Class:Digital Portfolio 2019/Week 1

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This Week

  • Introductions
  • Discuss Class
  • Discuss Wiki
  • History of the Internet
  • How the internet works for us

Notes

What the heck is a Wiki

Long story short: It's a fancy collaborative website that allows each user to edit the contents of any page, like wikipedia. Therefore all of you can add or edit to these notes if you wish.

For more information, you can read about them here - wiki

History of the Internet

The Internet started in the 1960s as a way for government researchers to share information. The internet that we know today started in the early 1990s with the introduction of the World Wide Web.

Registering Your Domain Names

The process of looking good online begins with registering your domain name(s).

I have created a Domain Registrars reference page for you here.

  • You should really consider registering your domain name at a legitimate domain registrar and hosing at a separate company. It will provide you with much more flexibility and protection should something go wrong.
  • Sending web traffic to one host, or multiple hosts and redirecting your email traffic is all done from your Domain Registrar.
  • If you have an existing domain registered with another company, you can easily TRANSFER it to your Domain Registrar - and you should.
  • Photographers: Why You Need a Pro Domain Name - just ignore the photoswarm.com parts.

Hosting Your Sites

Some of you will end up using a hosted web site solution and not need to setup a dedicated web host, others will end up needing to upload your website to a dedicated host.

Do you need a dedicated host?
Will you be building your website yourself (HTML/CSS) and uploading it? - Yes
Will you be using indexhibit or Wordpress to build your website? - Yes
Will be using a hosted solution like PhotoShelter, Squarespace or Cargo to build your website? - No
Even if it is not your main website, will you need to export galleries and post them online for friends/clients to see? - Possibly

It's important to go with a Hosting Provider that you trust, one that you can contact when you need some help.

I have created a Hosting Providers reference page for you here.

  • My preference for all of you is to go with Dreamhost over Godaddy for JUST the hosting part.

Hosting Your Email

Depending on the website solution and hosting solution you pick, you might need Email Hosting, or better Email Hosting.

I have created a Email Hosting Services reference page for you here.

Introduction To Digital Portfolio Techniques

This week in class I walked you through a series of slide presentations highlighting the foundation techniques for this semester.

Highlights Include

We also talked a little bit about Responsive Web Design

Photography Site Building (CMS) Solutions

There was a time where a Photographer would build (or hire somebody to build) their website from scratch. Adding and removing content from these websites would require somebody to edit the HTML and upload the changes to a web server. Successful websites are no longer built like this... Content Management Systems (CMS) have redefined how the internet works. These tools are either hosted, or need to be installed on your webserver to run.

This week I introduced the class to the concept of Content Managed Solutions. We will be spending a lot of time looking at these options.

I have created a Site Building (CMS) Solutions reference page for you here.

Video Notes

Every week I will post videos from class. They are large files, usually they are broken down into smaller topics and therefore smaller in size than these.


Files

Electronic_Portfolio_Summer_2019.pdf

Assignment

Your assignment this week is to begin to assemble a hosting plan/situation. I am asking you to gather your information together (if you have it), and make new arrangements if you do not.

With my help, each of you need to resolve the following questions:

  1. Do I own an internet domain? How many? What is it (or are they)?
  2. Do I want to get a new internet domain? What is it (or are they)?
  3. Where is my website currently hosted?
  4. What is the username to login?
  5. What is the password to login?
  6. Have I ever logged in?
  7. Could I upload some files or a new site if I wanted to?
  8. Do I want to get a new hosting provider?
  9. Do I like my email address?
  10. Do I want to change my email address, or email provider?