Web Design Software

[Sethu]

I am looking for a friendly web-design software specific for a photos intensive site. Looks like I cant afford Dreamweaver. Any ideas?

Tia. Sincerely.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[Tony Lau #65171]

Have you looked into Frontpage series? I think they are included in either MS Office or Windows XP/2000... can't remember exactly... Frontpage is the very last free choice I will recommend, unless you know NOTHING about html and NEVER want to learn, and of course you HAVE to learn or your website will look yucky forever . Dreamweaver won't save you from that.

So... there's 1st Page 2000 HTML editor... it's free and a very nice piece of software for beginner or advanced user who want to in control with HTML codes. And it provide tons of help so you don't need to dig the HTML reference sheet all the time...

http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage/

And of course I have to say what I use..heheh.. -- Editplus (www.editplus.com). it's basically Notepad but with built in HTML/PHP/ASP/Perl/etc syntax so you never need to jump to different software to code different stuffs... I use it to code my website which consist of HTML and PHP codes and sometime a couple quick SSI codes. I also use it to examine Perl code and do Borland C homeworks.

Regards,
Tony

 

[Shay Stephens]

I have used 1st page 2000 (when are they finally going to release the new version sheesh) anyway I am using homesite now, but you really can't go wrong with either of them.--Shay - My Sony F707 Gallery: http://shaystephens.com/portfolio.asp

 

[bruce komusin]

Check out Arachnophilia: http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/

It is "careware" (free) and includes built-in ftp to upload only changed pages (thus fast uploading of massive sites) and also provides statistics such as all places that link to a given page/image & any pages/images that are unused.

-bruce

I have used 1st page 2000 (when are they finally going to release
the new version sheesh) anyway I am using homesite now, but you
really can't go wrong with either of them.
--
Shay - My Sony F707 Gallery: http://shaystephens.com/portfolio.asp

 

[okiejack]

If you are considering upgrading to Windows XP, the XP CD includes a slide show program (included in "Power Toys") which can create slides shows in two versions, one of which is html. The other is a stand alone which you can include with image CD's.

The "show" can be run automatically or "click on the thumbnail".

I am looking for a friendly web-design software specific for a
photos intensive site. Looks like I cant afford Dreamweaver. Any
ideas?

Tia. Sincerely.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[Nils Haeck]

Try my software, ABC-View Manager. It can handle up to 1 million pictures without a problem, easy filtering and sorting provided.

For webpage-generation there's a comprehensive wizard and also a dialog for the more advanced user. It uses html templates so you can also edit these and create your own style galleries (some html knowledge required).

I am working hard on it to make it better and would really value any opinions.
Visit this sample gallery:
http://www.abc-view.com/samples/travel/sheet01.html

Download ABC-View Manager here:
http://www.abc-view.com/abcview.html

If you decide to keep using it, it costs only US$29 - quite affordable for most.

Kind regards,
Nils

I am looking for a friendly web-design software specific for a
photos intensive site. Looks like I cant afford Dreamweaver. Any
ideas?

Tia. Sincerely.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[joykinship]

Sethu -

I'll wage in with the competition to Dreamweaver: Adobe's GoLive. This is a full-featured program; you'll use only some of it, and grow into the rest when you need it. It's also worth mentioning because it is packaged with quite a few other products. If you're in the market for another Adobe product, chances are good that GoLive may also be in the bundle.

You won't get utter simplicity, though. Both Dreamweave and GoLive have a formidable learning curve - mostly because they are the equivalent of the Swiss Army knife for web design. But the standard, straightforward page design is pretty direct (visual) - beats learning to code the HTML. (I also agree with the earlier post that understanding HTML will probably help no matter which direction you go.)

Good luck.

Joy G.

I am looking for a friendly web-design software specific for a
photos intensive site. Looks like I cant afford Dreamweaver. Any
ideas?

Tia. Sincerely.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[Sethu]

As a happy epilogue to my post here last week, a friend in Microsoft (not Bill, another gifted me a copy of FrontPage 2002. I have some very basic questions about using it to make my new web site. Can I mail any of you guys off list and take help? I am even willing to do a barter deal in return!

Sincerely.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[bruce komusin]

Beware of naively using Frontpage. Arbitrarily positioning page layout elements, use of arbitrary fonts, etc. are all available to you, but using these features all lead to bloated html code (read slow to download), with special constructs that only M$ Internet Explorer can understand fully (read pages that look different on different browsers.)

