Any web designers?

cmy330go

I've got a friend who wants to put together a basic website and asked me for help. It's been quite a few years since I've built a site so I'm uncertain what software to use. Last I knew front page and dreamweaver were decent editors, but just curious if anyone has other/better recommendations.

Thanks.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Dreamweaver is my software of choice. I'd avoid FrontPage like the plague...

Sami

IIS or Apache? If IIS, I'd look into ASP (Visual Studio).

petrym

I use Homesite from Macromedia - I code "by hand".

Old School, baby.:D

cmy330go

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to download some trial versions and check them out.

Thanks again!

Gadabout

If your just looking for a basic HTML editor.... Try CoffeeCup

The have some other stuff too. Front page still works if your host supports it. Again, if it's a basic site, most hosts offer various templates for free that might suit your needs.

Dreamweaver is great, but usually you don't hear the word basic in conjunction with it.

Scott

jerseyjoe

This thread was forwarded to me by one of your members. I own a business that has been building and hosting web sites since January 4th, 1994. I now have clients in 7 countries, ranging from one-person sites to major corporations and institutions. My web site has samples and links to a small cross-section of them.

I've used just about every method of site building known to man, from hand coding in HTML to proprietary software tools such as FrontPage, DreamWeaver, pure Flash, or free Open Source Software tools such as Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, or online eCommerce using CubeCart, an excellent free shopping cart builder. You name it, I've used it. And that only mentions a few of the really good tools, not the unsatisfactory ones.

My sites include every type you can think of, from simple one page "flyers" and the very common 4/6 page brochure sites, to one for a major international think-tank with hundreds of articles and scholarly entries created and posted by its participants without the need for a webmaster's hand or programming. There are brochure web site, blogs, forums, Content Management Systems (CMS), Client Resource Managers (CRM), photo galleries, newsletters, shopping carts that take orders and payments, etc.

The professional answer to the question about which site building method to use, even for a "basic web site" is the usual one. "It depends."

FrontPage is an excellent tool for a simple brochure web site. It has a fairly low learning curve. The result can be pretty good looking. Google the phrase "free FrontPage template" and you will come up with a few million resources of sites that you can simply customize. Same goes for WordPress, Joomla, Mambo, etc. -

I usually counsel clients away from DreamWeaver. First of all, it is expensive. Also, it has a steep learning curve that requires serious study to master and talent to apply. You may learn to build sites using Flash, one of the worst things that ever hit the Internet. It is the source of those useless, time-wasting web sites that start out with the animated message, "page loading" and are more about the site owner or its developer, and less about interacting with the visitor. I suggest that approach only if you are showing off your graphic skills to other Flash programmers or graphic artists. The uncomplimentary trade term for that is "eye candy."

BTW - a graphic artist is to a web site what an interior decorator is to an architect or general contractor. Use the former instead of the latter and you will have something lovely to look at - and not much else. In your field, it's the equivalent of choosing an audio system by how nice it looks.

I actually own two web hosting services. The signature one (BuildingHosting.Com) is focused on the needs of clients who want a lot of site building and hosting service attention. In effect, I become the client's WebMaster. The other, Hostrax.Com, is a discount operation priced similarly to GoDaddy, for those who prefer to build their own web site "by hand" or via one of the many templates already installed and ready for customization.

Bottom line, if I can be of help in sorting out what would work best for your kind of business and to do what you want your site to do, just ask. I don't charge for first consultation and advice if you pay for the phone call. After that, my rates are reasonable. Drop me an email to schedule one.

Hope that helps . . .

Joe Harkins, owner
www.buildinghosting.com
www.hostrax.com