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PHP Nuke Garage Book Review |
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Written by David Thompson
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Tuesday, 12 August 2008 |
 With PHP-Nuke Garage, this is the next step in web design.
After you've built hundreds and maybe even thousands of web pages via
HTML, you've probably begun to notice how tedious and time consuming
manual updating can be. You have a firm grasp of how web design works,
the way scripts and multimedia programs can be used to improve your
website's interactivity but you now want something that you can
maintain yourself but not spend as much time on.
When you've reached this point, this is where PHP-Nuke Garage by Don Jones comes in. PHP-Nuke Garage is a detailed and very intuitive book that provides website operators the ability to manage their website from a centralized location via a database. Imagine that, no more manual updating or wasting long periods of time building new HTML pages while keeping the site's integrity intact. With PHP-Nuke, you can do all those things and save yourself the time and energy.
To build a more sophisticated website and without the need to develop it completely from scratch, PHP-Nuke is one way to get the job done. PHP-Nuke is a content management system which the website administrator can modify modules that control various aspects of the website's look and functionality.
What is PHP-Nuke
PHP-Nuke may be a strange name for a program but it's a very important program for those looking at building interactive, database-driven websites. Why go through the hassle of building and managing websites via hand coding' Imagine how much more productive and less time consuming the management of a large scale website would be if you only had to make changes from one central location' That's what PHP-Nuke is all about. Building a fully interactive website that is easily manageable.
It doesn't matter what type of website you're looking to build, PHP-Nuke provides a base number of features with free add-ons available on the internet.
What's in the Book?
Don Jones begins by describing what PHP-Nuke is all about and its significance to web designers. This is important because you can determine right there if PHP-Nuke will be the solution you've been looking for. The book is broken down into five parts with each part covering a number of different subjects on PHP-Nuke.
Part one is a quick start on PHP-Nuke and its purposes. This chapter covers topics such as how PHP-Nuke works, the PHP-Nuke base language, finding the right host for your PHP based website and the most important point of the entire book'installing PHP-Nuke.
Part two begins your journey into the world of PHP-Nuke as Don Jones introduces you to the number of modules in PHP-Nuke. As I mentioned above, PHP-Nuke has its own set of modules that comes with the program but it also contains modules that can handle everything from controlling downloads, content, feedback and even a journal (more commonly known as a blog these days).
With over 30 topics to choose from in chapter three alone, you know that is where the pros turn to when they need with help. Jones does a great job taking the reader into an intimate looking into PHP-Nuke.
Part three is the cornerstone of this book. Jones describes the installation and configuration of the PHP-Nuke content management system. If you knew what this program was about but was just too intimidated by it, then this chapter will explain exactly what you're looking for. From customized themes, creating an e-newsletter, sending administrative messages and even managing advertising banners, chapter three is the central part of the book. Even if this is the only chapter you read, you'll still have enough knowledge to get PHP-Nuke working.
Part four deals with creating and managing forums via PHP-Nuke. From configuring the settings of a PHP-Nuke forum to managing it, chapter four covers all aspects of maintaining a proper forum and ensuring that it's secure and especially useful to the website's visitors. You learn things like moderating the forums, setting up an avatar's parameters, setting up various categories and even incorporating smilies.
Part five covers the advanced features of PHP-Nuke. From creating a pay subscription website to fixing common errors (which I'm sure will come in handy), Don Jones provides a clear insight to getting PHP-Nuke configured and working properly in the shortest amount of time.
The Final Word
I found Don Jones' coverage of the PHP-Nuke system to be extremely detailed right down to the configuration file's appearance. With Don going into extreme detail on what each line of code you will see in PHP-Nuke's set up, you gain a quick understanding of exactly what you need to change and what you don't. For those of us who need our hand held through the process, Don works you through each step of the way that even if something doesn't work, you're probably just one step or one page from the solution.
Don describes, in great detail, what all of the default modules are that comes with PHP-Nuke. Now for the typical website, most functions of the site is run through CGI (common gateway interface) scripts that handle processing from the client through the website's server. Instead, PHP-Nuke provides modules that can handle things like a feedback form, discussion forum and even the hottest craze lately which is a personal blog (or weblog).
One of the biggest reasons why many personal websites go months or even years without being updated is that updating via standard HTML can be very tedious and time consuming. Managing a website with a lot of content through traditional methods is almost impossible regardless of how passionate you are about the website. PHP-Nuke Garage is a wonderful guide to one-stop website management. If you're thinking of building a content rich website but don't want to deal with HTML, then PHP-Nuke is the way to go. With Don Jones' PHP-Nuke Garage providing the step-by-step guide to installation and management, the only thing you'll need now is the next great website idea. Please, no talking sock puppets.
You can click HERE to purchase the PHP-Nuke Garage by Don Jones.
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