Web Site Design Software

[JAG72]

Does anybody have any good suggestions for free or low cost web design software?

This is going to be for my daughter as she has shown interest in web design and I figure that I would get her started into this endeavor.

I would prefer it be for the MAC but I could get buy with a good windows or linux version as well.

Thanks for all the recommendations in advance.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Well, if she wants REALLY easy, then just use iWeb. I played with it, and it works.

But if she wants to learn web design, she should be using Adobe Dreamweaver. Its not free, and its not really low-cost, but it is, for better or worse, the industry standard. I've been using it for about six or seven years. Before that my tool of choice was Net Objects Fusion, a desktop publishing program for the web. It was very good, back in the day.

 

[charper1]

I have used Coffeecup for years and love it. They have both HTML and point & click website solutions; as well as many other offerings. I actually did a "buy a pack". They have very low cost paid software and free solutions as well.



http://www.coffeecup.com/software/


http://www.coffeecup.com/freestuff/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoffeeCup_Software

 

[JimK2]

Does anybody have any good suggestions for free or low cost web design software?

This is going to be for my daughter as she has shown interest in web design and I figure that I would get her started into this endeavor.

I would prefer it be for the MAC but I could get buy with a good windows or linux version as well.

Thanks for all the recommendations in advance.

Windows Webedit 2000 is pretty good
Digital Omaha Network - Free Design Tools

 

[charper1]

Did any of those fit the need JAG?

 

[JAG72]

I need to take a look at them a little more. Right now coffeecup is on the top of my list but I need to spin up a Windows virtual so she can try it out.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[Jared Twomey]

Do not use iWeb, as apple is killing it and all those people using iWeb are going to be screwed soon.

If she really wants to learn web design, don't use a software package, learn how to code. She needs to learn html, css, ect.

If she learns html and css she will be able to design for modern websites. Most websites now use a CMS as a backend and use css templates for the design. You can install joomla, drupal, ect on a machine and she can play with the css templates to learn how css works.

Just my .02 cents

 

[JAG72]

If she learns html and css she will be able to design for modern websites. Most websites now use a CMS as a backend and use css templates for the design. You can install joomla, drupal, ect on a machine and she can play with the css templates to learn how css works.

I don't disagree with learning HTML or CSS but I wanted her to get the hang of just putting together a site and them move on to that at a later date. She is only 14 right now so there is plenty of time to move into more of the HTML if she likes it.

 

[charper1]

Even with some software, including some posted here, you can also do the manual coding; not just point an click. So its a win-win.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Do not use iWeb, as apple is killing it and all those people using iWeb are going to be screwed soon.

If she really wants to learn web design, don't use a software package, learn how to code. She needs to learn html, css, ect.

If she learns html and css she will be able to design for modern websites. Most websites now use a CMS as a backend and use css templates for the design. You can install joomla, drupal, ect on a machine and she can play with the css templates to learn how css works.

Just my .02 cents

iWeb can publish to web servers OTHER than Mobile Me. Its not a great program, but if you have iLife, its free. And not horrible for a 14 year old.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I am playing with the demo of RapidWeaver for the mac. I like it. A lot of options, and very easy to use. And its half off on the App store right now (which is how I came across it, browsing). You might check it out.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Dreamweaver. I used Dreamweaver pretty extensively back in the Macromedia days. It was so much easier and had much more functionality then the other big ones at the time, MS Front Page and Adobe GoLive. I lost interest in web design and haven’t really used Dreamweaver since Macromedia Studio MX 2004. I have Adobe Dreamweaver CS5.5 loaded on my laptop right now, and I’m hoping one day I can play with it and relearn it and discover all the advancements made in the last seven years or so. The thing that got me hooked with Dreamweaver and I imagine more web design programs have adopted it over the years, the spilt view with the WYSIWYG editor in one pane and the HTML coding in another. While I had no desire to become an HTML wiz, I did like the idea of seeing the commands to help me learn some of the basics. That hooked me in. I'm not up with the latest CSS stuff and all the new advancements in web design and server technology, but Dreamweaver is one hell of a program and integrates very nicely with the other Adobe software and you can really wind up making some great looking webpages.

 

[Ramy]

DotNetNuke is free and easy to use. We use it for our website here at the Insurance Commission of WV.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Started using Sandvox, a wysiwyg web design program for Mac OSX. I am really pleased with it. I have created powerful websites, including Disqus-powered discussion threads, and embedded content from you tube and tumblr, and have not written a line of code. Check out Home Page | CJS 200 Contemporary Corrections | cjs200 - my summer course website. Very much enjoying this tool.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Another plug for Sandvox.

I have created two sites the past few days - one for my fall class, and the other a redesign of my personal web page. While Sandvox has some limitations, if you do not want to write code, but just want to get content on the web, and have it look excellent, this is the way to go.

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