website creation and hosting?

[ransil]

Back away. You don't have the experience for this.

Just managing log in credentials and access, data security, timely access and hosting hosting of documents, minutes, calendar, etc., is a lot of work and hassle for folks with experience in web design.

that is why you use something already set up on the backend to handle stuff like that, not create from scratch.

one my association uses is Club express https://www.clubexpress.com/

almost anyone can set it up

 

[ERD50]

]......

I'm out most of the day, but if I get a chance I'll dig up my old notes, I'm curious myself now.

-ERD50

Had a few minutes in between. Google Sites is what I played with. Here's a simple, simple example that took maybe a couple minutes to put together, and I just modified it by adding a few pages.

https://sites.google.com/view/temp-test-site/home

pages across the top. Super easy.

-ERD50

 

[OldShooter]

... Just managing log in credentials and access, data security, timely access and hosting hosting of documents, minutes, calendar, etc., is a lot of work and hassle for folks with experience in web design.

+1000 This is not a simple request to do a web site; it is a potential tar baby that has you doing maintenance until you find another sucker to take it over. Which you may never succeed in doing.

 

[ERD50]

+1000 This is not a simple request to do a web site; it is a potential tar baby that has you doing maintenance until you find another sucker to take it over. Which you may never succeed in doing.

I really don't get this viewpoint (assuming a basic web site).

As mentioned below, Google Sites is easy-peasy simple to set up. What "maintenance"?

OP should spend a little time there, and decide for themselves:

https://sites.google.com/new

You need a google account (email) to use it, but anyone can view. And you can insert a Google Calendar as well, so managing events is super easy, just enter it on a calendar, and the web site reflects that w/o any editing there at all.

I do think some here are making a mountain of a molehill and maybe just unfamiliar with these simple tools?

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

I really don't get this viewpoint (assuming a basic web site).

As mentioned below, Google Sites is easy-peasy simple to set up. What "maintenance"?

OP should spend a little time there, and decide for themselves:

https://sites.google.com/new

You need a google account (email) to use it, but anyone can view. And you can insert a Google Calendar as well, so managing events is super easy, just enter it on a calendar, and the web site reflects that w/o any editing there at all.

I do think some here are making a mountain of a molehill and maybe just unfamiliar with these simple tools?

-ERD50

+1

I have set up and maintained quite a few such pages in my life, although mostly about 25-30 years ago when all these tools were not available. That is why I haven't commented.

But anyway, I wrote everything in HTML and made the page look exactly how I wanted it to look, and do exactly what I wanted it to do. My kind of fun. Probably one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. But then maybe I just don't know the utter horrors of using certain software packages to do what I did easily from scratch and just don't remember the sheer terror of it all. Oh lordie save me from doing something independent and creative.

But that was back in the day, and I'm sure doing such a thing is all simply impossible by now. Wouldn't be surprised if all the fun has been intentionally removed somehow by professionals who want to be hired for extravagant amounts to take on such projects. Yes I am getting old and crabby.

 

[OldShooter]

I really don't get this viewpoint (assuming a basic web site).

As mentioned below, Google Sites is easy-peasy simple to set up. What "maintenance"?

OP should spend a little time there, and decide for themselves:

https://sites.google.com/new

You need a google account (email) to use it, but anyone can view. And you can insert a Google Calendar as well, so managing events is super easy, just enter it on a calendar, and the web site reflects that w/o any editing there at all.

I do think some here are making a mountain of a molehill and maybe just unfamiliar with these simple tools?

-ERD50

Just curious: What is your experience creating and maintaining web sites? I did my first site in about 1994 and my first 'net email address was on ARPANet in the 1980s. IOW, BTDT.

Both maintaining an activity calendar and managing a document repository puts the OP at the beck and call of the anyone wanting updates and changes and expecting more or less instant response. This is in addition to managing users and the inevitable scope creep that the OP will be expected to implement. "Now that we have a web site, we can <someone's idea for new OP work>."

 

[OldShooter]

+1

I have set up and maintained quite a few such pages in my life, although mostly about 25-30 years ago when all these tools were not available. That is why I haven't commented.

But anyway, I wrote everything in HTML and made the page look exactly how I wanted it to look, and do exactly what I wanted it to do. My kind of fun. Probably one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. But then maybe I just don't know the utter horrors of using certain software packages to do what I did easily from scratch and just don't remember the sheer terror of it all. Oh lordie save me from doing something independent and creative.

But that was back in the day, and I'm sure doing such a thing is all simply impossible by now. Wouldn't be surprised if all the fun has been intentionally removed somehow by professionals who want to be hired for extravagant amounts to take on such projects. Yes I am getting old and crabby.

To be clear, I don't think the creation of the web site would be a huge deal. OP might well enjoy it, as the tools provided by the various hosting services seem to be uniformly quite good. The issue I am warning against is the maintenance responsibility.

 

[W2R]

To be clear, I don't think the creation of the web site would be a huge deal. OP might well enjoy it, as the tools provided by the various hosting services seem to be uniformly quite good. The issue I am warning against is the maintenance responsibility.

What "maintenance"?

+10000

If you actually have created the webpage, then ostensibly you are more than just minimally familar with it and maintenance is trivial.

 

[target2019]

Those with experience understand that creating a site in 1990 and clicking Sitebuilder buttons in 2023 are different animals to tame.

These are steps someone should go through if starting with group goal as OP has stated.

