I always enjoy the links showing nice website designs, which include moving transitions, effects, etc...
And have been very impressed, especially, with sites done by Joe Diaz.
I've been very interested in taking a stab at learning website design...not for $$ per se, but as a satisfying hobby.
Is learning the creation of web-sites/ software something that a nitwit like me can learn...and get underway without attaining a master's degree?
Are there affordable software packages that can kind of lead you through the creation of a website and allow you to get a reasonable amount of flash and dazzle without unraveling your mind or emptying the pocketbook?
For someone that wants to dabble in it for fun and personal use? Some automation that doesn't require you to learn a bunch of computer code?
I gotta admit - technical computer stuff puts me right to sleep....while the creative portion of my mind does alright - the math/technical side is a vast wasteland.
Thanks for your suggestions.
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
OK Todd.
You like it to go smooth. Then I recommend 2 books.
1st one is called www.visibone.com it is all of 16 pages of codes javascript,Html,Xhtml,CSS you can use plus colur codes and fonts and the next one is called, "more Eric Meyer on CSS...done by www.peachpit.com
take a look
Posted by Joseph Diaz (Member # 5913) on :
Thanks Todd,
I’ve found that in order to make websites that people enjoy you need a few things:
An artistic background, which you most definitely have… and most web developers out there don’t. That is what separates people like us from the competition… our creativity.
A technical side, which will grow as time goes on but it is necessary especially with flash
A little bit of money to get you started. (small amounts compared to some parts of the sign industry, but you need good up-to-date software.) A faster computer is helpful too if you want to deal with flash animation. I use Corel X3 suite, Adobe/Macromedia studio8 (which includes Flash, Dreamweaver, and Fireworks), FrontPage (which in my opinion is easier to use if you are used to Microsoft products but is limited compared to Dreamweaver). I also play around with 3d animating software and hope to incorporate it more into web design. It seems to be the way-of –the-future.
Some education. If the technical aspects don’t come to you easily a little bit of schooling goes a long way. To be honest I learn mostly from other artists, sign people and web designers alike, but I did take courses in college to learn script and I learned flash on my free time. Which leads me to the next one
Lots of time. At first it’s purely a learning experience and can be very frustrating but as time goes on you will learn shortcuts and new techniques. You will learn how to use the software and your computer more efficiently and you will find your self thinking in a different way.
Buns of steel (You will find yourself sitting and sitting and sitting and then sitting some more… it’s the one part I hate the most.)
Eventually you might get hooked like I did.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Wow - thanks guys for the advice....I will check out those links....and thanks for a quick overview also Joe!
What do you consider the limiting factors of MS Frontpage?
Thanks again.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
Don't use MS Front page.. Period. IT ads in a ton of non standard extensions and in the long run will cost you more headaches. Anything else will do..
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Todd, in my opinion, Net Objects Fusion is the easuest no-brainer program to get you started on web site creation. Older versions are often available as a legitimate free download. They have a setup wizard that works well, if you've never done that stuff before.
Once you're up & running, you can reopen the site, or pull it back down in say Dreamweaver, and alter it as you wish. That's not the best way to go, but it is an easy way.
I prefer Dreamweaver, outright, because of the flexibility, and it's just good.
(if you want the M$ route, you can even do a site in Publisher, but don't expect it to be much good- as Curtis says, there becomes a lot of bloated stuff attached. It'll work for a single-page site though!)
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Thanks Curtis and Ian....how much is Dreamweaver? And is it learnable by synapse challenged people such as I?
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Todd, Dreamweaver was owned by Macromedia, but Adobe bought them out last year. The Dreamweaver MX studio was out a few years ago. Here's the current website:
I started playing around with version 4. I don't know what happened to 5, 6 & 7. Fireworks was Macromedia's equivalent of Adobe's Photoshop and Corel's Photopaint.
I just saw N.O.Fusion's version 8 upgrade for $15 on ebay, and version 9 for $59- fully boxed with manuals etc, here: http://stores.ebay.com/Website-Pros-Inc
I was using version 6 with no difficulties, a couple of years ago. It was really easy to begin a website with it.
Dreamweaver isn't quite as 'lead you by the hand' like at all, but has far more options. edited to add- Todd, it all depends on the moods of your synapses. There's a price difference, and a reason for it.
I'd be recommending you begin with the inexpensive NOF, till you get the hang of it, then consider a free 30 day trial of Drewamweaver, when you have a feel for the system, and see if you like it.
You can also do it all in M$ Notepad, if you're really html-savvy! (Or another cheap program called Coffee Cup.)
quote: Are there affordable software packages that can kind of lead you through the creation of a website and allow you to get a reasonable amount of flash and dazzle without unraveling your mind or emptying the pocketbook?
Yes, Net Objects Fusion- any version will do!
P.S the whizz-bang effects & motion you're possibly talking about will be Flash-driven websites- that's another animal that will take extra tuition once you know the basics. It's not as readily searchable as far as search engine optimisation goes, but the effects can be great. Mile Lavallee's trufire website was a good example of this, but on dial-up it takes a while to start.
(and no, I'm not on NOF's payroll, I don't use that program anymore!)
[ December 07, 2006, 01:20 AM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
NEt Objects Fusion is one of the best and easiest to use of them all. Plus, It has hundreds of templates already done for you. I used it a lot when I was doing webpages..
Very easy, full featured. and well supported
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Thanks guys,,,,I'll check out NO Fusion to see if it might be something that will get my feet wet a bit...
Have a good one and thanks all for the info.
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
Years ago, Corel one had a web design program that had a graphical interface and was a breeze to use. I found a trial version of it on .NET magazine's free software disc and was making web pages in no time.
It's shame they dropped it. Being familiar with CorelDraw shortened the learning curve drastically. Rapid
[ December 07, 2006, 08:14 AM: Message edited by: Ray Rheaume ]
Posted by Fred Weiss (Member # 3662) on :
Another vote for Dreamweaver here. It makes everything visual and sets all the code for you once you learn what the possibilities are. It makes setting links and images a breeze.
For specialty menus, rollovers and Flash movies, I've been using a variety of products from a Chinese company named SoThink. I downloaded trials and even made some purchases from a number of other specialty software providers and found their DHTML Menu Maker and the SWF Quicker Flash movie maker to be superior to anything else I looked at.
Posted by Patrick Whatley (Member # 2008) on :
What? A Chinese company selling original software? That can't be possible, can it?
