Try the Coffee Cup HTML Editor. You can download it from CNet or Coffee Cup, http://www.coffeecup.com. An old, old version is what I learned on years ago and they keep making it better. Another update has just come out.
I use Dreamweaver MX now and am considering going back to Coffee Cup.
Good luck.
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General discussion
11/04/05 Newbie needs recommendations for Web design
The time has come for me to finally create my own Web site. I have Cox cable as my ISP, and they gave me 70MB of Web space. This will be a first-time thing for me, so I was wondering, what is the recommended software for creating Web sites? The tech guy at Cox recommended Microsoft FrontPage, but I prefer not to use Microsoft products if possible. I'm also interested in learning some code, such as HTML. Where can I learn about that? Are there any places where I can go to learn about Web page creation?
Submitted by: Bruce R.
Answer:
Welcome to the Net, Bruce! I?m glad that you want to start learning how to create your own Web space. Everyone ought to learn in their own way how to create the best Web site they can with little difficulty in doing it. It all depends on how well you can learn in the time that you want to devote to it. Although I?ve learned how to use HTML code at school, it isn?t all that hard to learn, depending on whether you?d rather type in all those codes yourself or have some program do it for you, or even use a Web site that can do it automatically.
Your Cox provider suggested that you use Microsoft?s Front Page because it?s one of Microsoft?s Office 2003 Ed. Package deals (which you seem to have since you mentioned it) and it is an easy program to use for creating web pages. It auto programs the HTML code for you into the web site you want. Personally though, I have used and would rather use an HTML program called ?Text Pad?. Download a trial issue on http://www.textpad.com. You?d have to buy this product after the trial period ends, but it is a very useful tool for those who know how to use HTML codes.
For the not-so-knowledgeable user, you can get/copy codes or learn the codes from web sites such as: http://www.2createawebsite.com ( a free HTML Code Tutorial); http://www.how-to-build-websites.com (a beginner?s tutorial on how to create web sites); http://www.html-html.com (HTML Codes, Tags and tutorial help); and so on by typing in the words ?HTML codes, how to? in the Search window of your browser, take your pick.
The only reason I picked Text Pad as my program for creating a web page is because it has the capability of working on or offline. After creating the 1st few lines of text entries you can click on an icon to view it as web page and see how it turns out before you send it on to a web site. It has all the tools of a regular word processing program (file, edit, search, view, tools, Window, and a help menu) with a little extra tool for Configure and Macros (if you know how to use that tool).
Once you get all the correct HTML codes entered into it, save it to your hard drive or floppy or CD. Then you?ll have to use an Upload program tool to get it to the web site you want. There are some Upload program tools you can either get for free or pay for from the Internet, or use COX?s upload program from their site. Many web sites that offer web spaces (i.e., COX, MSN, Yahoo, etc.) have their own uploading program built right in their web site for users to upload their web pages, so buying an Upload program is wasteful, as far as I?m concerned, since web sites offer their own uploading program. Why not? It?s a freebie!
You might want to try Microsoft?s Front Page, just as a start, and see what it would look like first, since you?re just learning how to make a web page. Learning the HTML code way may take you some time in learning and then having to type in all the codes that go before and after the actual text part may make your fingers tired or your brain because just one tiny flaw in your coding can make your web page a mess. If you forget to ?close? your tags, for example, your code will then be displayed in your text lines because the computer doesn?t know what you mean by ?<p> How to use HTML </p? . The tag here is the left and right arrow keys ?< >? located on your keyboard?s shift key of the comma (,) and period (.) See where I didn?t use the right arrow ?>? after I used the code for closing a paragraph ?</p>? ? If that part gets uploaded to the web site, the </p will display on the web site and look a little odd after my sentence ?How to use HTML?, right? So, every tag ?< >? must be closed off with the left and right arrow keys - < > - or your computer and the upload program won?t know what to do. Remember, ?Garbage in Garbage Out?? We call it GIGO in computer language. In addition, if you put a wrong tag code in a line where you might want your text to show either bigger or bolder is another matter, too, so you?d have to know what those codes are to make your text the way you want it to show on the web site.
