Web Creation Software Recommendations?

[Cola]

I've decided to embark on creating my own freelance design site with blog and other personal things. Basically a site for myself, but focusing on my freelance design projects.

A long while back, I used to run a helmet project for South Carolina that I created with Microsoft FrontPage...but I suspect there is much better out these days. I want to create something simple but elegant...without having to do a ton of coding. Something kind of similar to this (http://www.iamtimhan.com/) in terms of layout...but maybe having the panes relay to full color when hovered over.

It doesn't have to be free...I've got the budget set aside to do this, but I don't want to get crazy- just something mildly simple that works well. I currently use Adobe suite, but never used Dreamweaver before.

Any suggestions? I'm searching for a domain name right now through GoDaddy.

[InCase]

For the images, he has used lightbox. If you want a wysiwyg editor than I would suggest using dreamweaver and taking some quick tutorials. But if you want to do it a little better, check out some html, css tutorials. A lot will show you step by step on how to make a simple website, you will then just need to make your simple edits. If you are going to be doing a blog than you will need the wordpress (or equivelant) software installed, and then seen as you don't want to do too much, downloading a template and adjusting that. A little difficult but no matter how you look at it, without getting a coder to do it for you, you are going to have to learn a fair bit of html, css if you want it fairly unique.

[AsM29]

Just out of curiosity, what are the benefits of writing your own code as opposed to using an app like dreamweaver?

[SDX]

Dreamweaver adds a lot of unecessary code, it may even be best to open notepad and start trying to do your own from scratch

[Ted Cunningham]

Dreamweaver adds a lot of unecessary code, it may even be best to open notepad and start trying to do your own from scratch

Exactly. Of late, I've changed over to Dreamweaver (simply because I have it as a part of the CS4 suite and it allows me to WYSIWYG my way through stuff I didn't know how to code/do), but the last iteration of my website was built completely from scratch and was hand-coded. (Hand-coded? Is that how you'd say that?) It always made me feel better to just code everything myself because I knew exactly what was going into my page. Now it's kind of a combination of both, so I feel a little less in control.

For what you want to do, Cola, I'd suggest Dreamweaver or Kompozer, the open source quasi-counterpart to Dreamweaver. Plus both of these programs are for the construction of webpages. The whole design part is accomplished by your brain, Illustrator and Photoshop. So since you're familiar with how Adobe works (which have basics that apply to all of the CS) and you've got the budget, I'd suggest you go with Dreamweaver.

[STL FANATIC]

Dreamweaver is an excellent tool, if you use it right. If you let Dreamweaver build your website it's not going to be the best.

You have to understand what's happening in the backend, do a lot of your own coding, and use Dreamweaver to see what it's doing. And at some points you can use Dreamweaver's tools to save you some time coding. But again, you have to be well-versed enough to know when the backend isn't quite right.

There's no software out there that you can just visually design a great site. To do things right (even a simple site like you linked to), you're going to have to learn some of the coding language, I think.

Now that's not to say you can't make a decent site without learning the code, but there's a ceiling to it.

[Cola]

Yeah, I'm going to go with Dreamweaver and rely on my design and layout ideas...and see how the actual coding and web stuff can work with it. I have a basic layout sketched and it shouldn't be hard to implement, it's just been awhile since I have messed with HTML or any web design software. What I want to do is pretty simple...a clean and nifty interface that links to different pages focusing on separate design work...business identity, sports, layout, etc. Then have the images pop-out from those individual pages.

First I need to purchase a domain name...which is becoming tough in itself: what to name it. Right now, my brand is Apex Media...but that could change in a year or two I assume. Want to go with something that will stand the test of time no matter what I am calling myself.

GoDaddy pretty much the best and easiest place to purchase a domain name and host space?

[InCase]

Yeah, I'm going to go with Dreamweaver and rely on my design and layout ideas...and see how the actual coding and web stuff can work with it. I have a basic layout sketched and it shouldn't be hard to implement, it's just been awhile since I have messed with HTML or any web design software. What I want to do is pretty simple...a clean and nifty interface that links to different pages focusing on separate design work...business identity, sports, layout, etc. Then have the images pop-out from those individual pages.

First I need to purchase a domain name...which is becoming tough in itself: what to name it. Right now, my brand is Apex Media...but that could change in a year or two I assume. Want to go with something that will stand the test of time no matter what I am calling myself.

GoDaddy pretty much the best and easiest place to purchase a domain name and host space?

Pretty sure your name wont change..

[STL FANATIC]

Yeah, I'm going to go with Dreamweaver and rely on my design and layout ideas...and see how the actual coding and web stuff can work with it. I have a basic layout sketched and it shouldn't be hard to implement, it's just been awhile since I have messed with HTML or any web design software. What I want to do is pretty simple...a clean and nifty interface that links to different pages focusing on separate design work...business identity, sports, layout, etc. Then have the images pop-out from those individual pages.

First I need to purchase a domain name...which is becoming tough in itself: what to name it. Right now, my brand is Apex Media...but that could change in a year or two I assume. Want to go with something that will stand the test of time no matter what I am calling myself.

GoDaddy pretty much the best and easiest place to purchase a domain name and host space?

Pretty sure your name wont change..

Exactly. Go with your name. If you're not actually a company, don't brand yourself like one--that's the advise I've been given and taken. And it makes sense. 1. People like a personal connection. You're not going to fool them into thinking your a mega successful business, and they'd probably rather work with a one-on-one designer anyways. 2. Your site is also going to serve as your reference point for your resume/portfolio--it's a virtual interview basically. But that only really works if it's you as you, not you as a branded company.

And yep, GoDaddy is best IMO for domain name. It's not ALWAYS the cheapest, but it's just the easiest to deal with and it's prices are pretty low. I use PowWeb for my web host, though. Never tried any others.

[Mings]

I use GoDaddy to host and I've never had any issues.