1. Establish a budget. What can a board spend without looking really dumb?
2. Define the features.
3. Evaluate solutions.
4. Collect source material.
5. Put up a draft site.
6. Make minor tweaks.
7. Go live.
8. Monitor site operations.
9. Manage site problems. (This is where I can tell who has really maintained a site).

Each of those steps is filled with rabbit holes. You can go onto webhostingtalk forum and discover what they are.

I would avoid a project like this, but be my guest.

Every tech company has a free solution, too. I would still avoid the task. My time is much too valuable to give it away and later listen to a chorus of whines, why can't we do such and suck, I don't get the emails, etc.

 

[mpeirce]

A number of people here are advising the OP to basically RUN AWAY.

I admire people getting involved in something like this. You’re helping your local community (your neighbors) to function a little better and you get to learn something new along the way. Good for you!

 

[ERD50]

Just curious: What is your experience creating and maintaining web sites? I did my first site in about 1994 and my first 'net email address was on ARPANet in the 1980s. IOW, BTDT.

Both maintaining an activity calendar and managing a document repository puts the OP at the beck and call of the anyone wanting updates and changes and expecting more or less instant response. This is in addition to managing users and the inevitable scope creep that the OP will be expected to implement. "Now that we have a web site, we can <someone's idea for new OP work>."

It was about 10 years ago, so memory is fuzzy on details, but I don't have any bad memories of it. Set up a web site for our club using the free point/click tools. Post a few updates a month, post the meeting minutes. It just wasn't a big deal.

Managing users? IIRC, the site was set up to not be public (it would not show up in a search), I just sent out the link to members. Sure, if someone was no longer a member, I couldn't keep them out of the site (w/o changing the link for everyone), and if someone gave the link to someone else, they could see it. But we didn't really care, no big secrets there.

So if the HOA site for the OP is similar, I still think it should be easy.

I also set up a free or low cost forum, that was easy as well.

Of course, it all depends on what the users want. If they start demanding things (they can ask nicely for anything, they won't know if it's easy or hard) beyond the scope of what OP is comfortable with, just say "no". Problem solved.

Calendar? It's just entries on a google calendar. It's not hard.

And to be clear, while I am a bit of a 'techie' and enjoy digging into some things for the fun of it, that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about easy for anyone with basic computer skills.

DW ran the website at her K-5 school for years. That had quite a bit of interaction and updates, and she is no computer wiz, she's just a basic browse/spreadsheet/word processor user. But she didn't find it difficult or taxing.

I say OP take a shot at using the tools before he commits to the HOA. If it looks like too much, just say "no".

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

Update?

I'm curious if the OP has tried out Google Sites, or any other tools?

Or has decided to drop any attempt at all?

-ERD50

 

[tmm99]

If all you have to do is to set up a website with some info, doc links and an updatable calendar (updatable by admin), then I think it can be done fairly easily. There are lots of web design tools you can use without knowing how to code this day and age (HTML, CSS, Java, etc). Web-building tools will generate the code for you. (Someone mentioned Google site, another mentioned Godaddy web builder, and they come with some templates you can just embed in your webpage (such as calendars, etc).

If you are interested in helping, I think you can do it in a fairly short amount of time, and you can teach others how to add doc links and edit the calendars, etc.

Maybe you can ask them to give you a week, and you look into Google site, etc. and see?

 

[MC Rider]

I had a site for my 1 man band real estate appraisal biz for 2-3 years. It was easy to setup with a template. But, I hated dealing with it and did not update it much if at all. It was just a pita. Retired now and I don't need no stinking website.

 

[a60dan]

I’ve helped create a few web sites and am by no means an expert.

The most important items:

- have a plan to MAINTAIN it or it will quickly fall into disuse. Make it easy for non-programmers to maintain
- content is far more important than which tool
- taking payments can complicate it. Most use 3rd parties
- have a “search” and make it work as well as Google

I’m retired and won’t volunteer again to start one. The last one is on Square and is still used today.

The rest died a slow death although some were replaced by “professionals” and one has become “stale”.

 

[Turkey Tom]

Don't do it

I am stuck in a similar situation. We use WordPress to set up our website. I don't "know" WordPress. We also have FB pages. We spend $4,000 a year for professional help. Still consumes huge amounts of time.
I don't like NextDoor but believe they work with HOAs. Still coordinating that data is properly available is very time consuming. Don't do it.

 

[tomc5179]

The HOA where I live is interested in creating a website for the association and asked if I would be interested in taking on that project? It would be a fairly simple site use mostly for maintaining an activity calendar and for being a repository for HOA documents.

It sounds interesting but I fear that I will get in over my head and it will become a major "time suck" for me. Our HOA has a limited budget so, I would be looking for a low cost solution.

Any good advice? Dumb idea?

Another vote for Google Sites from me. It's really simple, checks all your boxes and it's free. You might like it so much you may want to do other sites as well. It's actually fun for me.

 

[shafer9]

If you have plenty of time and the inclination, it would probably be fun to learn about it all— for you.
If not, do it the way I did. I’m sure there are any number of vendors out there who will provide you with a template for a website.
I have a bar band I play in for fun as a retirement toy. I found a website called bandzoogle.com and built a website for my band there. www.beachdogband.com. When I did it, it provided a URL and a couple hundred templates for what it could look like. I just inputted all the copy. I actually get compliments on it. Ours has audio files because obviously that’s a necessity for a band. But I’m sure you could Google something similar to bandzoogle and find a bunch of possibilities.
By the way, I think it’s 100 bucks a year.