Website design software?

thewtam

thewtam

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Name
Matthew
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I need to change my software and my website. Before migrating to Mac I used NetObjects Fusion and build and controlled my own site. Recently I employed the web building element in Lightroom 4 using a third party template. I just don't like the limitations and I want to go back to having full control. I don't write in HTML etc so I want a wysiwyg software package and have been looking at Rapidweaver and Sandvox. I am going to download their trial versions but initially it looks as though both only enable full design from scratch if you have reasonable knowledge of CSS etc.

I don't think my current website does me any favours and there is stuff I want to do which the template does not allow.

So, does anyone have first hand experience with the above?

Anyone feel I am being unfair to Lightroom and should explore more template options?

Is there another software package I should be looking at not including Dreamweaver?

Hope some people and help.

Matthew
 
theurbanclown said:
Much btter option is to buy a Wordpress theme. It's quicker, easier, cheaper and the results are a lot better.
Click to expand...

Am I being a little old fashioned then in thinking that its better to have a traditional website set up as a hub, with blog, Facebook and twitter spinning around it in support?

I'll look into it but if I went for a Wordpress theme would that essentially be my website and blog rolled into one?

Matthew
 
thewtam said:
Am I being a little old fashioned then in thinking that its better to have a traditional website set up as a hub, with blog, Facebook and twitter spinning around it in support?

I'll look into it but if I went for a Wordpress theme would that essentially be my website and blog rolled into one?

Matthew
Click to expand...

Slightly, but I think it's more that you have the wrong idea of Wordpress. Any half decent wordpress theme will give you a great looking site with a blog included, plus social links to your facebook and twitter accounts - some will even integrate your tweets into the site.

The benfit of Wordpress is that it's a CMS - it's dynamic - so adding photos and new pages is very simple.

Have a look over at themeforest.net and then find some hosting than will allow a one click install of Wordpress. I recommend Vidahost.
 
Agree with the advice to use Wordpress. Dreamhost also support one-click Wordpress installs and let you host an unlimited number of sites.
 
Well everyone thank you. Took on board the popularity of Wordpress from this thread and another. And Tom, you were right. I didn't have the right impression of what it was all about.

I have stopped blogger and configured a blog/site on Wordpress. I'll continue working on it and when ready probably switch to using it entirely as my website. For now it's my blog and its live.

The theme marketplace is really huge!!

Matthew
 
I use Dreamweaver, even when working on Wordpress themes

I use PS for imagery

I use notepad for quick HTML edits

Wordpress is a great platform, but if you are a creative, you really need to dev a new theme, or "make a theme your own"

Skybound Stylzer is great for rapid CSS work

If you are working on a PHP/SQL soloution, installing WAMP locally is good (and gives you a cheap dev environment)
 
The real advantages of Wordpress, IMHO, are that it supports so many plugins and allows such easy generation of stats. Without stats, the best website in the world is fairly useless because you don't know it's the best website in the world

if you're moving from a flat website, or from another SQL-based site, there's a great Wordpress plugin called Redirection which will allow you to rewrite your old URLs to your new schema. That way your old URLs still work and won't generate 404s. Really useful if you have URLs in forums or with a decent Google ranking

Nick Froome
 
bolide said:
The real advantages of Wordpress, IMHO, are that it supports so many plugins and allows such easy generation of stats. Without stats, the best website in the world is fairly useless because you don't know it's the best website in the world

if you're moving from a flat website, or from another SQL-based site, there's a great Wordpress plugin called Redirection which will allow you to rewrite your old URLs to your new schema. That way your old URLs still work and won't generate 404s. Really useful if you have URLs in forums or with a decent Google ranking

Nick Froome
Click to expand...

What do you mean Nick.. Pretty much any decent webhosting package allows the addition of a stats package. or.. Adding a GA code to a page is hardly a task that is taxing
 
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