Need Suggestion for website

[nikerw]

Ok here is my delimma. I have a website that is for a college orginazation and I was wanting to do member bios. Well there are about 50 members who are constantly changing and I dont want to code everything by hand and have to redo it all again next semester. So I know what you are thinking now, just use some sort of database and asp or php. Well, the college server where the info is hosted doesnt support asp php or cgi scripts. So does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do. I would like the info to be easily added to or changed if at all possible, as I will not be the webmaster forever. I do have quite a bit of html, java, C and PHP knowledge, and can pick up other languages quickly if you have a suggestion. I am also looking for a message board I could run on this site. Thanks for your help.

[kstatefan40]

Hi,
First, you will prolly need to learn mySQL, but this is an easy language and easily integrated into PHP. If you college servers will not support your PHP / ASP / CGI, you can host it on your home computer, I recently published an article on how to set up your home computer as web server, found here: http://www.pcmech.com/show/network/690/
You can host the site off of that server, as it supports PHP, CGI, and MySQL. It is extremely easy to set up.
A message board will also require MySQL and PHP/ASP. I recommend XMB, http://www.xmbforum.com
For learning MySQL, I recommend this tutorial: http://webmonkey.wired.com/webmonkey...tutorial4.html

hope this helps, and if you have any further questions, i will be glad to help.

[nikerw]

Well, I do know php and mysql and have actually made quite a large message board from phpbb before (ksubooks.com), but I have to host this site on the K-state servers, so I have to find some alternative to server side scripting. About the only form of that they do support is SSI's. Dont know a whole lot about those though. Thanks for the suggestion.

[kstatefan40]

Hey, I just noticed you are a K-State student! If server side scripting is not an option, and SSI will NOT do what you want, there isnt much of an option left. I will look around and keep my eyes open for possiblities.

[TheJackal]

Ok, this is just an idea...

Could you put all of your profile information into XML files, and then make a Java applet that selects and displays them?

[MrAustin]

He would still have to manually update the XML files. Backend is probably the only way to go. What is their issue with PHP/ASP anyway?

[TheJackal]

Originally Posted by MrAustin He would still have to manually update the XML files

Well, not neccesarily... He would only have a maximum of 50 people to do profile pages for. He could make one basic XML template. Then make a seperate file for each person using the one template that he had made. When people left he could just delete their file and use the template to create a new profile file.