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Mon 1 Mar, 2004 08:42 pm
I need to help a friend make a website for her jewelry designs. (They are good and there's interest in Japan for them, but the editors and writers she's spoken to all say there needs to be a website showcase in order for her to be successful.)
I'm supposed to know everything.
I know nothing about webdesign or even how to start.
What are the steps? What software is best? Just how complicated is making a website. Etc....
Treat me like the baby I am.
Joe Nation
Why do it yourself? It can be done cheaply by a designer.
The reason why I ask is because if it's supposed to be a showcase the design is important and it may be best for it not to be a learning ground.
You can probably get a site designed for half the cost of the most popular software titles used to design sites.
But if you really want to do it yourself, I recommend using something liem Frontpage. It'll probably look like something designed in Frontpage but that will be the easiest software for any user familiar with Word etc.
Craven, I think you are probably right about hiring a designer, but I don't know about cheap. Especially if he gets somebody in New York. I work with a guy who could do it for you Joe, but I'd have to ask him how much he charges. I know he charges around $80 an hour (maybe more) for doing Flash webstuff. If you want to do it cheap though, you are going to have to put a lot of time and/or effort into learning. If your friend needs it to look professional, and done pretty quick, then I'd say her best option is to bite the bullet and pay somebody to do it.
What about Dreamweaver, Craven? It's pretty simple, once you get the concept of it. It's basically drag and drop, and you can see the layout as your designing the page, more or less.
If you want to check out some software for free, just to check 'em out, I think you can download free trials off download.com.
Quote:What about Dreamweaver
Dreamweaver is superior to Frontpage, but it is double the price & will not be as familiar for users of Word, etc.
Frontpage 2003 was a big step up from previous versions (in particular it creates much cleaner code), though it's not up to the level of Dreamweaver MX 2004.
As Craven said, for the $400 you'd spend on Dreamweaver you could get a pro to do it all for you (if this is a simple site you have in mind) and it will look & function better.
kickycan wrote:Craven, I think you are probably right about hiring a designer, but I don't know about cheap. Especially if he gets somebody in New York. I work with a guy who could do it for you Joe, but I'd have to ask him how much he charges. I know he charges around $80 an hour (maybe more) for doing Flash webstuff. If you want to do it cheap though, you are going to have to put a lot of time and/or effort into learning. If your friend needs it to look professional, and done pretty quick, then I'd say her best option is to bite the bullet and pay somebody to do it.
He could get something simple done for 50 bucks if he hosts it with them.
Quote:What about Dreamweaver, Craven? It's pretty simple, once you get the concept of it. It's basically drag and drop, and you can see the layout as your designing the page, more or less.
I have Dreamweaver but have never used it. I personally think WYSIWYG editors aren't useful for anything except learning or drawing tables quickly (though I prefer to do tables myself, as the editors always get it wrong).
I bought Dreamweaver after learning HTML and only got it because it came with the Macromedia Suite with Fireworks, Flash etc.
Craven de Kere wrote:He could get something simple done for 50 bucks if he hosts it with them.
Damn websites are cheap over there.
Craven de Kere wrote:I have Dreamweaver but have never used it. I personally think WYSIWYG editors aren't useful for anything except learning or drawing tables quickly (though I prefer to do tables myself, as the editors always get it wrong).
I bought Dreamweaver after learning HTML and only got it because it came with the Macromedia Suite with Fireworks, Flash etc.
I use Dreamweaver regularly (since I didn't need to buy it), but only for its templating system & for its ability to automatically update links whenever filenames change, otherwise yeah I dislike WYSIWYG editors as well & I'll just do everything in Dreamweaver's 'code view' anyway. Well, the code color formatting (whatever that's called) is useful, but there are free editors that do that.
I think Dreamweaver is a waste of money because many people who wouldn't be satisfied with FrontPage 2003's WYSIWYG editing would be better served by doing coding in notepad.
Monger wrote:Craven de Kere wrote:He could get something simple done for 50 bucks if he hosts it with them.
Damn websites are cheap over there.
It's just a matter of finding the right person/deal. This could cost anywhere between 50 and 500+ dollars here.
Craven de Kere wrote:WYSIWYG
WYGIWYG. Accept no substitutes.
Ah, the Seal of Disapproval
True WYSIWYG is a rarely-attained ideal, particularly with web design programs. WYSIMOLWYG would be more accurate.
Thank you all so much for your suggestions and techno-babbleish ramblings. I am so appreciative.
Thanks/
Thanks/
Thank you.
Damn, I love the depth of this forum......
Joe Nation
PS We are selecting a web designer to do the work. I'll let you all know when it is up.
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