Is some kind of database needed?

[dellson]

I want to make a pay-site where I invest in a wide range of model-pictures.

But I don't want it to be a big mess, and it also has to be easy to update.

I imagine every picture-set/model is assigned with tags, so you as a customer can easily locate/sort many different catagories, like: "big tits", "small asses", "chinese models" etc.

A bit like a typical blog, but with no user-interaction of any sort - only the tags and the way you can easily see the latest updates (and a well working "search"-function)

So my question is:
Will simple HTML do? Or am I forced to use some sort of database system?

I guess any kind of CMS-system (like Drupal), could easily do it, but would it be overkill to learn something complicated as that for "so little"?


Thanks.

[Chang]

No, HTML won't do it because it really is not "so little" a task. Searching for files is actually pretty complicated.

I think you may be getting in over your head starting a paysite so early in your career.

[retainer]

Naah, it doesn't sound too complicated if you know a little PHP and MYSQL. And it's free

[dellson]

Thx for both answers. leaves me a bit in the middle! :-)
I'm not gonna throw myself into some big paysite at once, i will just try and play around with it a bit in the "background", while i get more experience with free-sites.

I found out about a much praised CMS called "Website Baker", sounds like that will be enough to add more advanced stuff like a search-feature etc.

Alternatively, I guess I could always try and just make the site in pure html, just organizing it in such a way, so search and tags might not be that necessary.

[Cozy Monica]

What you really want is a CMS that was built for running a paysite. There are various options out there and they run from around $100 up to thousands.

I wouldn`t advise picking up just any CMS because you need something that will easily work with your billing company and password system. You also want a script that was written with paysite content in mind. Something that will create galleries both for pics and movies, a list of category links, a model database, a list of updates, a main page that tells surfers what`s new recently, a blog plugin, the possibility of adding advertising or third party plugins, and so on.

[Chang]

Originally posted by dellson
Thx for both answers. leaves me a bit in the middle...

I think retainer was being a bit sarcastic (notice the "wink"). If you knew that much PHP and MySQL programming, you could be working as a programmer

[retainer]

Well.. As far as the tagging and user definition display of picture sets, it isn't that hard to do with php/mysql. I wrote a similar system in the making of tastebabes.com, which was my first site and merely a learning project.

Every image on the site is multitagged with an easy form created by myself. Sorting it all by user preferences is not hard either. Look around, there are heeeeeaaps of examples regarding multitagging, cross database etc.

If you know absolutely nothing about the languages, like I did, it might take you a while. My site took a week of non stop learning and frustration But the carrot is more possibilites and independence

My answer was directed to the tag and search function, not to the paysite as whole. I think you'd need to pay for a billing system. Writing it yourself would be risky, I think.

[theviking]

Originally posted by dellson

So my question is:
Will simple HTML do? Or am I forced to use some sort of database system?

I guess any kind of CMS-system (like Drupal), could easily do it, but would it be overkill to learn something complicated as that for "so little"?


Thanks.

It is strictly up to you what you have inside your member area, and how it is presented.
However, i do know atleast verotel have a "quality check" on your content before they let you start selling the site.

What you need exactly to start a paysite is:
- landing/doorway/tours/traffic sites.
- A payment gateway
- A members area.

If you think drupal is too complicated i would advice you to start with something more easy. Maybe some blogs, freesites or some seo pages, just to learn a bit.

[dellson]

Thank you all, for the enriching replies.

I had another look on Drupal, and it seems quite nice actually. and, as long as i don't need too much customization, it is surprisingly easy to use, considering how powerful it is.

So I decided to try and learn that, and make some "complicated" (tagging, searchable content, dynamic pages etc.) free sites with it.

Not sure i want to launch a paysite immediately, but i think it makes sense to at least experiment a bit with it, while doing free sites.
And maybe it will turn out i need to learn a bit more about the "fundamentals" as "retainer" suggests, in that regard it's nice to know that it's not totally impossible :-)


Ok, question:
I realize a paid-for CMS geared towards a paysite, must be the ideal as "monica" suggets, but those features mentioned, at least to some extend seems possible in Drupal.

But I realize it could be problematic getting CCBILL/Verotel to work with the site.

I wonder how technical that could be. But then again, doesn't ccbill help many customers integrating ccbill with the site in question? it must be in their own interest.

oh well, for starters i better see if there is some module for drupal that takes care of it.

Thx for the patience so far, - and i will return if i find out something more about how suited drupal is for paysites of this nature.

[pimpwork]

do you still have this problem, or you have got a solution?