Web Designers, I need your help! (More questions)

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Web Designers, I need your help! (More questions)

Posted: 3/13/2002 2:41:04 PM EDT

Hello all. My company needs to have it's website redesigned and I've been elected to do it. HELP! Where do I start? I haven't the slightest clue where to begin. How do I go about gaining access to modify our site? What programs would you recommend for a beginner? I've sorta looked at the 'Coffeecup' programs but wouldn't know the difference between any of them if it hit me on the head. Being that this is a family owned business and I'm part of the family, price is a concern. I do have a couple of programs but aren't sure if they will be of any help. I have Adobe Illustrator 8.0, Ulead PhotoImpact 7, and some Microsoft web design program on one of my WinXP computers at work. Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch!

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:22:55 PM EDT

[#1]

ftp instuctions should come from your host provider.
GET GOOD SOFTWARE! cheap web design software is typically crap and you will end buying something to replace it when you find out it won't do what you need.
Keep the information on your site easy to read. This means easy to read fonts and colors. If they can't read it they won't visit it. Your website is a reflection of you and your company. Lay out the front page with the information you want and go from there. Plan out everything in advance. This will make the actual design process much easier.
Lastly UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE! people will come and look if things change frequently. A stagnant page will soon die. change colors add new pics etc. Even if the inventory or prices don't change the page should. It give folks a reason to dig around.

I use netobjects fusion. I am biased though as i got free through my job.

mike

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:32:28 PM EDT

[#2]

Man, I'm just glad you don't work for an airline and have just been elected to fix the engine. [;)]

If you need to modify content I would recommend a program such as Macromedia's Dreamweaver. Anything beyond that and I would recommend you hire a consultant.

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:36:25 PM EDT

[#3]

Just to reinfoce what the The_Beer_Slayer said.

Get good software. Download the tryout versions and find someting you like. I use Netobjects Fusion or Frontpage depending on the project.

Microsoft offers a fully functional 120 day demo of Frontpage on their site. It's around $15, try it out and see if it is for you.

Call your ISP to find out how to access your site. They should give you an ftp server name.

Av.

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:37:10 PM EDT

[#4]

Most people here will smack me for this one...

Mickysoft Frontpage

It is a bit of a no brainer program for beginners. You don't have to have a provider that uses Frontpage extension. It does have FTP upload built in (a pain to find, but it is in there).

It does have some nice built in graphics (buttons, headers, bullets, etc) that are free to use.

Just don't use Mickysoft's Word. Even though it has HTML as an option to save as. DON'T! It isn't worth it.

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:40:46 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Most people here will smack me for this one...

Mickysoft Frontpage

It is a bit of a no brainer program for beginners. You don't have to have a provider that uses Frontpage extension. It does have FTP upload built in (a pain to find, but it is in there).

It does have some nice built in graphics (buttons, headers, bullets, etc) that are free to use.

Just don't use Mickysoft's Word. Even though it has HTML as an option to save as. DON'T! It isn't worth it.

View Quote

Mickysoft products aren't that bad, just need to be use to the occasional reboot every few hours to clear the system of memory leaks. Having half a gig of ram also helps [;)]

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:43:11 PM EDT

[#6]

Give me a call. I do this all day. I'll do it cheap for ya.
Or...
You you need to get Dreamweaver and Fireworks.
You can design it with Illustrator but I recomend Photoshop. It depends on what you want your sight to look like.
Go to [url]http://coolhomepages.com/[/url]
To see what your sight might could be.
Go to [url]http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/home.html[/url]
to see what not to do.

Go to this site for code issues
[url]http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/[/url]

Hope this helps.
Feel free to e-mail me.

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:46:06 PM EDT

[#7]

Damn, i am almost in the same situation as Sydwaiz, i have some basic designing skills. Luckily i have Dreamweaver...

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:50:41 PM EDT

[#8]

I recommend Macromedia Dreamweaver. We use it in my department for the layout/basics of pages, but then end up editing the source by hand. It makes it easy to find errors and I think it's easy to learn. Also, we use Macromedia Fireworks/Flash for image work. Don't waste the money on a basic HTML book. There's plenty of HTML documentation on the web.

Also, definately go for a dynamic site. We use lots of PHP scripting and a MySQL database for this. Lots of great info for these too on the web. Good luck with this!

Posted: 3/13/2002 3:56:27 PM EDT

[#9]

I too do this on a daily basis, and suggest you scrap any thoughts about using Frontpage, as it's just a template for creating a "clone" sight that will only hurt a business reputation for having such little insight.

