Starting Out

[xane]

I might have mentioned before that I am involved in creating a website for a charitable cause, it may be the case I could be involved in the initial design too.

Knowing very little about HTML, other than what I've read on web based tutorials, can anyone point me in the direction of a few tools to use for creating nice web pages.

Basically, I need:

* HTML Editor, with WYSIWYG capability, a la Frontpage Express
* Image Editor to create funky logos, photos, etc
* Library of CGI or whatever code for extras, etc

If it's not obvious, I'd prefer all the above to be free.

I might have a copy of Photoshop 4 or Photoshop 5 LE laying around somewhere if there is no better for image editing.

TIA

 

[[UKLans]Khan]

Are you looking for Free or are you not bothered?

I use Dreamweaver MX for HTML and coding:

www.macromedia.com

Adobe Photoshop 6 (although 7 is out) for images:

www.adobe.com

and Fireworks MX also for images:

www.macromedia.com

I code using ASP, so ASP and ASP.Net resources follow:

www.asp.net

www.learnasp.com

www.4guysfromrolla.com

www.aspin.com

If you do want some CGI stuff then give us a shout cus I have used some sites before.

Thanks,

Khan

 

[(Shovel)]

I have used Dreamweaver 2, 3 and 4 before, and they are very good at what they do. 4 Even introduced a dynamic syntax reference that was very slick.

However, in a quest for a little more legality on my system I've not reinstalled it of late.

I use HTML-Kit. Which isn't properly WYSIWYG - though is has a "prototype" mode that allows you to create basic layout before you dig in by hand to get it looking "just right".

It has an easily accessible preview window (renders it using the IE engine) which I find ample.

You might want to have a poke around some Open Source projects and see if there is anything in development there that matches your description - I'm sure they'll be something.

PHP is my personal choice for interactive features, though it sounds although you don't want to get jumping into that too soon? If you've done any programming before (sorry Xane, I can't remember what you do) then PHP is dead easy to pick up just by looking at it.

 

[xane]

Ta, I was actually looking for freebies.

I already got HTML-Kit, I've kind of adapted to it but I do miss the WYSIWYG type features of Frontpage, even the one you got free with Windows 9x.

Programming is not a problem, been doing that for nearly 20 years now I'd better check the chosen host company has PHP then.

 

[Testin da Cable]

use vi Xane. you know, deep in your heart of hearts, it's what you want

 

[(Shovel)]

Might I also recommend hunting out the HTML Reference Library?

It's quite old but it's like a help file for the HTML syntax and CSS.

I would describe myself as very good with webpages now (though the current state of some of my sites doesn't really reflect that) but having a concise reference is always useful. I'll hunt it out for you and anyone else. If it's disappeared (development ended some time ago) then I have the installer safe here

 

[(Shovel)]

Here we go:

http://www.htmlib.demon.co.uk/

EDIT: A little bit of poking around also uncovered this at: http://www.htmlhelp.com/distribution/ which is a similar sort of set up (though in a Windows .hlp format). As a result it has the lovely advantage or proper searching - which HTMLLib did not.

 

[xane]

Originally posted by Testin da Cable
use vi Xane. you know, deep in your heart of hearts, it's what you want

But I do, I do.

As it happens, vi is the only common editor across all three platforms I use at work and home: Windows, UNIX and VMS, so it makes sense, now if only I could get it working within Visual Studio then I'd be really happy.