There is a book you can buy at a book store - or try your local library - called ?Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML 4 in 21 days?[Prof. Reference Ed.] by Laura Lemay and published by Sams. I had to buy it when I went to school for my computer science degree. It?s a rather thick piece of knowledgeable work for someone who wants to learn the HTML code way, and I recommend it for anyone. The pages are simple to read, it?s easy to look up what you want to know, and all the codes are there to view at any time and accessible to you more than searching for them on the Internet.
Have fun??.learn???.know????for the more you know the better you are for yourself.
Take care,
Submitted by: Carlene
Discussion is locked
61 - 90 of 76 Posts
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Coffee Cup HTML Editor. You can download it directly from the Coffee Cup website for about $50, and they've just come out with a new edition. This is an awesome program for the Newbie Web Designer. A nice bonus is that once you buy the Coffee Cup HTML Editor, you get free upgrades forever. I should add that I'm not connected with these guys in any way, but when I find a great product, I like to pass the word along. I first read about them right here on CNET.
Now here's the long story:
You get templates to base your design around - or delete the codes and design from scratch. There are easy to use (just click on them) html codes like <center>, <marquee> (for scrolling letters or pictures), <b> for bold, <br> for break (between paragraphs or photos). If you can understand what you just read, the rest will be reasonably easy to follow.
There are tables you can design (with colored borders), letter fonts can be controlled by you. You can add sound files, flash animations, special effects. One of the best functions of Coffee Cup is that you just "drag-and-drop" your picture files into the webpage design, using your mouse. As you write, you can swich back and forth to see what the webpage is looking like. Coffee Cup can also show you where you made errors in your html writing, and fix them for you.
By letting Coffee Cup do a lot of the work for you, you can compare an action you made against the html language the Coffee Cup program writes, and learn how to do the writing for yourself, if you choose.
Example: You type "Newbie". Now you want it in Arial font, colored blue, bold, font size 5 - and you want it to scroll across your webpage. So, you highlight "Newby", go into the font wizard and click "Arial" then click the color of blue you want from a pallet, click "Bold", click Size "6". Then hit "Okay". Finally click on <marquee></marquee>.
Your result in html will be something like: <marquee><face="Arial" font size="6" color="0000FF"><b>"Newbie"</b></font></marquee>.
If you want to see Coffee Cup in action, visit my biz website at http://www.americanfamilyphoto.com. I knew NOTHING about html language when I bought the program, and within an hour, I was already experimenting around and putting together a web page.
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One of the best sites I have found in the development, and understanding of web designing is www.w3schools.com. It's a free online sites that gives you a wealth of information from the development of basic HTML coding to all new techniques. Check it out, and enjoy...good luck on your venture.
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I like Dreamweaver, but I've been at it a while. For a newbie, I'd recommend Namo WebEditor. I liked version 5, and I know that version 6 is either out or due out soon.
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7 years ago I didn't know how to turn a computer on.
I wanted a website too, without having to learn the contents of 15 books to do it, I wanted it NOW.
and I neede it to be easy but to look Super Cool..
Homestead is the program for you, their program writes out all the html for you. All you do is decide what you want to put on the page...Banners, Logos, Headers, clip art..they have it all...
http://www.homestead.com
They have graphics, many backgrounds, you just click on the one you want and it appears. Text and text sizer,text that moves across the screen by just a click. Add music to your page and you can even add a chat room with their program..its part of the deal you get when you purchase it, after the trial of course. Use it on line or Offline too. You position what you want, where you want it on the page...Save it by clicking One button and the program Publishes it for you,on the Internet and you get to have a website address, with a bunch of other wonderful tools within the program. Click a button and the program does it for you!
