DreamWeaver ?

[Carbo]

I'm considering taking the plunge and building a website for my business. I've never done anything like this before, so my ignorance knows no limits.
As best I can tell, I need to register my domain name, build the site, then choose a host to put it up. Is this correct?
As for building the site, I was referred to Macromedia's DreamWeaver program. What's the verdict on it, and are there any comparable alternates? It's pricey at $400 full retail.
godaddy.com seems to have the best price for domain registration. Any recommendations on a host?
Any other pertinent info on this website building venture is much appreciated. Thank you, all.

 

[FOBSIDE]

with a program like dreamweaver, its drag and drop and it produces the code for you. the problem with this is that a lot of programs write code for IE which doesnt appear the same in other browsers. without knowledge of the actual code youre kind of stuck at the mercy of the program. i dont mind using programs like these but i normally go in and edit the code by hand afterwards just to make sure there is no junk lying around in the code. front page is also decent for simple drag and drop web design. its not nearly as fancy as dreamweaver but itll write your tables and set your margins and such from the GUI of the program. if you want a pure text editor, i like HTML Kit.

as always, i recommend learning stuff and not just letting the program do it all. webmonkey

 

[gregor7777]

Fobside is right on the money as far as page creation. I use Front Page and am very happy with the way everything is coming along. I've played around with Dreamweaver and find it just as easy to use, but cost can certainly be prohibitive.

As far as domain registration, I used GoDaddy and found it to be quick and easy, but I'm sure most domain name registrars are just as easy. I use Startz Hosting as my host and pay less than $10 a month. I find their control panel very helpful, and actually found quite a few of their free services like forums very useful. Just my recommendation.

 

[Carbo]

Thanks, guys. I'm beginning to think I need some kind of background in HTML, (and now I'm starting to hear about XHTML), to make a professional looking and effective website.
Can a novice do this without going to school for it first?

 

[mcveigh]

Originally posted by: Carbo
Thanks, guys. I'm beginning to think I need some kind of background in HTML, (and now I'm starting to hear about XHTML), to make a professional looking and effective website.
Can a novice do this without going to school for it first?

you don't need no stinkin edumacation

http://www.htmlgoodies.com/

 

[Acts837]

I like Stargate because I can go in and edit URL forwarding, DNS entries, and mail forwarding. No matter where I host my pages, I can always change where my domain name resolves to with just a few clicks.

I started out with Front Page Express, then Front Page 98, and now I am on Dreamweaver. My advice buy Web Design in a Nutshell by O'reilly and you will be amazed at what you can do with so little. There are some pretty cheap (even free) editors out there like CoffeeCup. Anyway you look at it, you need a solid base and the Nutshell book will give it to ya.

 

[ElDonAntonio]

I started a web site company about 5 years ago (www.tachyondesign.com), and here's my advice: if you're going to use Dreamweaver, I kind of disagree with the purist mentality of editing your HTML code by hand. Frontpage can generate absolutely horrible code that won't be compatible with Netscape and others, so that might indeed be a problem, but Dreamweaver produces generally beautiful code and you'll NEVER have to touch the raw HTML yourself for what you need.

For the domain/hosting problem, any domain name registrar should be ok as long as they provide you with a good web-based interface to make (free) modifications and provide good responsive support. So NEVER go with Verisign or Network Solutions, they are the worse. I like doster.com but I'm sure there are others just as good.
For hosting, I can recommend 100% Pair Networks. You'll end up paying 4$ per month for great hosting. I'm hosting all of my customers on Pair and it's always been running smoothly. Their tech support is pretty good too.

As for design considerations, I'd say you don't necessarily need education to build a good web site, but you need experience, logic and maturity. In other words, browse some popular sites, check out awards given to web sites, and you'll notice they are all extremely simple in design. Define who your visitors will be, what you want them to get from your site (buy stuff, get more info, etc), and try to find out how to optimize your site to please them. Don't go for excessive graphics (can be mighty tempting) or lengthy useless Flash animations (oh god that can be tempting!!). Choose a color theme, stick to it, keep it clean, and have your navigation system coherent and clearly understandable. A simpler and faster web site is MUCH better than an overly complicated one that takes an eternity to download.

Hope this helps! if you decide to get a pro company to design your site I know of a good one
Good luck!