Website development--fun???  Yes, I'm sure that you think that thought is weird.  Sometimes I think it is as well.  I have to say, though, that I really enjoy developing websites.  It's the content I have more of a problem with, especially my own.  What do I say?  Why should I say it?  I know that a website needs to be updated regularly, but what kind of updates?

However, I enjoy setting up websites, and posting other people's content.  I also like showing them how to post their content so that they can take ownership of it.  I get a "zing" out of creating websites.  Yes, sometimes it's tedious, especially when something isn't working correctly.  Sometimes it takes a lot of my time.  Sometimes I need a break.  However, if I'm taking a break from one, I usually tinker with another.  I guess it's an addiction.

I create websites using an Open Source Content Management System (CMS) called Joomla! 1.5, and a series of extensions made for Joomla! 1.5.  Some are quite easy to configure, and some can be quite challenging.  I have probably created ten different websites using Joomla! 1.5.   It allows me to put up complex websites up in a matter of weeks, and simple sites in a matter of days.  It was quite easy for me to learn.  Mind you, I already knew how to create websites prior to working with Joomla! 1.5, so it's not like I was a beginner by any means.  However, the learning curve isn't as bad as you may think, especially if you aren't looking for a complex site.  There are hundreds of tutorials all over the internet.  The Joomla! community also has a great forum for questions and problems.

Why did I choose Joomla! 1.5?  I can't really pin it down.  I tried a couple of open source CMS programs, just to see what they were.  Of the ones I tested, I preferred Joomla, and the support seemed good, so I went with that.  The rest is history. 

While I'm speaking of websites, I'll go ahead and list the ones I own:

Valerie's CleverEndeavour ~ a website about my faith, family, and passions
CleverCelts ~ right now it's just a demo site for me to test components and templates on
Entmoot Academy ~ a site devoted to homeschooling, with over 100 links to web resources categorized by subject
Wooden Celt Creations ~ my husband's Celtic woodworking site

Well, that's it for now.  In future posts, I will blog about my favorite extensions for the websites I develop.