Personally, I just use NOTEPAD ([i]straight coding of HTML and JAVA[/i]) and PHOTOSHOP, but I've also been doing this for about 8 years... and thats probably at least 2 years longer than most of you realized the web existed! ([i]it's actually been here since the 60's[/i])

Remember, first impressions are everything!

If you want the help, call me at 217-593-6211 and I'll get you pointed in the proper direction, or offer to help a brother out of a sticky situation.

Posted: 3/13/2002 5:38:08 PM EDT

[#10]

A fellow hardcoder.

I use Netobjects Homesite sometimes. It checks my syntax as I type along. I started with Notepad, time to move on! [;D]

I just started playing with c#, my .Net Visual Studio should be here in a day or so.

Anyway... one can do interesting things in Frontpage. It's easy to use for a novice, and it is possible to modify a template.

Av.

Posted: 3/13/2002 6:11:23 PM EDT

[#11]

For free stuff, don't forget about Composer in Netscape. It isn't the best, but it is easy to use.
It is also good to help teach HTML to your self.
I find it very easy to use, and it will help you get a feel of what you need.

Posted: 3/13/2002 6:18:05 PM EDT

[#12]

OK, OK, I will do it for you... FREE? No, of course not, but I am sure we could work out something. I built this site [url]http://www.champlinarms.com[/url] simply for trade. No money exchanged, just guns. What do you have to offer?

Posted: 3/14/2002 3:08:55 PM EDT

[#13]

Thanks guys. It looks like I have a little bit of work cut out for me. Oh well, it should be fun. Just for shits and giggles you can check out my crappy current site at [url]www.rsktool.com[/url]. I didn't design this one so don't laugh at me. Okay, go ahead and laugh. Anyway, thanks again and some of you may be getting e-mails from me for help!

Posted: 3/14/2002 3:24:57 PM EDT

[#14]

On the {PRODUCTS} ---> {PCB} page, [u]every[/u] instance of the word "VIEW" is mispelled!

Before undertaking something completely new, fix the typos and links, and that will at least give you a heads up about simple coding.

Just my $.02

Posted: 3/14/2002 8:51:12 PM EDT

[#15]

I too do this on a daily basis, and suggest you scrap any thoughts about using Frontpage

View Quote

See!!!! I told you I would get smacked for my suggestion! [:D]

Sydwaiz, your site isn't that bad (minus the miss spelled words). I have seen much worse.

Give AntiUSSA a call, I have seen some of his work, all very good.

Posted: 3/14/2002 10:18:58 PM EDT

[#16]

Ok. here is the top five list

1) draw it on paper first

2) mimic the drawing in Paint Shop Pro, or some other graphics prog. (illustrator would be a bit complex as it is Vector and not raster...i digress)

3) design it to fit in a window 760 wide by 500 high. this will keep your images in check as you are creating them.

4) please avoid frontpage. Try freeway. dreamweaver is good. I use it. SoftPress Freeway also isn't bad.

5) Get a book. Really. There are some really good ones. The Pechpit Press books are pretty good [url]http://www.peachpit.com/[/url]

best of luck to you.

Posted: 3/15/2002 2:38:04 AM EDT

[#17]

F*cking pansies. I write all my HTML code using the DOS edit command and a lot of Java in Notepad. You can get by without the expensive editors. Hell, HTML is not even 1/10 as complicated as RTF. Why in the hell do you need Frontpage and all that crap?

Posted: 3/15/2002 3:01:37 AM EDT

[#18]

The best book ever written on the subject is [u]Using [b]HTML[/b][/u], published by "QUE".

The ISBN number is: 0-7897-0622-9

This book is only 1" thick, and very elementary, but I still refer back to it on occassion for those rarely used complex coding situations.

As for web editors, get "HotDog" from [url]www.sausage.com[/url]. Being an absolute beginner, DO NOT get the PRO version, as it will just confuse the hell out of you.

Examples of my latest work are:
[url=www.ar15-convention.com]Black Rifle Convention[/url]
[url=www.castle-arms.com]Castle Arms, Inc[/url]
[url=www.drobrock.com]Dr. Obrock, DMD[/url]

Posted: 3/15/2002 3:47:58 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
F*cking pansies. I write all my HTML code using the DOS edit command and a lot of Java in Notepad. You can get by without the expensive editors. Hell, HTML is not even 1/10 as complicated as RTF. Why in the hell do you need Frontpage and all that crap?

View Quote

You sound kinda like me.
I still have to finish some sites i'm working on.

[url]http://LewisTechnoGroup.com[/url]

Posted: 4/9/2002 8:37:17 AM EDT

[#20]

Now where should I go for hosting? Right now I'm using 'Hostcentric'. Should I stay with them or is there someone better and/or cheaper. Thanks

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Web Designers, I need your help! (More questions)

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