Update Required

So, in my infinite freetime and desire to program, I decided the English club's website needed an upgrade. Also because it was written all in Japanese and was simply three lines of text against an awful background (as you can see by clicking any other club's page).

Here's the website: http://www.minami-h.ysn21.jp/
Specifically: http://www.minami-h.ysn21.jp/seitonokatsudou/bukatsudou/bukatsudou.html
EVEN MORE specifically: http://www.minami-h.ysn21.jp/seitonokatsudou/bukatsudou/essweb/ess.html

I decided I wanted to do something technical because I wanted to learn more web development. So I was reading up on PHP and decided I wanted to make a PHP website. I did my best to try to figure out what an English club page could possibly need.

The problem was I didn't have direct access to the server. So I had to bother the guy who did. A lot.

Unfortunately, no one in my school (or Japan in general) knows what a computer is or how it works. Any attempts at getting information or doing anything technical was met by blank stares of confusion even from the "experts".

Fortunately, they were very helpful. We wasted a lot of time testing things (specifically PHP thing) before I realized what I already knew - the server is all the way in the capital city, not in the school - and it blocked PHP.

I wanted to make the website as easy as possible for future generations because people are awful at computers. Even the concept of file types goes over their heads. PHP was supposed to automatically handle that, but since it was disabled, I had to switch to JavaScript for the webpage and Python for the updaters. I would scan for changes and update the website. It was slightly less automatic, but I learned some more Python and made the updaters.

Then I realized you need to have Python installed to use the programs. So I rewrote it in C# using Forms. Which gave me a chance to learn Forms.

Then I realized you need to have .Net 3.5 or 4.0 or something installed or something. But at least Windows 7 or higher has it. I know my personal work computer has it and the teacher that runs ESS has 7 (even though she didn't earn it), so I guess everything worked out?

As far as the design itself went, I mostly stole the design from other pages (most notably the PTA page). In the process, I learned CSS.

So it was a great learning experience for me, even if no one else in the world cares. Shame that page will NEVER be updated, but at least now it'll be my picture with the students forever instead of the last guy and some pumpkin.

Update! (ironically): It is worth noting that I discovered it is slightly buggy for IE users (because that's unfortunately what people use here), but they barely qualify as people so I have little intention to cater to them (also I just don't want to bother that poor administrator anymore... Just give me the password!) One day the website will be perfect... One day...