M$ wants you to lock as many people as possible into using their proprietary constructs -- it makes it easier for them to monopolize the market. Don't act as their cat's paw.

-bruce

As a happy epilogue to my post here last week, a friend in
Microsoft (not Bill, another gifted me a copy of FrontPage 2002.
I have some very basic questions about using it to make my new web
site. Can I mail any of you guys off list and take help? I am even
willing to do a barter deal in return!

Sincerely.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[MagicAngel]

M$ wants you to lock as many people as possible into using their
proprietary constructs -- it makes it easier for them to monopolize
the market. Don't act as their cat's paw.

Yea, I really hate how they do that. Not only that, but FP 2002 is spyware, it sends reports back to Microsoft about what is installed on your system.

 

[RickH]

Sethu,

Don't let them scare you away. FP2002 does not create any more bloated or proprietary code than you want. If you want to use things like DHTML or FP Components, then that is a design decision. True, previous versions were accused of mangling the html, but it is much cleaner now. Here is one site you can check the source on: http://www.helblinghaus.com . You could also check http://www.arreadymix.com , but ironically, my corporate headquarters notified me this morning that it is having problems with the web server, so you will have to check that another time. That site I actually started with DreamWeaver, but now maintain it with FP.

As far as spyware goes, if you are talking about activation, there is nothing personally identifying there except for your country. It also doesn't contact MS outside of the activation scheme. Here are a couple explanations: http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2806934,00.html and http://www.licenturion.com/xp/fully-licensed-wpa.txt . Not that I am happy with it, but I like FrontPage and I have satisfied my curiosity with respect to the privacy issue.

I have no affiliation with Microsoft other than a satisfied FrontPage user.

M$ wants you to lock as many people as possible into using their
proprietary constructs -- it makes it easier for them to monopolize
the market. Don't act as their cat's paw.

Yea, I really hate how they do that. Not only that, but FP 2002 is
spyware, it sends reports back to Microsoft about what is installed
on your system.

--Rick

 

[Sethu]

Rick:

I appreciate your post greatly.

I am looking for some basic tips on using FP. So far my experience is that FP is totally designer unfriendly. Or I totally suck at it.

For starters, how do I accomplish the following:

1) a mouse-over

2) designate all pages in a web 'centered' on the screen, not 'left justified" as by default

3) assign a bunch of objects common to several pages so that they don't 'load' with each page

4) invoke a preloading script for images ( us photographers are cursed so our site are image intensive

Maybe I am wrong barking up the FP tree. I am looking for a way to create web pages with my 'design' approach and while there are tons of "features" in FP that I have to use, there seem none that I can use to execute my (very simple) design.

Muchly thanks, once again.

Regards.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

 

[Redbreast [UK]]

Rick:

I appreciate your post greatly.

I am looking for some basic tips on using FP. So far my experience
is that FP is totally designer unfriendly. Or I totally suck at it.

For starters, how do I accomplish the following:

1) a mouse-over

2) designate all pages in a web 'centered' on the screen, not 'left
justified" as by default

3) assign a bunch of objects common to several pages so that they
don't 'load' with each page

4) invoke a preloading script for images ( us photographers are
cursed so our site are image intensive

Maybe I am wrong barking up the FP tree. I am looking for a way to
create web pages with my 'design' approach and while there are tons
of "features" in FP that I have to use, there seem none that I can
use to execute my (very simple) design.

Muchly thanks, once again.

Regards.

Sethu
http://www.portfolios.com/sethu

If an when I get the chance I'll respond to the questions you asked; meanwhile here are some useful sites to be going on with:

http://www.frontpageworld.com/
http://frontpagehowto.com/
http://www.frontpage2k.com/
http://www.outfront.net/
http://www.prowebsites.net/frontpagehelp/Default.asp
http://www.net-sites.com/sitebuilder/frontpage/index.htm
http://www.sitecrafters.com/support/fp/
http://www.naviseek.com/users/rcade/books/frontpage24/index.shtml
http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/fordevelopers.htm
http://www.microsoftfrontpage.com/content/KBarticles/KBarticles.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/using/

And a goodly set of free add-ins:
http://www.jimcoaddins.com/--Regards,Robin [Redbreast]

 

[MagicAngel]

1) a mouse-over

This is called a DYNAMIC HTML EFFECT. You select dynamic HTML effects and do mouse over.

