Website building software - Digital Photography News, Reviews & Forum

FredG · #1 January 28th, 2005

I really do not want to mount this learning curve. I decided to build a web site. So far, I don't like the free software the web host made available. I browsed through software tutorial books for the past hour. Gotta say it made my head hurt (even without getting hit by a puck). I consider myself proficient with PSCS, so there may be an advantage to sticking with Adobe (then again, it may not really matter - I don't know). I read that Adobe Golive 6 was an underdog, but Golive CS is a true competitor. Any thoughts, opinions, advice concerning web building software? Thanks.

***Steve Mitchell*** · #2 January 28th, 2005

Macromedia's Dreamweaver is very good. There is a learning curve with them all.

FredG · #3 January 28th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Mitchell

Macromedia's Dreamweaver is very good. There is a learning curve with them all.

Thanks for the input, Steve. I looked at the forum on the NAPP site. Golive and Dreamweaver were the only two I saw mentioned. They said each had different advantages. Concensus seemed to be that Dreamweaver had a smaller learning curve.

dbevis · #4 January 28th, 2005

What do you mean "build a website"? That can be any of several solutions, requiring anything from a good basic HTML editor, to a prebuilt package like Coppermine Gallery, or a programming suite. For the latter, I use something called CodeCharge Studio (codecharge.com). For basic "gallery" type work I prefer Breezebrowser. I also use Coppermine.

There's also a wide variety of packaged solutions at sourceforge.net that's worth checking into.

Cathy_P · #5 January 28th, 2005

I have an old version of Adobe GoLive and never did learn to use it. I still use a 10 year old Adobe Pagemill. It doesn't support all the neat things that you can do today, but at least I know how to use it.

FredG · #6 January 28th, 2005

Thanks Don, I'll check that out. I don't know enough yet to know what I don't know. I'm building the design in my head, will sketch it on paper, then need a way to get it to reality. I envision several galleries, a shopping cart, a few pages with just text. I know the "look" I want, and haven't been able to do it yet with host's software. I'm frustrated by virtually no usable online help for the software. I don't know HTML. I'm thinking packaged software with training books may be my shortest path.

FredG · #7 January 28th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathy_P

I still use a 10 year old Adobe Pagemill. It doesn't support all the neat things that you can do today, but at least I know how to use it.

I think the flow of your site is good. I'm a believer of less is more. Don't need a bunch of gimmicks. Just need to handle the basics.

rjgleason · #8 January 28th, 2005

Gary Parr did a great job for me with Coppermine and setting up a home page. Still in construction but gere's a preview:

www.rjgleason.com

nhfirefighter13 · #9 January 28th, 2005

I'm in a web design class right now and our professor is having us build websites by:

1:do the layout in photoshop
2:slice it in ImageReady
3:convert it to html with DreamWeaver

According to him, that's the easiest way to do it without learning how to write html code.

FredG · #10 January 28th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhfirefighter13

I'm in a web design class right now and our professor is having us build websites by:

1:do the layout in photoshop
2:slice it in ImageReady
3:convert it to html with DreamWeaver

According to him, that's the easiest way to do it without learning how to write html code.

PS is easy.
I've been in IR a few times, and should be able to pick it up.
So using DW just as a simple translator?

nhfirefighter13 · #11 January 28th, 2005

From what I understand...to be honest, I haven't gotten that far in the class yet but if I have the summary of it down correctly it sounds like you can just export the IR file right into DW and *poof* you have html.

FredG · #12 January 28th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjgleason

Gary Parr did a great job for me with Coppermine and setting up a home page. Still in construction but gere's a preview:

www.rjgleason.com

Looking good! I love your cover shot. You and Chris posted at about the same time and I just realized yours was there.

rjgleason · #13 January 28th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredG

Looking good! I love your cover shot. You and Chris posted at about the same time and I just realized yours was there.

Thanks, Fred...........and much cudos to Gary......

nhfirefighter13 · #14 January 29th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjgleason

Gary Parr did a great job for me with Coppermine and setting up a home page. Still in construction but gere's a preview:

www.rjgleason.com

Do you know how he built it (what software, I mean)? Apparently, the next big thing in web design is a website that doesn't require scrolling. Your's is looking pretty good so far (I like the easy to look at sites).
Good work, Gary!

gparr · #15 January 29th, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhfirefighter13

Do you know how he built it (what software, I mean)? Apparently, the next big thing in web design is a website that doesn't require scrolling. Your's is looking pretty good so far (I like the easy to look at sites).
Good work, Gary!

Thanks. I always use Dreamweaver. Not a big believer in sites filled with gimmicks, Flash, etc. The purpose of websites is to deliver information, not be eye candy. Simple and easy to navigate is always better.

Gary