Dreamweaver or Frontpage or Plain HTML

[MajorSetback]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter.

 

[Els]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Don't buy a program, just learn HTML and CSS, and use a good editor.

 

[William Tasso]

Fleeing from the madness of the http://groups.google.com jungle
<[email protected]> stumbled into
news:alt.html,alt.www.webmaster,comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html
and said:

...
I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor...

ok - that's just about the single most controversal question you could ask.

As you are using the g/groups interface it should be trivial for you to
research previous threads on the subject - in any of the cross-posted
groups.

Your goal is to produce web documents that get your message across to the
most visitors - which, in part, means ensuring they conform to the
published specifications.

If you are able to master the complexities of generated markup then I have
been led to believe that either d/w or f/p are useful tools - however, it
seems to me that beginers have enough to learn and would be best advised
to use a suitable text editor.

 

[Bernhard Sturm]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor.

I started with FP 8 years ago. After 1 year I've found FP just a pain in
the a** because it seemed to be ignorant of proper HTML-coding (I don't
know if the latest version of FP still behaves the same way, I stayed
away from this editor). What I wanted was a tool that enabled me to
produce generic HTML-code which I would be able to adapt and change to
my own needs without having the editor injecting proprietary editor-code
at a later stage of editing. I've then been using DW for quite some
time, and found it very appropriate for my needs. The last couple of
years I switched completely to a plain-text editor (UltraEdit) in order
to produce my pages. Because I want to have full control over my source,
and I don't want a big tool to organise my sites structure, I think I am
big enough to do that myself.
To sum up: The choice for a WYSIWYG-editor seems to be okay for an
absolute beginner, but the editor should be able to adapt to the users
needs, hence the more control a webdesigner wants over the source the
less proprietary editor behaviour should be involved. IMHO a good editor
encourages you to learn proper (X)HTML which should be the end goal.

just my two cents
bernhard

 

[Travis Newbury]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++....

You develop in C++ then you have the ability to learn HTML really
fast. Do a google search of this group for "editor list" and you wil
be rewarded with a ton of free editors that will let you create the
site you want.

 

[Jacque]

Here's my .02:

Hire someone who does web pages and knows something about usability to
do this for you. Think of this as a marketing project, not a coding
project. I believe you when you say you have programming experience,
but the ability to build a web page does not equate to the ability to
market your product effectively.

Jacque

 

[Jose]

I was wondering

if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage

.... don't get FrontPage - not because it's bad (it is awful) but
rather, because once you start in front page, you canNOT ever release
yourself from it. Frontpage mungs your source at the server. You
cannot modify your pages without using FrontPage, which is a problem if
you are travelling.

Jose

 

[Tony]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

I started coding HTML in straight text. Eventually, I moved on to
FrontPage to "speed up" development. I found myself spending more time
in the code view fixing the crap it added. I also tried Dreamweaver,
and although it was better, I still found myself spending most of my
time in code view. Given the price involved, I decided to go back to
using a straight syntax-highlighted text editor (I use Crimson -
www.crimsoneditor.com) & have been doing quite well with that since.

Go with the text editor - if you want to see what the page looks like,
well, you DO have a browser, right?

 

[Geoff Muldoon]

(e-mail address removed) says...

Here's my .02:

Hire someone who does web pages and knows something about usability to
do this for you. Think of this as a marketing project, not a coding
project. I believe you when you say you have programming experience,
but the ability to build a web page does not equate to the ability to
market your product effectively.

Most strongly concur, this is the best advice you can get.

Your problems will not be with coding (html is sooo much easier than c++),
but with design - graphics, accessibility, usability. A little
professional help will be invaluable.

Then get a good book on html and css, and a good text editor (if you're a
coder you'll be able to find one to suit your own preferences - I use
Crimson Editor) for ongoing maintenance.

Geoff M

 

[David Ross]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

If you need a tool (rather than hand-coding the HTML), you might
try Nvu at <http://www.nvu.com/>. It's free, and it seems to
create Web pages that are compliant with the W3C specifications.

You say you are a C++ programmer and that you plan to market
software that you are developing. I hope all your programs
compile error-free (i.e., that they have correct C++ syntax).
Similarly, you should try to create Web pages that have correct
HTML and CSS syntax. Thus, you should test each of your Web pages
at <http://validator.w3.org/> (for HTML) and at
<http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/> (for CSS).

--

David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

Concerned about someone (e.g., Pres. Bush) snooping
into your E-mail? Use PGP.
See my <http://www.rossde.com/PGP/>

 

[Norman L. DeForest]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

[snip]
Go with the text editor - if you want to see what the page looks like,
well, you DO have a browser, right?

Some text editors may even have a button on their menu bar to invoke your
browser to view the file being edited. EditPad Lite (freeware) does:
http://www.editpadlite.com/editpadlite.html
The same company markets the shareware EditPad Pro (which has more
features). I currently use the Lite version but plan on registering
the Pro version if I can ever spare the cash.

