About This Site
This website is so named because it was my epiphany. “Epiphany” + “Stephenie” = “Epiphenie”
e·piph·a·ny
əˈpifənē/
noun
- A moment of sudden revelation or insight
“epiphany” Oxford Dictionaries. Accessed November 15, 2015. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/epiphany.
Purpose
This site is a repository for things that I learn or accomplish. If I have to do research or trial and error to solve a problem, then I document the solution for my personal use, for my friends and family, and for anyone that is searching for the same information.
History
While employed as a full-time software engineer, I began working on personal web development projects during evenings and weekends. A coworker was working on a non-profit site. Another coworker was working on a personal hobby site. We began meeting over lunch and collaborating with one another. Our group grew as other people in the department wanted to learn from us. We developed personal websites, learned basic Android and iOS programming, and improved our general programming skills. I had the bright idea (epiphany) that I would keep notes from our meetings as a reference for the team.
Our programming group scattered in 2012 when our employer closed the division in which we worked. Some of the group are still with the company, and others of us have moved on. We still meet occasionally for lunch. To view the old content from this group, see the Epiphenie Archive.
Although the content of this page began as a repository for the group, it grew as I tackled other web development and organizational challenges. It now includes a lot of organizational tips, tutorials, and setup instructions for web technologies.
Platform
This site began as pure HTML with a custom CSS. From there, I applied a custom database and used PHP and Javascript functionality to add additional features. For example, I created a private weekly presentation assignment rotation that included a PHP login page, email notifications, and the ability for participants to swap weeks.
(Unmodified Image: New WordPress Buttons and Stickers, CC license by Nikolay Bachiyski)
After the group work stopped in 2012, I began writing articles for myself and for anyone else that could benefit from the information. I migrated my existing database to a WordPress (MySQL) database, and customized free PHP and Javascript WordPress themes.
I have an entire selection of articles devoted to WordPress development. There are a TON of plugins out there to make your page do what you want it to do. As a matter of fact, there could be dozens that all do the same thing. Users rate the apps, and the market helps you decide which is best for you and why.
There are hundreds of thousands of WordPress themes out there to choose from. You can find quite a few on WordPress and you can find more out on the web. There are free themes and premium themes. When I started this website, I wrote my own HTML. When I moved to WordPress, I began writing my own PHP themes. Now, to simplify the upgrade process and minimize upkeep, I like to find a theme and edit the PHP to suit me.
