Web Design Forums

jamie1233 · 25-08-2006, 10:09

Hey there, hope you are all well,

Im 17 and loooking into creating a small local website design business aimed at local busineses. Problem is what software to use? I must admit I want to skip the code and focus only on designing small sites without no complications. Is Dreamweaver 8 the best option for me?

Thanks

jamie

dtrenz · 25-08-2006, 10:13

Need Some Advice!

can we please get some "New User" sticky threads? we get this post at least 3+ times/week

sub · 25-08-2006, 10:16

How can you start up a design company without knowing what you're doing?
Get some experience in a job /traineeship in a design environment.
Work hard and take the time to learn like the rest of us.
Then think about starting up a business offering these services.

gray · 25-08-2006, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtrenz

Need Some Advice!

can we please get some "New User" sticky threads? we get this post at least 3+ times/week

that'll just attract them.

jamie1233 · 25-08-2006, 10:19

Ouch sorry guys - like i said i was told that to use dreamweaver was ideal and anybody could do it - I am really looking for some decent software which I can just experiment on my own whilst at college

dtrenz · 25-08-2006, 10:19

notepad.

honestly.

jamie1233 · 25-08-2006, 10:21

Ok seems this isnt going down well - ok so what is the best software to use for a beginner and enables you to design by design and not code jamie

dtrenz · 25-08-2006, 10:24

this is the worst idea ever.

you must design with code.

otherwise give up now. if you can't code, no one will ever hire you to make them a website.

jamie1233 · 25-08-2006, 10:25

Lol - understood, well i have been in contact with dozens of designers that ignore code and use dreamweaver to design...

sub · 25-08-2006, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamie1233

what is the best software to use for a beginner and enables you to design by design and not code jamie

Give Freeway from Softpress a try.
It's a WYSIWYG interfaces built on the principles/interface of Quark Xpress.

dtrenz · 25-08-2006, 10:30

they should all be shot and skinned alive.

if you want to do it right, then we'd be happy to give you advice. If you want to be lazy and take shortcuts to design websites that are heavy and not cross-browser compatible, etc, etc... then go somewhere else.

this forum is not for people who believe in cheating their way through design and code.

jamie1233 · 25-08-2006, 10:33

Right thank you for the last 2 posts - ok well I am very serious about this idea - advice would be appreciated and taken on board. Thank you

Transmogrify · 25-08-2006, 10:47

If you're very serious about the idea then you would be willing to do it properly. Doesn't sound like you want to do it properly so you're obviously not that serious.

pgo · 25-08-2006, 10:56

www.htmldog.com

Start here: http://www.htmldog.com/guides/htmlbeginner/

Here's the breakdown:

HTML - Structured content.
CSS - Design/style.
JavaScript/DOM - Behavior.

Learn the languages or you'll be at a severe disadvantage. All those people who say, "You just need Dreamweaver - you don't need to learn to code!" are just plain wrong. That might have flown in 1999 when people thought that tables were a tool to lay out a web page, but this is 2006. You cannot make a professional quality website in Dreamweaver's design view.

The web is moving towards standards compliance and accessibility, which means a web designer needs to have expert knowledge of XHTML and CSS and at least a respectable amount of JavaScript/DOM. That's just a plain and simple fact of life.

You're young. You've got a lot to learn - but you've got plenty of time to learn it. If you're willing to learn, then help yourself and learn the right way.

Anyway, the point is, the software you use is inconsequential. They all do the same thing. Software is a tool and only as good as the person using it. At work I use Dreamweaver (code view, of course) and at home/freelance I use Notepad++ because it doesn't cost $400.

dtrenz · 25-08-2006, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke A

Utter bollocks. You dont have to jump in at the deep end with notepad. I started out on frontpage, moved on to dreamweaver, and have just this year am using a text editor called "TextPad 4".

but this guy wants to bypass code altogether.

i'm happy to hear you survived frontpage, but i think it is better for someone to start with the basics and build their skills as a coder... instead of having frontpage, or any wysiwyg app weigh your site down with lousy auto-code.

i know that i'm a bit of a purist when it comes to this, and i didn't mean to imply that anyone who starts on frontpage can never be a good designer. only that anyone who currently uses frontpage/wysiwyg is not a good designer.

and for anyone who is considering starting, I would discourage them from that route. wouldn't you?

dtrenz · 25-08-2006, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke A

The only bad thing about starting out with dreamweaver is that it teaches you to use inline styles and tables. If you learn tables, its quite hard to convince yourself to move over to XHTML/CSS.

that is exactly the sort of thing i was getting at (without going into specifics).

i don't like to see people develop bad habits like that. it's much easier to learn the to do it right than to unlearn what you know, or break the bad habits you've formed.

that is all.

zakalwe · 22-09-2006, 03:11

notepad.

Best there is...

