethical registrars out there, or 3rd party individuals who will monitor traffic to see what names people are checking on. Those people will then buy the name if you don’t, hoping to sell it to you for a higher price. I know a number of Web designers to whom this has happened.
Also, don’t announce your upcoming domain name on the Web until you have bought and paid for it. I made this mistake a few years ago. I checked on a name without buying it, then I announced on one of my sites that it would have its own domain name soon (at that point, the site was hosted from a subdirectory of my personal site, ala www.phase42.net/screenthings) and I said what the name would be. Three days later, when I went to register the name, it was gone. Then in a couple more days, a one-page site appeared at that domain, with a “This domain for sale!” message.
While we are on this subject, are any of the dopers professional website designers? I don’t want to hijack the thread, so email me if you are–I have a project I can’t do.
Thanks for the answers, for a while I couldn’t find this thread, so how about belated thanks?