Bruce2005

As a developer with ten years at this, I concur with the sites endorsement of EE. When these products first came out I spent an enormous amount of time testing all the various ones available (over the past 5-6 years). Cost is close to meaningless, I have heard of large corporations leaving Vignette ($50,000.00 range), for EE due to it's ease of configuration, and ease of use. Working full time in the field, and background training as an MCSE (14 years ago), I now work with clients almost exclusively with EE for very good reasons. Over the last four years it has help up consistently in reliability, support, and most importantly, it is the most configurable platform available. It has unlimited potential for a php programmer, it literally can be classified as having unlimited potential to handle any requirement, and one can easily add and redesign templates for any purpose wanted. There is much more, but I'll keep it short...

How come? Question is to help if I can, I've used ee as a developer for 4 years now so maybe can help here... I still look up things in the docs, the search in them is terrific.

What CMS is the same as asking what kind of car should I buy lol. ExpressionEngine has a free core version for those wanting something easier to work with and customize. The templates are very much like complete web pages where one can add what's wanted where wanted. Takes a bit to catch on, but once one does it's the most user friendly one. ee-features and also: example index template which shows what I mean about the templates.

Read the announcement at the top here After a lot of years experience doing this full time I heartily agree 100%.

ExpressionEngine with the built in forum module. Easiest to customize and the advanced forum is integrated into the system, beats having a separate one. The templates allow for easy customizations.

ExpressionEngine by far, not only has an integrated gallery its the easiest to customize and much more advanced. The gallery is excellent as well and makes it easy to upload and resize including a "batch" folder to process a lot of images all at once. Main thing is it is easiest to customize and the templates are editable much easier than others. A small license fee is quickly made up for on time savings.

menalto gallery is excellent

Without a link we would be guessing. Floats normally set the footer below content, unless a) It needs clear due to the float. div's are in the wrong place. Test in the W3C Validator?

I have found this works best for both parties when the company doing the outsourcing knows the business very well and is a professional, when one has skills that the other doesn't, or they both have similar skills and one is simply too busy. An example would be a developer who has focussed extensively on video, programming in php, or mapping say. Or a CMS like ExpressionEngine and work as overall consultant. Then it can work well as you are offering a more specific talent the other firm may not have. I am wary of taking on entire sites for other developers as it "can" end up them being more a labor contractor than being developers themselves. I have seen cases where the firm getting the job is paid more then the one doing all the work, and getting all the credit, although they invest next to nothing into it. Over all I prefer dealing directly with the client. I have a project I walked into that is for a firm who got another "developer" who got me. Client -> Firm -> another firm - Us. Needless to say, it is not going well. After seeing that the original firm knows next to nothing about developing websites, and the second developer little, it is not something anyone would want to get into. A client developer relationship is always best. I don't believe that it is a good practice to take on a project and then completely outsource it. When asked to price and do complete sites for developers, (who are doing it for a client of theirs), I turn it down.

Mainly your footer is outside the wrapper. Count your div's opening and closing. In IE your java is causing an error. Validate your code though it isn't always fun!

As you have been retained to do seo, saying that the code doesn't meet Web Standards and therefore effects what you can do is fine. It actually is your job to say what cannot be done when something interferes. Then a reference to good practices...Web Standards and the W3CC validator I'd say, "Sorry, looking at the code I cannot do my job properly" Diplomatically of course...

You need the kml file to be online. I do google maps, but not google earth so not fam with the actual process. This may help for some tips on making it public, or do a search.

You can do that yes. For a start see Using Custom Placemark Icons . Another good place is Google Earth Outreach and more here also. Easiest is likely to find a kml file that has icons and see how it's done. More specifically, in the docs on icons The example there: <Style id="randomColorIcon"> <IconStyle> <color>ff00ff00</color> <colorMode>random</colorMode> <scale>1.1</scale> <Icon> <href>http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/kml/pal3/icon21.png</href> </Icon> </IconStyle> Also, right click any of these for the path (or save them and use) Mikes Tutorials

It depends on hwat you are interested in. One could try to get on part time as a trainee and take courses part time if that is available. If programming suits you, I'd take php and database courses and try to get part time work with a firm or on your own even. Same with graphic design. Can be difficult to start, but the combination can work, the more you learn the easier to get some work, the more work you can get the more you learn, and learn what you want to do. Long ago I was going to take some courses and wasn't clear on best approach, so called some local firms and asked if they had time to talk to me and advise me if I came in. I was surprises by the number that were willing to do so and talked to me. Learned a lot that way. You may even get a job offer!

As suggested above, a good gallery script is needed especially with that many. I know expressionengine has one that would do for all your content. It has preset sizes for large and thumb, then you have what is called a batch folder where you ftp your images to and it processes them in series. I have added and processes hundreds of images in a few minutes this way and had a nice looking gallery at the same time. For "only" a gallery, check out menalto gallery its good.

1) you have marquee abive the doctype, nothing should be above it. This throws ie into what is called "quirks mode" <!DOCTYPE Best to run it through the W3C validator and fix the errors. But start with the above, and also can see: CSSPlay - menus

I would, especially after seeing the menu code and tables in an xhtml document, start over. For good working examples Free Layouts have a lot of styles and designs. The most important is that they are css and a good learning method. View some and look at the source code. With CSS aand Web Standards there is no need for javascript in the page like that.

A depreciated way that works is: <a href="http://www.google.com/" onclick="window.open('http://www.google.com/','popup','width=500,height=500,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes, toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false">New Window</a> Unobtrusive javascript would be much better though: Unobtrusive JavaScript Popup Windows The above link has a separate javascript file (17 lines of code), and no inline javascript on the page. Ideal, simple, lightweight, and best practices.

An option when there is a background image or background changes is to use background: inherit; Can use this in the above classes. W3C value-def-inherit

This would be considered a bad practice. It's much better to fix your errors in code than advise people to change their browser preferences. Use the W3C validator (see sig) to see possible errors. In a time of Web Standards, best text would be, "Best viewed in anything you want."

<div class="gallery"> <img src="/images/the.jpg" width="113" height="75" alt="my image" /><br /> <b>Your Title</b><br /> <div class="description"> This is a description of the neat photo you took. </div> .gallery { font-size:90%; border: 3px double #999; width: 152px; height: 166px; float: left; text-align:center; padding: 5px 8px; margin: 6px 0 12px 8px; line-height: 18px; } .description { text-align:left; } Sample of one on a live site, Adjust widths and margins wanted and done. The title centers as well. To separate more add margins

xml-flash calendar is nice, the days popup with info.

A shortcut may help freecsstemplates here one can view and download. If nothing else, study the structure in the code.

Curved Navigation Graphic in Fireworks tutorial may help?

I use a compass Seriously, for a webpage? Depends on your program, adobe photoshop, find on the web, places like istockphoto are good