What I Hate About WordPress
 

I know WordPress is supposed to be so easy to use that even a caveman can do it, and that's true for making posts, links, etc. But when it comes to customizing the look of your site, I get totally lost. Just doing something simple like changing a header section to insert a company logo is out of my reach, where in Dreamweaver I can do it in 2 seconds.

I even bought the new "WordPress For Dummies" book and that hardly helped.

Just wondering if anyone else feels this way or has any suggestions.

Should I switch to another blog script or CMS?
Should I just hire a designer?
Is there somewhere on the web that offers easy to follow directions for customizing a WP template?

What I LIKE about WP is the ability to write multiple posts at once but have them show up on the site in the future. If I could do this with a regular HTML site I'd probably just stick with Dreamweaver.

post on their forums... tht will help a lot and read the docs.

if you understand what the functions do, you can build out the blog no prob.

Are you doing RSS stuff?

The Firefox Web Developer plugin is very helpful to me when it comes to editing the css file.

Customizing WP is not so hard, first you need to find ready template, 2 columns or 3 columns to instal that, and then make your own layout and chamge pics, little change php files and little more change css files and that is it!

Was pretty hard at first trying to get the WP template the way I wanted. But after a while I got the hang of it. I suggest you just look for a template that suits your needs and then just change it from there. Just like what wizzart was saying. There are a ton of free templates out there.

the first couple are hard, after a couple themes you'll get the hang of it, and really, there ain't nothing to it...

once you get a hang of it..takes 2 seconds
read up on some php

learn some css and html, editing is no sweat

That's what I was thinking.....

I am pretty sure there is a plugin for Dreamweaver floating around.....

For a beginner, the best thing to do is open all the php template files in dreamweaver and attach the css style file to each of them.
This way it pulls the template together so you can see what and where you can edit.

This should help

http://solutoire.com/tagstention/

I think wordpress should be like drag and drop thing. We should be able to drag different components, menu bars, side bars, blogrolls here and there .. after logging in of course.

I guess it would be implemented soon.

You can do most of that already in the newer versions - It uses something called widgets....

Learn CSS :2 cents:

Thanks for the help everyone. I'll look into Tagnation but MrWilson's suggestion sounds interesting:

"For a beginner, the best thing to do is open all the php template files in dreamweaver and attach the css style file to each of them."

For anyone else like me who doesn't know how to attach CSS files I found a helpful link but I don't have permission yet to post the URL here. If you do a search on Google with this phrase:

Dreamweaver - Attaching a CSS Style Sheet to your website

You should find the "Talk Mania" site that has the tutorial. I'll be trying it out later today.

You should really just experiment with wordpress. I used Dreamweaver for years and at first using wordpress was like a foreign language. After many attempts and trials, I started to understand css, php and exactly how wordpress structures a site. Once you get it figured out, then you can really do some great stuff with Dreamweaver and what you learned from wordpress,css, and php.
It will just help you more in the long run if you just keep at it until you understand it better.

...and PHP. It will let to get all the power of WordPress.

I just download a template I like, and change the header and stuff...

you know what i hate?

lazy retards that can't be bothered to make an effort to understand something thats fairly simple and mostly self-explanatory.

gotta move into the new school, where websites are laid out using fancy CSS instead of tables (i fought it for a long time myself..but it is handy)

knowing PHP kicks it into high gear

I tried MrWilsons idea but when I went to preview the site it wouldn't do it... said there was no server found. I take it that WP must be installed on a server in order to assemble all the files to see the site.

Anyhow, thanks to everyone here (well, except for one bozo) who took the time to offer words of encouragement and help.

If any other newbies come across this, another helpful person suggested using a plugin called Firebug for Firefox that lets you view all the php and css files on a site so you can deconstruct them and actually change things to see how they look. That's been very helpful.

You should:
1. Learn PHP. That is your only problem.
Editing the themes/active theme of WordPress installs is a fuckin breeze man. You should see how hard it is to do the same with other cms systems. WordPress is by far the easiest. If you can't, simply don't use it. If you can't play with it or learn how to you're in the wrong biz. Simple as that. :2 cents:

And...haven't you seen the "Theme Editor" in the WordPress back-end?? How much easier do you want it??

This is like a very interesting thread for the aspiring wannabe hobby blogger like me. Thanks.

just get the hang of it and you'll be fine

just get the hang of it and you'll be fine

Here are some cheep premium class WordPress themes. One click install and no pain in the ass.

http://templates.xyjak.com/

WP Alternative
 

Here is a link to an alternative blogging, forum and CMS system...for free.

http://www.blogcms.com

word:thumbsup

interesting year later bump :winkwink:

way to bump the thread asshole

wp rocks.. loving it

ugg...Wordpress is so easy. Just keep playing with the theme and eventually you will get it.