Try it for a few days...You'll love what You can do with it. Go for it at
http://www.homestead.com
Canapril
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You can read the full story of "How I learned to write HTML and still retain a small degree of sanity" at http://www.stans.com/paulsplace/home.htm - click on "Writing HTML". When you have digested all of that, continue on to my quick guide to publishing on the World Wide Web.
When you want to refine your skills go to http://listen.to/thehtmlguru ...
Have fun...
Paul - K9ERG
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I use open-source NVU for designing my website. I like it because it's open-source, supports Web Standards, and includes W3C Validation to be sure your website is standards-compliant. You can get NVU at http://www.nvu.com/. Best of all, it's compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
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I too am a long time Internet user but finally an about to setup my own webspace. I like NVU for all the reasons you state.
However, one question I have is (perhaps because I haven't looked closely enough) whether NVU would be a good SITE designer rather than page designer. I've played with Frontpage and one feature I did like is that you can layout site design then go in an add your details. Do you, or anyone else using NVU, tell me if this is possible with NVU? A couple of links would be sufficient.
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You may ask your questions about NVU in the forum
http://forum.nvudev.org/
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This link will get you started with easy and fun ways to learn basic and advanced HTML coding.
Have fun learning.
Ira
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This is the original author of Homesite that was all the rave for non WYSWYG Html editors. Easy to use and helps you learn while coding.
Ira
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Firstly WYSIWYG editors are great and so much easier to use than learning code by hand. I have used Macromedia Fireworks and Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive and I've dabbled with FrontPage. However I find that if you really want to get good at web page design that knowing how to code HTML by hand is a necessity. I've had a few instances where I use a WYSIWYG to create a page only to find that there is a tiny error or that I want to do something with the page that my program won't let me. If I didn't know how to code HTML then how would I ever find the error? Looking through oodles of code that I don't understand would be ridiculous. But if I knew how to read the code and how to program HTML from scratch then it becomes so much easier. Plus what if you are on the road and away from your editor or somewhere where you can't use an editor and you realize that there is something you wish to change on your page? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to sit there with notepad or something and just whip off code to fix the problem? And as much as we'd ike to believe that the editors find all the errors for us that is not always the case.
So I say if you just want a simple webpage then get a WYSIWYG editor but if you want to get good at web design then take the time to learn HTML, it will be worth it in the end. People nowadays rely too much on other things doing stuff for them but then get stuck when suddenly their little helper isn't there anymore. Whereas people who take the time to learn to do things themselves can still use a helper but if worse comes to worse they will still be productive when the people who didn't learn suddenly have to do it themselves. Like for instance using a washing machine saves time but what if the power goes out or your machine breaks and you can't get to another machine? Wouldn't it be nice to know how to also wash clothes by hand?
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I'M A NEWBIE & I KNOW I WANT TO SET UP SOME KIND OF SITE AS A COMMUNCIATION TOOL WITH MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY (NOT COMMERCIAL). I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADD PHOTOS & VIDEO CLIPS & HAVE FORUMS ON SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS. And maybe i want to do something i never thought of now.
DO I WANT TO SET UP A BLOG OR A WEB SITE OR BOTH?.
PLEAS PROVIDE SOME BASIC INFORMATION FOR ME - STEP BY STEP
THANKS
LOU
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As a Webmaster, I do not recommend using Microsoft?s Front Page too many problems/bugs and it is hard to use.
I have helped many people create their one web sites, and I have found that the best program for newbies is:
Netobjects Fusion http://www.netobjects.com/products/html/nof8.html
You could also try Macromedia Dreamweaver, but it's limited on what it can do if you don't know HTML.
Good Luck!
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I would also recommend the Coffee Cup Software (www.coffeecup.com). Their program allows you to write your own code or to use one of their templates and view the work in progress on-line whenever you want. It is very convenient. They also have a number of programs for creating other things such as buttons and other items that a person might want on their webpage.
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