Dummies Guide to Dynamic Web Sites

Does anyone know of a decent guide such as this on the web somewhere?

I've just realised how much time I actually have to waste trying to explain dynamic web sites to my clients. For example, the other day I finished off building an online shop, I then spent about 5 hours e-mailing back and forth between a client trying to explain that when he enters a new country in the administration area I built, this country will then appear in his list that people can select where they want the goods shipped to.

Now to me, thats self explanatory, he adds and it appears, even my mum who uses the internet for a few hours a week could understand that concept in about 10 minutes of discussion so I know it's not the way I explain things that is at fault.

So are there any dummy guides regarding this issue?

Editors Note This thread was started in an attempt to satisfy AlCapone's need for more discussion in the DevShed Lounge

I tend to find explaining things like this are made easier by substituting words that might be understood more easily by the majority of non-Internet type people (don't expect me to try explaining that - can't think of any other way to put it). Although it's not quite "correct", perhaps a better way of explaining it to the client would be to say that the site "automatically updates" when they input information. Here's a snippet from dictionary.com under the term, "automatic":

"self-acting or self-regulating under fixed conditions"

In other words, you have set the "fixed conditions" and when they enter information, those conditions are applied - thus, updating the website.

I did search for some "dummy guides" on google and amazon, but didn't come up with much. Nothing relevant, anyway

This might crazy, but when I talk to people about things they don't seem to be able to comprehend, use an analogy.

Such a web site is like a car.

Alot of people I run into don't understand hosting. They say if pay for a site to be built why do I have to pay to have it hosted?

You can say if you buy a car, it is built and delivered to you, but why do you need to pay for gas? -- To use the car you need gas right?

As for dynamic sites. You like to be able to change the temperature in your car right? Would you like it if the heater was always on full blast? (I live in texas where heaters are almost useless)--kinda bad example, but i have been drinking today

Use you imagination. I find people that do not relate to tech, ofter do really well with with analogies to things such as cars. I try to avoid tech talk at all costs unless I am very confident they can relate (ie. this hasn't happened yet).

just a thought

Analogies can help. I remember an acquaintence of mine complaining that the "evil phone company" wouldn't credit $500 worth of phone calls made by a house guest. "I didn't give them permission to make long distance calls so it's theft and I shouldn't have to pay."

I asked him if that same house guest had, without permission, taken his car for a joy ride that caused some damage to the car would he take it back to the dealer demanding free repairs and to the gas station demanding free gas to make up for the amount used by the guest?

Analogies with car are the best, a customer understood the need for maintenance and tuning on his database through this. Before he thought that his db was supposed to work perfectly forever ...