I need some general advice about web design

netprikol4 · 08-30-2007, 11:15 PM

Hello everyone,

I am trying to design a website for a business that I've started. I can't really afford to pay for web design, so I've decided to do it myself. I think for a first-time web designer a WYSIWIG (what you see is what you get) web design tool might be best, maybe complemented a bit by my own code. However, programs such as Dreamweaver and FrontPage are commercial programs. Does anyone know of a FREE WYSIWIG?

Thanks in advance.

**Fox** · 08-30-2007, 11:21 PM

Hi, welcome to techsupportforums.

Over the course of my internship, I used a program called Nvu to do some simple web page authoring for an intranet backend. It's admittedly not as robust as dreamweaver, but it definitely has the features you need as a first-time designer, along with the flexibility to edit the code it makes.

It was sponsored by the people at Linspire, and uses the gecko rendering engine (the same as Firefox et. al)

**Tony.b99** · 08-31-2007, 12:05 AM

I have not done design for some time but ms publisher is quite simple and can convert your design to the webb

**KoosHopeloos** · 08-31-2007, 03:24 AM

@ netprikol4: I have to go with Fox on this one. I have worked with Dreamweaver and Nvu and the only difference is only that Dreamweaver is more advanced. I would not recommend MS Publisher due to the coding MS uses. This can cause pages to look very differently in IE and FF or Opera for example. And MS Publisher had the tendency to use a lot of code what can be done with one rule...

netprikol4 · 08-31-2007, 11:24 AM

And not to mention that I was looking for a free program...if I wasn't looking for a free program I'd just use DreamWeaver or something.

**Redcore** · 08-31-2007, 01:50 PM

I started off with MS Publisher - but I was like 14 at the time, too. It's okay if you're just learning how to set up pages for self-learning and aren't planning on it representing you, your business, or your projects - so I would not recommend it for your application.

Nvu is a great free program - so go with that. If you need a program for images (I imagine you probably don't have Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, etc) than a great free alternative is called GIMP. It's really quite a poweful program - so it might take getting used to. However the benefit of that is it will be quite awhile until you "outgrow" it.

**gistek** · 08-31-2007, 02:32 PM

Another free image management program is irfanview. It's very easy to learn. It's only drawback is that it doesn't allow drawing on top of an image. (gotta use gimp or paint for that)

08-30-2007, 11:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
netprikol4 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 2 OS: WinXP	I need some general advice about web design Hello everyone, I am trying to design a website for a business that I've started. I can't really afford to pay for web design, so I've decided to do it myself. I think for a first-time web designer a WYSIWIG (what you see is what you get) web design tool might be best, maybe complemented a bit by my own code. However, programs such as Dreamweaver and FrontPage are commercial programs. Does anyone know of a FREE WYSIWIG? Thanks in advance.

08-30-2007, 11:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
Fox TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,752 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	Re: I need some general advice about web design Hi, welcome to techsupportforums. Over the course of my internship, I used a program called Nvu to do some simple web page authoring for an intranet backend. It's admittedly not as robust as dreamweaver, but it definitely has the features you need as a first-time designer, along with the flexibility to edit the code it makes. It was sponsored by the people at Linspire, and uses the gecko rendering engine (the same as Firefox et. al) __________________ Antec Neo Power 500W, ABIT IP35-E, Intel E2180@2.66Ghz, Corsair XMS2 2x1GB DDR2-800, PNY 8800GT, 320GB Seagate * lazy college student alert *- If I've inadvertently ignored a thread, please Let me know about it Have I helped you solve your problem? Donate to Techsupportforums Klart Skepp!

08-31-2007, 12:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
Tony.b99 Tony (Burnley FC) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burnley uk Posts: 1,278 OS: xp	Re: I need some general advice about web design I have not done design for some time but ms publisher is quite simple and can convert your design to the webb __________________ *TONY SPYBOT & COMODO*

08-31-2007, 03:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
KoosHopeloos TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 555 OS: Windows XP Pro & Windows Vista Ultimate browsing the web with FF, Opera, Safari and IE.	Re: I need some general advice about web design @ netprikol4: I have to go with Fox on this one. I have worked with Dreamweaver and Nvu and the only difference is only that Dreamweaver is more advanced. I would not recommend MS Publisher due to the coding MS uses. This can cause pages to look very differently in IE and FF or Opera for example. And MS Publisher had the tendency to use a lot of code what can be done with one rule... __________________ KoosHopeloos, straight to you from .nl via the world wide web!

08-31-2007, 11:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
netprikol4 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 2 OS: WinXP	Re: I need some general advice about web design And not to mention that I was looking for a free program...if I wasn't looking for a free program I'd just use DreamWeaver or something.

08-31-2007, 01:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
Redcore Design Team Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Jamestown, CA Posts: 718 OS: Linux Mint 7 My System	Re: I need some general advice about web design I started off with MS Publisher - but I was like 14 at the time, too. It's okay if you're just learning how to set up pages for self-learning and aren't planning on it representing you, your business, or your projects - so I would not recommend it for your application. Nvu is a great free program - so go with that. If you need a program for images (I imagine you probably don't have Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, etc) than a great free alternative is called GIMP. It's really quite a poweful program - so it might take getting used to. However the benefit of that is it will be quite awhile until you "outgrow" it.

08-31-2007, 02:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
gistek Folding Along Join Date: May 2007 Location: PA, USA Posts: 1,914 OS: Bobbi=xp, sp3 Muse=Vista Home Premium	Re: I need some general advice about web design Another free image management program is irfanview. It's very easy to learn. It's only drawback is that it doesn't allow drawing on top of an image. (gotta use gimp or paint for that) __________________ I am not a computer professional, My advice comes from personal experience and/or friends who are computer professionals. Learn By Doing Un-versity Interested in Search and Rescue? Check out the Civil Air Patrol. Come Fold with us. TSF Folding@Home Team