What program are professional web designers using today?

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rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
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Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Notepad is a lot of busy work... If you know html basics, why bother typing <blahblah> <bklahahsdfd> <dsfdd>?? It seriously is not a big accomplishment to mindlessly type tags, so I don't see why it makes some of you feel like manly men.
:thumbsup:

I don't know why anyone would start developing an entire site with notepad... that's just crazy talk.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
Originally posted by: lnguyen
topstyle (basically homesite, same programmer, different name after homesite was bought out) for code. i'm lazy, and like the fact i am prompted w/ a list of optoins i can use for tags :)
I thought topstyle was only for CSS ? :confused: It was bundled with Homesite for a while.
 

AnyMal

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
15,780
0
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No offence, that website looks terrible ;)

The are several reasons why you'll want to learn in notepad. First, you have control over how code is layed out. Nothing will get you more respect of your fellow coders/designers then a neat code. Notepad will also teach you how to troubleshoot from the code-level.

So here's my recommendation

1. Learn your basic HTML in Notepad. There are plenty of on-line tutorials that will tell you what each tag does. Pay close attention to nesting rules!

2. Once you're more or less familiar with HTML, learn CSS, it's a god given time saver that makes your life so much easier.

3. Lastly, pickup Dreamweaver and Adobe.

Good luck.
 

Originally posted by: lnguyen
topstyle (basically homesite, same programmer, different name after homesite was bought out) for code. i'm lazy, and like the fact i am prompted w/ a list of optoins i can use for tags :)

homesite was allaire
topstyle was done by someone else and came bundled with homesite and cold fusion studio before macromedia bought allaire and ruined their software (cold fusion)
 

scorpmatt

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2001
7,040
97
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I use the macromedia suite combined with the adobe suite to create sites, or rather, I used to. My job has gone from web designer to web server web app admin.
 

AnyMal

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
15,780
0
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Originally posted by: AnyMal
No offence, that website looks terrible ;)

The are several reasons why you'll want to learn in notepad. First, you have control over how code is layed out. Nothing will get you more respect of your fellow coders/designers then a neat code. Notepad will also teach you how to troubleshoot from the code-level.

So here's my recommendation

1. Learn your basic HTML in Notepad. There are plenty of on-line tutorials that will tell you what each tag does. Pay close attention to nesting rules!

2. Once you're more or less familiar with HTML, learn CSS, it's a god given time saver that makes your life so much easier.

3. Lastly, pickup Dreamweaver and Adobe.

Good luck.

Edit: Forgot to add, here's an excellent free tool if you're looking for something more powerful then <shudder>Frontpage </shudder> HTML-kit
 

AdamSnow

Diamond Member
Nov 21, 2002
5,736
0
76
Notepad to write a basic *.html file with your content... no formatting at all... just plain text.

Write a CSS file for the layout, design, formatting, etc...

Done.
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: ribbon13
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
I would like to start learning a program and want just start right out using whatever if the standard so I do waste time learning some crappy program and then have to relearn with a real one?

So what are you good web designers using today?

Notepad++ </thread>

fixed.

TextPad is quite nice, too. But it isn't open source.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,352
1,860
126
I'm far from a professional web designer, however, I've played around with some html/pvp over the years.

I use vi at home
at work I use "jedit" if I'm doing anything major, or just notepad for quick things (due to quicker load times)

 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
for all the FrontPage bashers, have you used the newest edition? it's really not that bad...

that said i used Notepad a lot when i was taking a web programming class. while it's cool, i really like color coded text editors like jEdit and, yes, FrontPage. also the editors that show you were the closing brackets are, are nice.
 

scorpmatt

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2001
7,040
97
91
Originally posted by: iamme
for all the FrontPage bashers, have you used the newest edition? it's really not that bad...

agreed, we have it here at work. Its alot more like dreamweaver, just still easier to use. :)
 

GeekDrew

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
9,099
19
81
I personally use Notepad++ for most things...

I don't really have any good websites online right now to demonstrate right now, tho. PLUSymposium is probably the most advanced one that I've written *nearly* entirely in Notepad++... but most of the content on that page is locked down right now, so you can't see that much of it. :(
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: scorpmatt
Originally posted by: iamme
for all the FrontPage bashers, have you used the newest edition? it's really not that bad...

agreed, we have it here at work. Its alot more like dreamweaver, just still easier to use. :)

yup, in my PHP class, i had an MIS professor who was decidedly anti-microsoft who had to admit the latest iteration of FrontPage (2003, i think) wasn't all that bad.
 

