Recommendation for a newbie

They have: 4 posts

Joined: May 2009

(I'm sure you guys get tons of these, but...)

Here's my thing:
Suppose I was a master chef and I wanted a site that features my recipes, clusters user recipes categorically in relation to my recipes, allows recipe comments, the occasional cooking video and the occasional food poll and also runs ads. I'm not a master chef; I'm a writer and graphic artist, but that is a good idea of what I'm trying to do.

My question is what's the best way to go about that? I'm thinking it's more than a blog, but since my posts won't go far beyond daily/weekly updates it might not be that complicated. The main thrust is user particpation and ads. Any ideas for a guy whose entire budget will probably begin and end with my hosting and domains (I can do the visual side of it on my own).

I've been leaning towards Drupal but it seems too big and Wordpress seems too small-- if that gives you an idea... Do I need to crack open my antique copy of Dreamweaver to do this?

Help!

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

So you want users to submit their own recipes in addition to your own? In that case I would probably go with Drupal. Actually, I would probably go with Drupal anyway, mainly because of the potential for further expansion. If there's too much of a learning curve there for you then Wordpress might do, although I'm not sure if/how it would handle user submitted content...

They have: 4 posts

Joined: May 2009

So you want users to submit their own recipes in addition to your own?
Yep.
And:
Wordpress might do, although I'm not sure if/how it would handle user submitted content...
I have my doubts about it too. I played around with a few other CMS packages and Drupal seems like the only one set to do it, but there is the learning curve. I guess I need to bite the bullet.

greg's picture

He has: 1,581 posts

Joined: Nov 2005

Wordpress could handle the user submitted in the form of a basic article. Allow guest posting (moderating the articles of course) or perhaps allow sign up and give members posting rights.

It's not ideal, but it workable. Submitting a basic Wordpress article with UL/OL for the ingredients, an image is of course possible to show what the dish looks like (if you are a 5 star chef Laughing out loud) and then of course the basic article allows writing of the methods, times etc.

So the image with the ingredients perhaps floated left or right of the image, then below it the methods, times etc.

It can be done, and could be quite smart, but is by no means precise to your requirements if you are wanting something specific.

They have: 4 posts

Joined: May 2009

"or perhaps allow sign up and give members posting rights."
That's what I want to do. I wasn't sure that Wordpress would allow that. But also running ads seems tricky.

greg's picture

He has: 1,581 posts

Joined: Nov 2005

Running ads in Wordpress is fairly straight forward. There are plenty of plugins available.

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