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Web Design Help!

I am looking to get help developing a very usable company website in CSS/XHTML, packed with different features, for example:

Subscribe to the sites RSS feeds/embedded RSS feeds on the site.
JQuery Slides.
Blog
An advanced form that gives the users a real-time estimate using radio buttons.
A Quote form to email me with details
A regular company contact form
Instant chat client.
Client login
CMS to liaise with my clients.

Developers are approaching me with quotes using Joomla, which i do not like the sound of. So was hoping for a point in the right direction with this, maybe I should hard code some of the features, or use different packages like wordpress for the blog only, or maybe I should build the whole thing on a framework like joomla or use a pre-fabricated CMS. I heard that lightCMS was good for designers. I really don't know what direction i should go, bearing in mind, i will be building onto this site, so i think Joomla may be restrictive.

this is what i have so far: http://www.nuttifox.com
this is a site i like: http://www.ohmedia.ca

Many Thanks,
Chris

garlix

Depends what you want, I guess. If you are making a web-application you might be better off creating "your own" framework, so to speak.

It sounds though as if you are designing up a website that you only intend to use as a display-case for your products or such! :-) Blogs, contact, messages etc.

I'd say a framework might be good then. I havn't looked into what frameworks there are.. a google from frameworks showed this chart:

http://www.phpit.net/demo/framework%20comparison/chart.php

Some frameworks are more basic and requires you to write most of the pages while not forcing you to invent the wheel over and over.

That chart looks like a good start to see what frameworks there are, compare it with your needs and your will to write a lot of PHP behind the scenes. Then google each framework to see how much customisation they allow. Some frameworks has a lot of plugins for extra abilities aswell as communities to ask for help about framework specific questions.

Hope this was of any use to you :-)

Nutbeen

ASKER

I just basically want to achieve the features above in the best way. I want to keep the site CSS/XHTML is features built in from a framework, is that how it works? That chart is helpful, cakePHP looks like a good framework to use. Do you know of any good CMS systems to take care of client secure communication stuff.

Thanks

Nutbeen

ASKER

* rather than custom-coding everything. Thanks

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garlix

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garlix

Then option number three is writing your own framework then using that to develop your website ;-)

Nutbeen

ASKER

That's great, cleared things up for me. Many Thanks