AnyMal

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
15,780
0
76
Originally posted by: iamme
for all the FrontPage bashers, have you used the newest edition? it's really not that bad...

that said i used Notepad a lot when i was taking a web programming class. while it's cool, i really like color coded text editors like jEdit and, yes, FrontPage. also the editors that show you were the closing brackets are, are nice.

There are couple problems with using FP. First, it's designed to play nice with IE only, so if you're FF/Moz/Opera user there is not telling how they will render pages created in FP. Secondly, not every host supports FP extensions.
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: AnyMal
Originally posted by: iamme
for all the FrontPage bashers, have you used the newest edition? it's really not that bad...

that said i used Notepad a lot when i was taking a web programming class. while it's cool, i really like color coded text editors like jEdit and, yes, FrontPage. also the editors that show you were the closing brackets are, are nice.

There are couple problems with using FP. First, it's designed to play nice with IE only, so if you're FF/Moz/Opera user there is not telling how they will render pages created in FP. Secondly, not every host supports FP extensions.

true, i'm just saying it's not as awful as the previous versions in terms of code-bloat (i read a comparison somewhere....i'll find it if i can).
 

revnja

Platinum Member
Feb 1, 2004
2,864
0
76
Originally posted by: AdamSnow
Notepad to write a basic *.html file with your content... no formatting at all... just plain text.

Write a CSS file for the layout, design, formatting, etc...

Done.

:thumbsup:

Heh, Apple.com designed in Notepad... that'd be ironic.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
code bloat ? Have you guys seen what MS Word does to html ? :D
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: AnyMal
Originally posted by: iamme
First, it's designed to play nice with IE only, so if you're FF/Moz/Opera user there is not telling how they will render pages created in FP.

just found this tidbit:

Better Web browser integration

Previous FrontPage versions were often criticized as being "IE editors" rather than true Web editors. There was some truth to this, though previous versions offered at least lip service support of non-IE browsers like Netscape. Starting with FrontPage 2003, however, non-IE browser support has been enhanced dramatically, and since I like to work primarily with Mozilla-based browsers, and then test sites for compatibility in IE and other browsers after the fact, this change is most welcome.

At its simplest level, FrontPage 2003 lets you set your default browser without going through a dialog box. Frankly, I don't understand why it doesn't pick up your default browser setting from the OS, but the new Preview drop-down (figure) does at least give you options for all of your installed browsers, even if IE is first. When you choose "Default browser for HTML files," that does become the default in FrontPage, which I appreciate. You can also simultaneously preview in multiple browsers, check various resolutions, and edit your list of acceptable browsers. Good stuff.
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/office2003_frontpage_preview.asp
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Notepad is a lot of busy work... If you know html basics, why bother typing <blahblah> <bklahahsdfd> <dsfdd>?? It seriously is not a big accomplishment to mindlessly type tags, so I don't see why it makes some of you feel like manly men.

Yeah, I never get this... I use a text editor as well, but I sure as heck don't use NOTEPAD. At least use a text editor with syntax highlighting, auto tag generation and a sensible wordwrap that doesn't mess up your nesting. The problem I'd have with developing in notebad is that you can't hardly READ any of it.
 

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Notepad is a lot of busy work... If you know html basics, why bother typing <blahblah> <bklahahsdfd> <dsfdd>?? It seriously is not a big accomplishment to mindlessly type tags, so I don't see why it makes some of you feel like manly men.

Yeah, I never get this... I use a text editor as well, but I sure as heck don't use NOTEPAD. At least use a text editor with syntax highlighting, auto tag generation and a sensible wordwrap that doesn't mess up your nesting. The problem I'd have with developing in notebad is that you can't hardly READ any of it.

werd. it's also easier to spot out mistakes with the color coding.

edit: oh yeah, and notepad doesn't have line numbers.
 

RaDragon

Diamond Member
May 23, 2000
4,123
1
71
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
I would like to start learning a program and want just start right out using whatever if the standard so I do waste time learning some crappy program and then have to relearn with a real one?

So what are you good web designers using today?

notepad. </thread>

Or notepad on steroids like "EditPlus"
 

Quasmo

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2004
9,630
1
76
I use photoshop for design, and then dreamweaver for coding. Dreamweaver is awesome for php+mysql I love it.