Software Options for Rookie Web Designers

Now, you have decided to build a web site. You can hire someone to do it or you can do it yourself. Let's imagine you are trying to save some money and you have some extra time. What options do you have for software to get the job done yourself?

There are several programs that can help you. Each requires a different skill level, budget, and has certain limitations. Here are some tools to consider:

• Adobe Dreamweaver - allows for more advanced functionality but presents more of a learning curve. It costs around $250 or so. You can create buttons, do some javascript functions, and do a few other things that you can't do in Frontpage.
• MS Expressions - is a Microsoft tool that takes the approach of the MS Word layout. It allows you to edit the page you are working on and then look at the corresponding html in another view. Like other MS tools Frontpage will think FOR you even if you don't want it to and do stuff that may not work on the server you are using to host your site. Sometimes you are required to install special Frontpage files on the server. For simple design Frontpage is great. For submission forms and other features requiring code (more than html) Frontpage will come up short. Use it for a simple brochure site. It costs around $100 or so for a license.
• EditPlus - This is an advanced web developers software. It is awesome for straight coding. It allows for a lot of flexibility. It is not a novice software. It doesn't lend to wysiwyg (pronounced wizzywig meaning "what you see is what you get") development. You need to write the html out without and be able to read it. You can program in php, asp, etc.

Frontpage really is the most simple, best fitting to use of the options above if you are a rookie at this. I hate to say that because I know of some of the inherent problems you will run into. In fact, I shudder at the frustration you may have while learning. However, if you really are a novice at this web stuff you need something easy to use. You can try your hand at Dreamweaver. It takes a little more to learn it but is a step up from Frontpage in its functionality.

Image editing is needed for most sites. You have to juggle great looking images with files size so that your download times aren't slow. This is called image optimization. Most programs have similar functionality. They just have different ways of displaying and using their tools.

• Photoshop - is often used by professionals to create, edit , and optimize images.
• Paintshop Pro - Better priced alternative to Photoshop.
• Fireworks - Related to Dreamweaver. It interacts with other Adobe products.

Once you have created the files and have all the links working you will need to upload the files to the server where they are hosted.

• SecureFX - there are many software programs allowing designers/developers to ftp there edited files to a server.

A great option if you are trying to set up a simple yet professional web site, blog, and web presense is to use a site like ProSPOTLIGHT. The tools are very easy to use and there are other professionals who you can network with to accomplish your task.

Here is one other great option to consider. Find a blogger site like Blogger that has a few enhancements. You can go there and create a blog type web site. It isn't as brochure like because it really is set up for blogging or logging posts ordered by date. However, you can EASILY set the thing up and select from many different templates.

Another option to consider is to actually pay someone to do this for you. There are great companies that will design the site and then provide you with a template where you can fill in fields and submit the page and it will update the site automatically according to your template design. It costs more upfront to get it set up but it will save you time in the long run.

In the end, if you decide to do it yourself you will need to overcome the learning curve and it takes time. If you have time then you have made the right move.

These are some of the common solutions you see out there. If there are other programs that you like please add them to the comments below. In fact, I invite reviews on the programs listed above. Let us know what you use and how you like it.