Hi guys. I have had a fantastic idea for a new website. Only problem is I know nothing about them. I need to find out what programming languages to learn in order for my website to work. Here is a short description of what I need:

I need a facility so that people can upload a piece of text and a picture onto my site/server - essentially a "profile". I then need to be able to pick that information that they've uploaded in the future at random from a long list of profiles based on certain search criteria.

I also need to create a facility so that when I have chosen that "profile" at random, a customer is given some money, but they aren't paid until the money has reached a certain cumulative total. Sort of like a commission. So I have to set up some sort of money account that is linked to the profile being chosen and the profile that is uploaded.

Is this possible? If so, what languages do I need to learn?

Possible yes, but not remotely easy! You're looking at degree level programming really!

No doubt SQL/MySQL, CSS, HTML, ASP/PHP, various versions of C, Java or Flash, the list is pretty much endless!

Learning programming languages is one thing, putting them together and creating a finished product is a even more difficult.

Now with PM's enabled!

Pretty trivial stuff.

PHP and MySQL are your friends.

PM enabled.

Ok that's kind of worrying, I didn't think it would have to be so many

Also I realised that I didn't explain the concept very well.

Let me try again.

A user can upload a profile consisting of pictures and text in the style of a "form" - so for example, there is a box for name, the put their name in, there is a box for age, they put their age in etc.

I then need other users to be able to do a search and it retrieve those "profiles" based on what the user has searched for and obviously what the original user has put in their form. Once that user has searched for the profile, I want a list of all good matches to show, and the user can than click on each of the profiles and view the full profile. Now, the user then picks a selection of these profiles to buy, and once the transaction has taken place I need to pay the original user who uploaded the form in the first place a proportion of that fee.

Does that change anything? How long do you think it will take me to learn?

Probably PHP and MYSQL (interact and store the data), and obviously HTML and CCS to create the pages.

Would take a little while to learn everything mate, plyus you would have to learn all about uploading file, the safty around that. If it is to do with funds you would need to ensure its as safe as can be.

Drop me an email with a better description if you want...

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When you say HTML, is it necessary to know HTML rigorously? Do you not design the pages using dreamweaver/frontpage and then tweak using your HTML knowledge? Also do I need to code the actual pages in anything other than HTML - as in, all those languages you mentioned - I take it they are functional "add ins" to the actual webpage rather than writing the whole website in those codes?

ORIGINAL: sillynarbie

When you say HTML, is it necessary to know HTML rigorously? Do you not design the pages using dreamweaver/frontpage and then tweak using your HTML knowledge? Also do I need to code the actual pages in anything other than HTML - as in, all those languages you mentioned - I take it they are functional "add ins" to the actual webpage rather than writing the whole website in those codes?

Lets say you have some profile text in your database that has been uploaded...

You need to create the page in HTML and style in CCS, and then output the content into the right place using something like PHP (and SQL commands).

You would really struggle with just using templates, and if you are struggling to code your page in HTML and CCS I would think that the other stuff you need , i.e. PHP and SQL, would be too hard, but thats JMO...

Fitness Uncovered

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Well I don't know any HTML, CSS, PHP or SQL, so it will be a challenge, that's for sure! lol

I guess you would create a MySQL database.

Create a website using HTML.

Create a form on the website using PHP which would allow users to create an entry in the database, 'the profile.

Not sure amount the accumulative money part.

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ORIGINAL: Faux Real

I guess you would create a MySQL database.

Create a website using HTML.

Create a form on the website using PHP which would allow users to create an entry in the database, 'the profile.

Not sure amount the accumulative money part.

Theres loads more to it then that.

Need page to upload profiles, and also edit them (if so, need them to have password)?

Need to have search pages which would require alot of different SQL commands for picking out the correct database entries (would need a well thought out database structure).

If it is a public accessible site then you would need to know all about encoding, safety when processing text strings etc... also image uploading.

Its all possible to learn, just it would take a little while to do so.

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php or asp are you best bet as far as website scripting/coding.

for database as above MYSQL

ORIGINAL: seanius

I was out running yesterday and got abuse off some 12 year old girls, so I stopped and offered them out.

have to be honest if you dont know any programming or web design, it would be an extremely tall order to do this as a first project.

if you just want to do this one thing, rather than make a career of it, consider paying a freelancer to set it up for you. get them to sign a non disclosure agreement first so they can't steal your idea.

there are so many things to think about - security, bot/sql injection attacks, SEO placement, scalability, w3c standards / cross browser compatibility, etc...

sorry - anyone that says it's a piece of cake is way off. for an experienced developer sure, but not for someone that's never written a line of code.

sillynarbie - aren't you a programmer by trade mate?

From previous posts I seem to remember you are??

No no, by "trade" I'm a Mathematical Physics student(got my results back today - 72.5% woohoo) who works as an accountant on the side, I learnt HTML when I was 12 and made a few websites back in the day but quickly forgot it. I think I can do this even if it takes me a few years to learn it all. Does anyone have any good book recommendations for me?

I'm pretty good at matlab so it's not like I've never written a line of code before, but I don't think it'll particularly help me haha

first start with xhtml and css.
html mastery and css mastery are great books.
both by friendsofed.

once you have learnt the ins and outs of those 2 then move onto php and mysql.

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These books are a good start:

http://www.zeldman.com/dwws/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0975240285

asp.net/ php seem to be the industry standard at the moment for server side programming.

Although Coldfusion is very easy to learn, but its expensive.