 

[William Tasso]

Fleeing from the madness of the ISINet, Nova Scotia jungle
Norman L. DeForest <[email protected]> stumbled into
news:alt.html,alt.www.webmaster,comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html
and said:

Some text editors may even have a button on their menu bar to invoke your
browser to view the file being edited.

Yes - but do any integrate with a local http server (so scripts are
processed too)?

 

[neilr]

Fleeing from the madness of the ISINet, Nova Scotia jungle
Norman L. DeForest <[email protected]> stumbled into
news:alt.html,alt.www.webmaster,comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html
and said:


Yes - but do any integrate with a local http server (so scripts are
processed too)?

I think PHPEdit ( http://tinyurl.com/77btt ) is getting there.

__

Neil

 

[David C. Stone]

I think PHPEdit ( http://tinyurl.com/77btt ) is getting there.

Is that related to the PHPNuke-powered sites that have been abused
to send me lots of yummy spam over the past while?

To the op, if you're really stuck, Mozilla/Netscape do have a basic
wysiwyg-style html editor (Composer) in them. I've personally used
ye Ancient Claris HomePage*, various text editors, Mozila Composer,
and Dreamweaver. Not sure I'd want to launch into Dreamweaver
without having some basic knowledge of html and css first, though.
Composer is ok, but a little clunky.

I think the suggestion of getting professional help for your particular
situation is a good one, since you are trying to generate sales through
the website. You really want to make a good impression when folks
visit your site. I would suggest having a look at the various different
authoring approaches suggested here, though, then find someone who works
in that environment to get things set up for you. The last thing you
want is to decide you'll work in a text editor, and have someone set
up a site in FrontPage for you!!

Good luck...

* and way before that, something ISTR was called "Arachnid"...

 

[James Pickering]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter.

I hand-code my pages (HTML, CSS, PHP) using the text editor of
HTML-Kit: http://www.chami.com -- I also use this free implementation
to test my pages in a variety of Browsers and check HTML syntax via the
TIDY plug-in.

 

[A. Russell Murray]

Here's my .02:

Hire someone who does web pages and knows something about usability to
do this for you. Think of this as a marketing project, not a coding
project. I believe you when you say you have programming experience,
but the ability to build a web page does not equate to the ability to
market your product effectively.

Jacque

axemurderer writes:

There is a cross-platform free-ware version available from the fine
folks at W3C.org (the folks who do the whole web thing) called AmayaWX
version 9. It's available for WinXP->, MacOS X (all flaves except 10.1),
and Linux, as well as a BSD version.

It's also small, disk space-wise, and is not just HTML, but XML as well.

It's like BBEdit on steroids!

I heartily recommend it.
http://www.w3.org/Amaya/

 

[MajorSetback]

Don't buy a program, just learn HTML and CSS, and use a good editor.

That would appear to be the general concensus. I think I would like to
get familiar with HTML anyway.

Many thanks for your help,
Peter.

 

[MajorSetback]

Here's my .02:

Hire someone who does web pages and knows something about usability to
do this for you. Think of this as a marketing project, not a coding
project. I believe you when you say you have programming experience,
but the ability to build a web page does not equate to the ability to
market your product effectively.

Jacque

I see your point. I think I am very Renaissance as engineers go but
one should not expect me to put out a music video any time soon. I do,
however, have a sense of what I like and dislike about web pages and my
wife is a fine arts major. I may do the best we can with a web page
and then show it an expert, or experts, for critique.

Thanks,
Peter.

 

[Chaddy2222]

I am starting up a home business and will be setting up a web site to
market the software that I will be developing in C++. I was wondering
if I should buy something like Dreamweaver or Frontpage or try to
develop the web pages directly using HTML and a text editor. I have
not had experience building web pages but have had several years
experience in programming in C and C++ and in using LaTeX for document
preparation.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter.

Perhaps NVU would be a good application. Download it from:
http://www.nvu.com
I think it's a good program. It's Free Open Source and if you want to
improve it you can add your own extentions.
Try it out.

 

[Lester L.]

|Fleeing from the madness of the ISINet, Nova Scotia jungle
|Norman L. DeForest <[email protected]> stumbled into
|news:alt.html,alt.www.webmaster,comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html
|and said:
|
|>
|> On 9 Jan 2006, Tony wrote:
|>> ...
|>> Go with the text editor - if you want to see what the page looks like,
|>> well, you DO have a browser, right?
|>
|> Some text editors may even have a button on their menu bar to invoke your
|> browser to view the file being edited.
|
|Yes - but do any integrate with a local http server (so scripts are
|processed too)?

I use easyPHP for the server side of things, and have heard good things about
Xammp. Just make sure you edit the config file to answer only to requests from
127.0.0.1