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Now, you might have a professional who can turn a template into something unique, but I'd argue that your website building novice is going to keep things looking pretty much like the template he or she started with.
While it may take me years to build one decent looking website, I'd rather code everything from scratch - at least I know how it all works underneath.
Yes starting with a template and keeping it close to original is probably a key part of having your average computer user create a great looking site.
I think that most people don't make money off of "how the site was built." In other words, from the site visitor's point of view, it doesn't matter how you got your site to where it is.
Moving a website that has been running Drupal or Wordpress isn't for the layman. I'm just talking about how easy it is for the average person to *build* a website with these new site builders.
Moving a website to a different host is a fairly simple process most of the time, what's so hard about it that directions couldn't be given that someone with average intelligence couldn't figure it out? If you're going to building a website you should be familiarizing yourself with these things to begin with.
Export the database using phpmyadmin. You should already be already doing this for backups.
Download all your files using a FTP program. You should already be doing this, how often and what depends.
Create a new database at the new host and note what the database name, username and password is. You can use the old database name and credentials but it's a good idea to change them at this point.
Import the file you exported from the old host with phpmyadmin into the database you just created.
Find the configuration file in the files, it's going to vary by what program you are using. Open it with a text editor and change the database credentials.
Upload your files, find install directions for the application and apply the folder file permissions. For example you're going to have the change the permissions on the folder that is used to upload files from the web interface.
There may be some bumps along the road here, for example there might be issues importing a really large database however all that stuff can be overcome with specific directions.
For me, I hate using website builders, even though it's nice to have a starting template as a building block. The biggest thing I hate about them is that I feel I don't learn the important details of how things really work with today's website design. While it may take me years to build one decent looking website, I'd rather code everything from scratch - at least I know how it all works underneath. That might be the reason why I'm not a website designer, lol!
Honestly you have to be nuts to build from scratch. Look at something like Drupal+Zen Template+Fences.
That gives the backend for managing it, Zen is a basic template that uses a responsive grid layout that you can use to build anything you want. Fences is a nice addon that strips a lot of redundant HTML that is in Drupal. There is plenty of effort involved learning how it works underneath.
Moving a website to a different host is a fairly simple process most of the time, what's so hard about it that directions couldn't be given that someone with average intelligence couldn't figure it out? If you're going to building a website you should be familiarizing yourself with these things to begin with.
Export the database using phpmyadmin. You should already be already doing this for backups.
Download all your files using a FTP program. You should already be doing this, how often and what depends.
Create a new database at the new host and note what the database name, username and password is. You can use the old database name and credentials but it's a good idea to change them at this point.
Import the file you exported from the old host with phpmyadmin into the database you just created.
Find the configuration file in the files, it's going to vary by what program you are using. Open it with a text editor and change the database credentials.
Upload your files, find install directions for the application and apply the folder file permissions. For example you're going to have the change the permissions on the folder that is used to upload files from the web interface.
There may be some bumps along the road here, for example there might be issues importing a really large database however all that stuff can be overcome with specific directions.
Even better, use a host that provides a common control panel like cPanel, and then just do an account backup / restore. Most hosting companies will do this for you if you are migrating to them, but this method won't work silly proprietary web builders.
Honestly you have to be nuts to build from scratch. Look at something like Drupal+Zen Template+Fences.
That gives the backend for managing it, Zen is a basic template that uses a responsive grid layout that you can use to build anything you want. Fences is a nice addon that strips a lot of redundant HTML that is in Drupal. There is plenty of effort involved learning how it works underneath.
Thanks for recommending those to me. Back in the day, HTML and a little bit of JavaScript could build you a pretty decent website. Nowadays, it's gotten so advanced that I feel like I have to start back at square one.
Well, in theory web builders, such as the online version of Wordpress, make it automated for folks to build "professional" looking websites. But the problem I often see is that I can almost tell when someone is using a template and when they have actually hired a professional to build the site. Now, you might have a professional who can turn a template into something unique, but I'd argue that your website building novice is going to keep things looking pretty much like the template he or she started with.
For me, I hate using website builders, even though it's nice to have a starting template as a building block. The biggest thing I hate about them is that I feel I don't learn the important details of how things really work with today's website design. While it may take me years to build one decent looking website, I'd rather code everything from scratch - at least I know how it all works underneath. That might be the reason why I'm not a website designer, lol!
I use a Wordpress theme for our site. I just use it the way it was made. I do not have the time to go in and change it much, although I do know how.
I'm moving our company's intranet site to Wordpress. Same here, I don't have time to make it perfect so I'm just using whatever templates seem to fit.
I moved all of my personal and business sites to WP several years ago. I have purchased premium templates for most, but they aren't that expensive.
Unless I need something very specific I prefer to use something that's already built: I have enough development work to do without adding things that don't make me any money.
Like I said it's not for the average computer user.
Honestly, it's really not that difficult.
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Look at something like Drupal+Zen Template+Fences.