2) designate all pages in a web 'centered' on the screen, not 'left
justified" as by default

If you aren't using tables, then just put in the text and click the center button. If you are using tables, change the table properity to center.

3) assign a bunch of objects common to several pages so that they
don't 'load' with each page

I haven't a clue what you are talking about. If you mean graphics, then just use the same picture for each page. Then it will be be preloaded. (FP sucks at this part of web design)

4) invoke a preloading script for images ( us photographers are
cursed so our site are image intensive

This is a java script feature. Front page doesn't do it, you need to add it manually.

Maybe I am wrong barking up the FP tree. I am looking for a way to
create web pages with my 'design' approach and while there are tons
of "features" in FP that I have to use, there seem none that I can
use to execute my (very simple) design.

Welcome to the world of Front Page. The more complex your idea, the less able you are to do it with Front Page. Front Page is great for simple or stupidly flashy stuff, but for real content you need something a little better. Dreamweaver is a better product. Now if only Dreamweaver was as good at site management.

 

[Robert Jeantet]

Nils,

Looking at your sample page, it has one "shortcoming" compared to the software I currently use for posting albums on the web (CPIC Pro). The feature that I really like in CPIC Pro is that when one views a specific image, clicking on that image takes you back directly to the "contact sheet" page from which it was called. No need to go to the top of the page and click the little up arrows... I find this VERY convenient, and feel that it would be a good feature to add to your program.
regards
Robert Jeantet

--regardsRobert Jeantet

 

[RickH44171]

Serra has it about right. All I use FrontPage for is layout and publishing. I don't use the Dynamic HTML. Anything like mouse-overs I code in JavaScript by hand or copy it.

I have one comment about preloading images. If you have a lot of photos, you risk not having them download in time, especially if they are on a modem. Unless you tell them the page has completely down loaded your visitors might get an empty frame.
--Rick

 

[Nils Haeck]

Thank you Jeantet, I will add that as an option in the next release!

Nils
http://www.abc-view.com

Nils,
Looking at your sample page, it has one "shortcoming" compared to
the software I currently use for posting albums on the web (CPIC
Pro). The feature that I really like in CPIC Pro is that when one
views a specific image, clicking on that image takes you back
directly to the "contact sheet" page from which it was called. No
need to go to the top of the page and click the little up arrows...
I find this VERY convenient, and feel that it would be a good
feature to add to your program.
regards
Robert Jeantet

--
regards
Robert Jeantet

 

[Nils Haeck]

Robert,

I took your advice to heart and now you can download a version containing this functionality here:
http://www.abc-view.com/abcdnl.html

You can opt for these choices (Html image page tab):

Image Click does:
1) Nothing
2) Link to next image
3) Link to random image
4) Link to original image
5) Link back to index ----> This is obviously the one you want!

Kind regards, Nils
http://www.abc-view.com

Nils,
Looking at your sample page, it has one "shortcoming" compared to
the software I currently use for posting albums on the web (CPIC
Pro). The feature that I really like in CPIC Pro is that when one
views a specific image, clicking on that image takes you back
directly to the "contact sheet" page from which it was called. No
need to go to the top of the page and click the little up arrows...
I find this VERY convenient, and feel that it would be a good
feature to add to your program.
regards
Robert Jeantet

--
regards
Robert Jeantet

 

[mb571]

I gave Frontpage a try. It seems fairly easy to use. Took out a book from the Library. My question is what is with all the subfolders it creates in

MyDocuments\MyWebs ?? Do you not lose track of all the files when ftp-ing the files to your webspace?

Mark

Serra has it about right. All I use FrontPage for is layout and
publishing. I don't use the Dynamic HTML. Anything like
mouse-overs I code in JavaScript by hand or copy it.

I have one comment about preloading images. If you have a lot of
photos, you risk not having them download in time, especially if
they are on a modem. Unless you tell them the page has completely
down loaded your visitors might get an empty frame.

--
Rick

 

[RickH44171]

The folders it creates are for it's content management. If your website has FrontPage Extensions installed, then you don't need to worry about them when you are ftping. As a matter of fact, you are "publishing" the website which uploads only those files that have changed.

Check with your ISP is you are unsure about FrontPage Extensions.

I gave Frontpage a try. It seems fairly easy to use. Took out a
book from the Library. My question is what is with all the
subfolders it creates in
MyDocuments\MyWebs ?? Do you not lose track of all the files when
ftp-ing the files to your webspace?

Mark

--Rick