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Website design software

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  • 21-02-2010 1:52am
    #1
    Maccattack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭


    I'd like to do a bit of web design - personal stuff, things for friends etc.

    Can you recommend a good programme to use? I'm a Mac user btw.

    I had some experience with dreamweaver about 10 years ago and found that to be good. It was the WYSIWYG factor that made it easy for me. Drag and drop pictures etc, as opposed to having to code everything, which I cant really do.

    So something fairly easy to use but good.

    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    parmele
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33 ✭parmele


    If you can get a copy of DW, it's still very relevant. DW was great for non-coders (such as myself) for HTML pages. But very few Web pages are only HTML now. Most use a combination of PHP and Java. You can do these things in DW, but not in the same WYSIWYG style you were used to.

    Most sites are run on Content Management Systems (CMS). Simple examples are WordPress and Blogger. Based on your background I would recommend Joomla or Drupal. They're both open source and free.

    Honestly, those are too really powerful tools and don't require you to be a coder.

    If you find installing them and working with them difficult...start with WordPress (as simple as they come). I use it.


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    #3
    Axwell
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 10,462 Mod ✭✭✭✭Axwell


    Thread over on the web forum on the same questions

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055832476


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    #4
    Maccattack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭Maccattack


    Thanks Jason

    Ive just spent a few hours playing around with Wordpress. Is there a way to make it look less like a blog and more like a standard website?

    It seems you add text only by adding a blog. Which then has a date attached to it as well as a bunch of junk underneath for comments etc. I havent found a way to remove all that stuff. not completely anyway.

    Am I expecting too much from it?


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    #5
    parmele
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33 ✭parmele


    No, you're not expecting too much from it. If you can imagine it, it can probably be done.

    Your next step should be installing a theme. This can radically change the way your site looks/works. I use a pay-for-theme, called Thesis. I obviously want my site to remain like a blog. However, there are thousands of other themes out there. And tons of them are free.

    I don't know much about the default WordPress design because I installed Thesis immediately. But what you were describing are static pages - and yes, you can turn off all the comments and other stuff. For example, on the top of my site are "About", "FAQ", etc. Those are static pages. Everything has been disabled. I could even turn the sidebar off if I want.

    Begin doing some searches for "WordPress themes" and you'll see what I mean.


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    #6
    Axwell
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 10,462 Mod ✭✭✭✭Axwell


    Some good themes on this site and reasonably priced.

    http://themeforest.net/


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    #7
    Sound Computers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 30 ✭Sound Computers


    i use Xsitepro v2.0 and then I sometimes will publish into DW for finishing touches. both quite powerful. XSP has loads of templates and training bits. yuotube is handy for quick design tips in dreamweaver as well. good luck.

    EDIT: not sure if xsite is for mac yet. sorry.


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