What should I do with this site?

lukin

I have been working on this site with about a year:http://www.centralreservations.ie/
It started off as a hobby as I wasn't learning anything in my job and I got frustrated (I wanted to have something good to add to my CV). I decided learning a little about ASP.NET and AJAX would be interesting so I started off with the idea of a basic Add/Amend/Delete site.
I added a few more bits to it, like the contact page and the grids (they update in realtime).
I am a little bored with it now though, I could improve it in all sorts of ways I suppose but I'm not sure if there's any point, it looks pretty amateurish as you can see. It was only a learning experience anyway so I'm not too bothered.
I want to learn other stuff anyway like maybe JSP, the more skills I have the better. I am not a professional web developer but would like to be if possible.
Just looking for advice that's all.

professore

Probably get rid of this for a start ... why not write your own combo box?

RadComboBox 2.8.1 trial version. Copyright Telerik © 2002-2007. To remove this message, please purchase a developer version.

lukin

professore wrote: »

Probably get rid of this for a start ... why not write your own combo box?

RadComboBox 2.8.1 trial version. Copyright Telerik © 2002-2007. To remove this message, please purchase a developer version.

Yeah I know, that appears cause I only have the trial version (the full one costs €200). There's loads of Javascript combo boxes out there but I don't like using someone elses code.
I had a problem finding one that allows me to set its height.

bigbadcon

Why not use what youve learned to try out a real site. Youll find your self more interested in the project if its something your actully gonna put up for people to use.

Im a .net developer who is trying out web development for the first time and I though of an idea that wasnt already taken and im putting the site up soon enough. ( Actaully in the mean time someone else has put up the exact same site as my idea....grrrr)

Might be a complete flop but I can reuse the code ive written elsewhere so its all part of the learning curve.

Personally im starting off using templates from oswd.net as the design stuff isnt something you can pick up easily but if you have a bit of dev experience you can figure out the coding part.

How did you get a .ie name by the way if its just for a demo site??

lukin

bigbadcon wrote: »

Why not use what youve learned to try out a real site. Youll find your self more interested in the project if its something your actully gonna put up for people to use.

True, but I'd need someone to actually give me a site to do (and hopefully pay me). Competition is pretty fierce out there, with professional web developers with far more experience than me. I think I've learnt a fair bit from doing the site.


Personally im starting off using templates from oswd.net as the design stuff isnt something you can pick up easily but if you have a bit of dev experience you can figure out the coding part.

How did you get a .ie name by the way if its just for a demo site??[/QUOTE]

I registered Central Reservations as a Business Name.

p

What are you doing now? Are you a student, doing some other career etc... Do you want to get into programming/web development?

bigbadcon

I suppose you could offer to do a site for someone for nothing but bear in mind that they could be annoying you forever whenever they want to change the site..

Or you could do a Joomla CMS type site where people can manage their own content but thats a completely different learning curve to the one it looks like your going down..

Ive learned a lot from people just by checking this forum and asking the odd question..

lukin

p wrote: »

What are you doing now? Are you a student, doing some other career etc... Do you want to get into programming/web development?

Unemployed mate, completed my software development degree two years ago and was in a job for a year. I would like to get into web development but I am lacking a portfolio, the above site is all I have at the mo'.

bigbadcon

You could do a Microsoft Certification in Web Development while your looking for a job..

Would look good on your CV if trying to get into a different area...

lukin

bigbadcon wrote: »

You could do a Microsoft Certification in Web Development while your looking for a job..

Would look good on your CV if trying to get into a different area...

I posted on the IT Certification forum about that. I want to do the 70-562 exam, I think I have to do the70-536 first, dunno if I'll do it yet.

p

lukin wrote: »

Unemployed mate, completed my software development degree two years ago and was in a job for a year. I would like to get into web development but I am lacking a portfolio, the above site is all I have at the mo'.

Well if that's the case, building a site like that it is a pretty good idea. The web industry is reasonably healthy at the moment. Regarding how it looks, you won't be a designer, so that's not critical, however it might be a good idea to try get an open source design and sin it so it looks better. It is always nice to work with developers who appreciate good design.

Regarding a learning JSP. It'd be a good idea to focus on one particular technology at get good at it. Maybe contribute to some open source projects and stuff like that to learn more and to have stuff to put on your CV.

Good luck!

bigbadcon

I did the MCAD which was a combination of 3 exams and SCJP a few years ago now.

They're good for learning but if your gonna try and keep them up to date your signing yourself up for years of constant study.

I got P***ed off with them and because its a moving target. Im sure other people will disagree but thats my opinion.

Saying that, certifications will definitely help you get into a different area. Be prepared for a pay cut though