Transmogrify · 22-09-2006, 07:27

Notepad? The best there is? What a load of shite. Notepad is a crap text editor. Anyone who builds website in Notepad are doing themselves no favours at all and punishing themselves needlessly.

dtrenz · 22-09-2006, 09:45

Notepad is a great place to start because it burns the markup into your brain. there are no cheats or shortcuts or auto-complete tags....

it forces you to learn how to do it, before you open dreamweaver up and it finishes all your code for you as you type. if you can't write markup in notepad you shouldn't mess with dreamweaver.

25-08-2006, 10:09	#1 (permalink)
jamie1233 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5	Advice Please = Dreamweaver?? Hey there, hope you are all well, Im 17 and loooking into creating a small local website design business aimed at local busineses. Problem is what software to use? I must admit I want to skip the code and focus only on designing small sites without no complications. Is Dreamweaver 8 the best option for me? Thanks jamie

25-08-2006, 10:16	#3 (permalink)
sub ______________________ Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 7,818	How can you start up a design company without knowing what you're doing? Get some experience in a job /traineeship in a design environment. Work hard and take the time to learn like the rest of us. Then think about starting up a business offering these services. __________________ DT: LinkedIn \| Twitter \| Flickr \| FaceBook

22-09-2006, 03:11	#17 (permalink)
zakalwe little shit Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lost on the way home Posts: 18	notepad. Best there is... Last edited by zakalwe : 22-09-2006 at 03:11. Reason: blahhh...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

25-08-2006, 10:13	#2 (permalink)
dtrenz blam blam Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ann arbor, mi usa Posts: 531	Need Some Advice! can we please get some "New User" sticky threads? we get this post at least 3+ times/week

25-08-2006, 10:19	#5 (permalink)
jamie1233 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5	Ouch sorry guys - like i said i was told that to use dreamweaver was ideal and anybody could do it - I am really looking for some decent software which I can just experiment on my own whilst at college

25-08-2006, 10:19	#6 (permalink)
dtrenz blam blam Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ann arbor, mi usa Posts: 531	notepad. honestly.

25-08-2006, 10:21	#7 (permalink)
jamie1233 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5	Ok seems this isnt going down well - ok so what is the best software to use for a beginner and enables you to design by design and not code jamie

25-08-2006, 10:24	#8 (permalink)
dtrenz blam blam Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ann arbor, mi usa Posts: 531	this is the worst idea ever. you must design with code. otherwise give up now. if you can't code, no one will ever hire you to make them a website.

25-08-2006, 10:25	#9 (permalink)
jamie1233 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5	Lol - understood, well i have been in contact with dozens of designers that ignore code and use dreamweaver to design...

25-08-2006, 10:30	#11 (permalink)
dtrenz blam blam Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ann arbor, mi usa Posts: 531	they should all be shot and skinned alive. if you want to do it right, then we'd be happy to give you advice. If you want to be lazy and take shortcuts to design websites that are heavy and not cross-browser compatible, etc, etc... then go somewhere else. this forum is not for people who believe in cheating their way through design and code.

25-08-2006, 10:33	#12 (permalink)
jamie1233 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5	Right thank you for the last 2 posts - ok well I am very serious about this idea - advice would be appreciated and taken on board. Thank you

25-08-2006, 10:47	#13 (permalink)
Transmogrify Rough Creep Arse™ Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,888	If you're very serious about the idea then you would be willing to do it properly. Doesn't sound like you want to do it properly so you're obviously not that serious.

25-08-2006, 10:56	#14 (permalink)
pgo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,336	www.htmldog.com Start here: http://www.htmldog.com/guides/htmlbeginner/ Here's the breakdown: HTML - Structured content. CSS - Design/style. JavaScript/DOM - Behavior. Learn the languages or you'll be at a severe disadvantage. All those people who say, "You just need Dreamweaver - you don't need to learn to code!" are just plain wrong. That might have flown in 1999 when people thought that tables were a tool to lay out a web page, but this is 2006. You cannot make a professional quality website in Dreamweaver's design view. The web is moving towards standards compliance and accessibility, which means a web designer needs to have expert knowledge of XHTML and CSS and at least a respectable amount of JavaScript/DOM. That's just a plain and simple fact of life. You're young. You've got a lot to learn - but you've got plenty of time to learn it. If you're willing to learn, then help yourself and learn the right way. Anyway, the point is, the software you use is inconsequential. They all do the same thing. Software is a tool and only as good as the person using it. At work I use Dreamweaver (code view, of course) and at home/freelance I use Notepad++ because it doesn't cost $400.

22-09-2006, 07:27	#18 (permalink)
Transmogrify Rough Creep Arse™ Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,888	Notepad? The best there is? What a load of shite. Notepad is a crap text editor. Anyone who builds website in Notepad are doing themselves no favours at all and punishing themselves needlessly.

22-09-2006, 09:45	#19 (permalink)
dtrenz blam blam Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: ann arbor, mi usa Posts: 531	Notepad is a great place to start because it burns the markup into your brain. there are no cheats or shortcuts or auto-complete tags.... it forces you to learn how to do it, before you open dreamweaver up and it finishes all your code for you as you type. if you can't write markup in notepad you shouldn't mess with dreamweaver.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)