Website Design

There are several types of website authoring tools.  The original toolset was HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language.  Either manually or by use of a program that would "translate" from a WYSIWYG environment to HTML code, you would build static HTML pages that would be uploaded to a server and subsequently requested, in whole, by the use by their clicking on a link.

Other tools, such as Adobe's Flash, were developed and used in authoring environments like Adobe Dreamweaver.  

A different architecture was created, one which did not rely on static pages nor media like Flash, but rather a process which saved each potential element of a page in a database, and built each page on the fly in the context of the user, and other details about the time and environment.  This offered the website creator tremendous flexability for security and client usability.  Adobe Cold Fusion is one such database driven authoring environment. 

Another is the open source (read "free") DotNetNuke platform that is based on Microsoft's ASP 2.0 platform.  This site is built in DotNetNuke, and is currently running version 4.9.  You can choose to download the software from the DotNetNuke site and install it on a local server (which must have certain database tools installed), or open a hosting account with a hosting company that supports DotNetNuke (DNN).  When you open the account and request DotNetNuke they will install it for you.  I have used several hosting services, and would strongly recommend this site's current host, PowerDNN.  They are a DNN specialist, and are extremely knowledgeable and professional.

While many great tools come with DNN as installed, you will need to add skins (the module that gives your site it's look and feel) and may need some specialty modules to do certain things (display photos, play music, etc.).  The most popular site for DNN tools is www.snowcovered.com.  The skin for this site was created by a talented designer named Tyler Fawcett. 
Other Projects

You can visit other sites I have created with DNN:

  • www.sidetrackjazz.com, a site sharing the music of the jazz quartet in which I play, SideTrack Jazz.
     
  • www.wrtemple.org, a large project for Westchester Reform Temple, my synagogue.  Please note that most of the resources at wrtemple.org will not be visible to a public user, the site uses the strong security framework of DNN to ensure that only registered members of the synagogue are able to access private information.
     
  • www.scarsdalearts.org, a site for Friends of Music and the Arts in the Scarsdale Schools, which as the saavy reader can no doubt guess, is the non-profit community organization that supports music and the arts in our local schools.