[markl]

Help!

I'm looking for some (hopefully inexpensive) software that will easily allow a rank amateur newbie first-timer create a credible-looking website.

That means no HTML, coding or anything other than simple, intuitive WYSIWYG, drag-and-drop, point-and-click operations.

However, I do want a robust feature set that will allow me to do a lot of things as I get better at it and become more experienced.

The free software that came with my new domain is utterly useless and completely inflexible. I don't want to be totally trapped into their poor excuses for templates. I just want to be able to create my own templates, change sizes of tabs and headers, and text blocks, choose color schemes, select from a large amount of fonts, be able to easily add new hyperlinks, add new pages, add photos in any shape or size or location I want, etc. etc.

Any recommendations?

 

[jonathanjong]

I think you should re-consider picking up HTML. When I was asked to write a website for work, I naturally gravitated towards applications like Nvu and Kompozer (both free Mac OS X apps) and even more powerful offerings (Dreamweaver). But after a lot of frustration with these apps, I decided to start from scratch with a text editor (Smultron) and an HTML book. I learnt HMTL over a weekend, and had a website up and running in a week. I'm still learning and improving an adding features as I go along.

 

[MVPlaya]

I suggest using Dreamweaver. It's not necessarily drag and drop, but drag and drop don't always come out looking good.

Microsoft FrontPage is drag and drop I believe...

 

[elliot42]

I agree, learn some HTML, CSS and good design practices. It will help you later on and make maintaining the site much easier in the long run. You can use a WYSIWYG tool now, but you'll see what I mean when you want to go back and edit that auto-created code later

 

[elliot42]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MVPlaya /img/forum/go_quote.gif Microsoft FrontPage is drag and drop I believe...

No! Don't be tempted by FrontPage, creator of horrible code

Quote:

drag and drop don't always come out looking good

But good, hand written design will.

 

[markl]

Hi, like I said, I'm looking for something quick and easy, no HTML, and Front Page and Dreamweaver are absolutely out, ease of use is a must. I don't want to become an expert or a professional website designer, and I don't want to have to attend classes to learn how to use a product. I just want to make a nice-looking site quickly and easily, OK?

I was looking at Xsitepro 2 and Web Studio 4.0, but I have no idea what I'm doing, or what are the most commonly used and popular apps in this category (which does not include Front Page or Dreamweaver, IMO). I was hoping someone here had recently looked at the same problem, done the research and figured out what to buy and had a recommendation.

 

[elliot42]

OK, OK...

Dreamweaver is a pretty nice tool, you could try out the trial version to create the site. Other options that I have tried in the past are Nvu, which has now been forked and the current active project is called KompoZer. When I tried Nvu it was a bit buggy, but the interface was pretty nice as I recall. I haven't used KompoZer, but from a quick look now it seems much more stable and has a nice clean interface with just the tools to create a nice site and quickly.

I'd recommend giving KompoZer a go, it's open source, link here: KompoZer - Easy web authoring

The only other WYSIWYG apps I have tried are Dreamweaver (nice, but full featured and a busier interface, more than what you need) and Blue Fish, which I didn't really like, and it's based more around coding and then previewing the results, so the WYSIWYG part isn't great.

 

[jonathanjong]

Heh. I'm not backing down so easily. Like I said, it took me a week to learn and finish writing a website in HTML. I just don't think it's much more effort than using a third party application, which also has a learning. I've tried Dreamweaver, and Nvu, and Kompozer (all this year), and I still found writing code by hand easier and less frustrating.

 

[elliot42]

I thought I should at least answer the original question

I still wholeheartedly recommend learning some HTML (it's not that hard, I taught my mum and now she's pretty pro at it, has developed / maintained a few web in the past, including my old high school's, and currently our local sailing club). If you've got a weekend to do this site, go the hand written approach. You can put together a nice template page with menu, content, etc. and then just replicate that for all the other pages you need.

Learn how to use CSS as well, it makes making changes to a site so much easier because it's a central location for all styles in the site. Pretty powerful stuff.

Some good sites:
W3Schools Online Web Tutorials (great tutorial site and reference, I use it all the time)
Tizag Tutorials (good tutorial site)
A List Apart: A List Apart (great articles about CSS design plus examples and tutorials)
css Zen Garden: The Beauty in CSS Design (example designs written purely in CSS)

 

[setmenu]

Whilst i agree with a lot of whats been said here, I was [and still am to a large degree] in exactly the same position as you.
You want a site first, then take the time to learn stuff later.
Dreamweaver was my saviour, it is a great app.
This site is great to help you get the very basics: HTML & CSS In Pictures

Plus being such a popular app there is tons of info on the net, often quicker to find stuff this way then use the help files.
You will also naturally gravitate toward coding side with it to clean things up.
and solve those GRRRR issues!you can just switch between code and graphic wysiwyg in it.

Once you make get your first site up and running you will then go yuck! Got to get that better next time...


Good luck finding your solution.

[only downside is dreamweaver is not a cheap option]


.

 

[d.phens]

USE A HTML / XHTML TEMPLATE DUDE. Google will tell you. Have some coffee if you feel scared searching. 'free xhtml templates' and there you go.

 

[musicmaker]

I agree with writing HTML and using templates. Its really he best way long term.

If you must use a tool try Netobjects fusion.

 

[krmathis]

How about Kompozer?
A free open-source WYSIWYG editor, using the well known Gecko rendering engine.

 

[markl]

Well, I spent a day and a half digging around and researching, and I just ordered Serif's WebPlus X2, supposed to be as easy as it gets, and at $70 from amazon, not that expensive.

 

[raymondlin]

Or pay someone, and no headaches involved.

Easily designed site and great looking rarely go hand in hand.