Should I get CSS?

  • Unknown's avatar
    tim237 · Member ·

    I’m wanting to update the look of my blog and I’m trying to figure out whether I should get my own host and WordPress.org or stick with WordPress.com and get CSS. However I have no knowledge of what CSS can do, so this influences my decision.

    There are a few things I’d like to do, I’d like to know whether CSS can do the job. It doesn’t matter if it’ll take me a lot of CSS tutorials to figure out how to do it, or if I’ll have to change themes, just simply is it possible? Here are some things I’d like to do.

    1. Get rid of the “Subscribe to feed” that’s automatic in my theme (that can’t be customised so I can point into feedburner, or not in anyway I’ve figured out).
    2. Make the page wider.
    3. Allow me to use the whole footer (currently it all just goes down the left like a column)
    4. Stop it from displaying my blog title and tagline (as my custom header does so already)

    And I know the next two are unlikely but:

    1. Change the position of my sidebar (right instead of left…guess I could always change themes)
    2. Have two sidebars instead of one (okay a lot to ask)

    I could survive without some of them just wondering which are possible and which aren’t.

    Thanks a lot!

  • Unknown's avatar
    raincoaster · Member ·

    1. Get rid of the “Subscribe to feed” that’s automatic in my theme (that can’t be customised so I can point into feedburner, or not in anyway I’ve figured out).

    Sure, easy.

    2. Make the page wider.

    Sure.

    3. Allow me to use the whole footer (currently it all just goes down the left like a column)
    Depends on your skill level, I believe.

    4. Stop it from displaying my blog title and tagline (as my custom header does so already)

    Yes.

    And I know the next two are unlikely but:

    1. Change the position of my sidebar (right instead of left…guess I could always change themes)
    Nope, you’d have to change themes. Sandbox will let you do almost anything.

    2. Have two sidebars instead of one (okay a lot to ask)
    Same as above: a new theme.

    EVERY single change depends entirely on your own skill level. Read the recommended tutorials in the FAQ and practice using the free preview. Once you’re able to make those changes, THEN and only then make the purchase. Because if you post to the forum asking how to do something, there are maybe two people around who know the answer off the top of their head, and they are often busy or away.

    Assume there is no support for CSS errors and questions. Because functionally, that’s pretty much true.

  • Unknown's avatar
    boblets · Member ·

    For the last five questions, the answer is yes. That is what css does.

    Css is fiddly but fun, and I suggest you use the free option to play with it before you buy. You will not be able to publish your changes without buying, but you will see if you can manage, and then you don’t pay for the time it takes you to figure it out and making a mess of it (as you will, as we all do).

  • Unknown's avatar
    tim237 · Member ·

    Cool. Thanks for the tips guys. I’ll run through the tutorials and not upgrade till I’m absolutely certain I can sort it out. Thanks for your help.

  • Unknown's avatar
    boblets · Member ·

    I would like to add: CSS is great fun, if you have basic “search google”- abillities. It gets easier and easier, as you learn what to search for, the terminology. I learned a lot mainly on my own the last year. Good luck!

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