Whats the best software?Buy?

Calamity Jane · #1 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 02:59 PM

I need to purchase software to design my web page whats good.
Front page?
Dream weaver?
Studio MX4000?
Help!
Ideas

mikmik · #2 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 06:21 PM

Are you interested in developing your own graphics in addition to .html pages? And -

Are you interested in advancing into other languages for more advanced site capability (ie. content mangement, SSI's) and dynamic page content?

Server Side (and PHP) Includes -
See: http://www.anchor.com.au/support/node91.html

Dynamic pages (eg. input forms, suggestion boxes, image rotation and presentation, much more as well) and Content Management Can utilize some or all of; PHP, cgi/PERL, ASP, .NET, ColdFusion etc. These are all different languages to be learned. By far, the most common are PHP and cgi/PERL, IMO.

Finally, what are your budget restrictions?

Most editors and software offer trial usage periods, and even more importantly, there are a couple of free options that apparently have the same, or better, capabilities of purchased software.
Two examples are HTML-kit (which I am dying to try)http://www.chami.com/html-kit/, and Ultra-Edit http://www.ultraedit.com/.

I use StudioMX now. As a bundle, the price is great, and DreamWeaver is generally favored as 'the' editor of professionals. There is lots of support for it, in general, and in forums- including this one - , and
it can be used as a WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) editor, but has spectacular (IMHO) useability as a pure code editor, which is how I use it.
The graphics programs are all well used for every type of image creation and editing, and ColdFusion Server and support is included as well.

So, can you give us any more information on your future plans?

(I just noticed this thread you might want to read:http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=11894)

Calamity Jane · #3 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 07:12 PM

Wow you guys just blow me away. Iam going to try it all and i'll let you know how it came out. I'am on a no budget right now. But at least I got the site up and with you guys helpin with the html stuff I think
I can make it till the money starts in May.
Thanks

Calamity Jane · #4 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 07:27 PM

Mik Mik
My future plans?
Well,I Have stuff to sell C J stuff. Like a DVD of my show, souveniers. Posters,T-shirts,coffee cups,the usual stuff, So I want to sell advance tickets to my show. Like a ticketron so I can link with the chamber,theaters and other places. It will need to handle credit cards too and I want people to meet me and be entertained and informed by my content. Oh and make me rich and famous.
Nothing really. Ha Ha

matauri · #5 (**permalink**) 01-18-2004, 02:09 AM

If your on a budget, Dreamweaver/MX is a pretty hefty expense. But it depends on how much money you have to invest into it. Maybe Frontpage might be a viable alternative? Or even using Word?

I hate to recommend the best to some, because I know that many when they start out are on a pretty tight budget.

As I have said in another post, I have them all, and I dont use any of them....I hand code. So waste of money? Yeah, probably...because I didnt have time to learn how to use them. But every one in a while I will go back if I'm doing nothing & following ideas guys on forums have described.

So, I would prob say (and yes I am biased!).... learn how to hand code & do your own graphics. It's the best & cheapest IMO, and lot cleaner. (waits for tomatoes to be thrown at her). But if you are prepared to spend the money involved, then I would recommend Dreamweaver.

Good luck!

Cindy

littlegiant · #6 (**permalink**) 01-18-2004, 04:07 PM

Buy? Whoa! Hold up there... Try some of the freeware first.

Personal favourites dept.

ARACHNOPHILIA HTML EDITOR (Cost: FREE)

This is a highly configurable HTML editor that allows you to create your own toolbars (among other features.) I think this is a great program and the guy who made it has alot of integrity.

http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/

(I like the old version better)

http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/index_old.html

eightfifteen · #7 (**permalink**) 01-19-2004, 01:46 PM

I have used both Dreamweaver and Golive, and I have to give the edge to Golive. I'm sure alot of it has to do with how you like to work, and what iterface you prefer, much like the debate between Illustrator and Freehand. The fact that I use several other Adobe products, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc., probably skews my view a bit.

Coding by hand? If I don't have to learn it, I never want to. I design by visuals, and it is too difficult to code by hand while keeping the integrity of your vision in tact.

Just my two-cents worth.

Calamity Jane · #8 (**permalink**) 01-19-2004, 02:24 PM

I got free:WEB CEO
HTML KIT
WEB PRO GOLD 2
I reconstructed my home page last night and doubled my rating. They have a free SEO checker thing at Instant Position. It's fun watching the arrow go up or down when you try different key words. The WPG2 analyzer gave me a 12 page report on whats wrong. So I'am trying to solve these html, code, content, order problems to optimise my site an raise my ratings. When I got this dumb computer 2 weeks ago I didn't know this stuff was so hard when you try to do it yourself. I don't know what I would do without the help from ya'll. THANK YOU
If you want to see what I did I'd sure like the feedback. www.calamityjane1only.com

fastedge · #9 (**permalink**) 01-20-2004, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Coding by hand? If I don't have to learn it, I never want to. I design by visuals, and it is too difficult to code by hand while keeping the integrity of your vision in tact.

If you don't learn to "code by hand" then you are at then mercy of the softwares idea of how things should be done. That's bad practice. Always learn the basics of a thing. It allows you to recognize and fix it when it's wrong.

jmitchem · #10 (**permalink**) 02-09-2004, 09:30 AM

It sounds to me like you aren't a web designer by trade. The question is - do you want to be? Or do you want to take advantage of the current software available to help you put something simple on the Internet. If you want to learn web design, I agree with the idea that you need to learn the essence of design and code and go from there.

However, that's a helluva commitment both from a time and budget perspective. If you've got a budget of say, 1500 and have no real experience writing code, then consider hiring a designer to help you. I know a lot of designers will say that a full-fledged website costs a lot more than 1500, and they do, but if you're just providing a simple, yet clean and easy to navigate venue for your audience and are not looking to become the biggest site in your genre, then you can find surely someone competent to work with you. Your other choice is to purchase a software package and learn it. If you've ever worked with any Adobe product, i recommend their new Creative Suite. Depending on what programs you currently have, you can purchase five full programs from Adobe for less than $1000 that will get you well on your way to publishing to the web and provides design integration across platforms and mediums to the print realm as well. Multi-tasking without having to re-do a lot of design work is always a plus.