WYSIWYG web tool

[damian 0]

Can someone please suggest a good web authoring tool. I don't want to use any code at all. It does not have to be free. It has to be reasonably well featured and allow ok quality websites to be made, not just hack home jobs.

 

My web site is a hack home job, true, but already the free (limited trial) software I am using has started to limit what I want to do. I use Page Spinner.

 

I'm gunna have to re-build my entire site (aahh!!) but better do it now before it gets any bigger.

 

Good template functionality is helpful to me (I don't mean built in templates, I mean re-usable templates that I make which have the same shell appearance and simply require content to be added to create a new page.

 

Wordpress.org was suggested to me but it requires coding and is also primarily a blog tool. I do not do any blogging.

 

Amazingly, the easiest way to make a highly functional categorised website with simple linked content of text and pictures is to put some free forum software on your index page and then make each new 'web page' by creating a new thread under what ever category it belongs. It doesn't look good and people would be confused, but it is so very easy and it works without ANY authoring software. All you need is forum software and one lonely web page on the internet.

[fjef 0]

Rapid Weaver for OS X is really awesome software for web authoring - I don't know of anything like it for windows....

 

www.realmacsoftware.com

[misorano 1]

If you are using WYSIWYG then something that controls the whoe website and automatically updates links etc as you change the site.

 

MS Frontpage is good for this, but produces some funny code. If you have a webserver with the FP server extensions intalled, it adds a lot of simple funtionality to the site (forms, databases etc).

 

If you really want to go beyond a simple site, then 2-3 different programs are useful for editing pages (but keep the main control under 1 program).

Marcomedia products are good for a range of applications (menus etc).

[damian 0]

Thanks Fjef - I do have an iMac, but unfortunately my superior machine (and only laptop) is currently Windows. I'm holding off upgrading my Mac for as long as I possibly can and therefore also holding off bringing too much of my current work to my old Apple machine. 50% of my home computing cant be done on a Mac... and I am tired of having two platforms. I wish I could choose Mac, but i simply don't have that option.

 

Misorano - I dont want to get too advanced, so perhaps MS Frontpage will do the job. Cheers. My server has the extensions.

[bobby12 0]

Avoid Frontpage. Use Dreamweaver instead, it is far better and makes clean code.

 

Most webhosts already have WYSIWYG tools built in, you just login and start making your site.

[fjef 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by le spud:
Thanks Fjef - I do have an iMac, but unfortunately my superior machine (and only laptop) is currently Windows. I'm holding off upgrading my Mac for as long as I possibly can and therefore also holding off bringing too much of my current work to my old Apple machine. 50% of my home computing cant be done on a Mac... and I am tired of having two platforms. I wish I could choose Mac, but i simply don't have that option.

Misorano - I dont want to get too advanced, so perhaps MS Frontpage will do the job. Cheers. My server has the extensions.

Frontpage produces non-standard code and should be avoided when ever possible - especially if you are a principled person (Spud?)....

The new Intel Macs run windows natively (using Boot Camp - free) or simultaneously (using Paralells - cheap) so you could put everything on one machine and use windows only when necessary... I have this set up (I have to test in Windows) and it works great. I can't image what you might be doing that requires 50% of your work on Windows - most everything now can be done on the Mac - unless you are a huge gamer...

[damian 0]

One key bit of market-leading specialised software that I use each day simply does not exist for Macintosh and likely never will. The software is central to my small business: both for daily operation of the business and as a research tool for future business strategies. Windows is unavoidable as a result. It is a programing and analytical platform, not gaming related.

 

The split operating system is on the surface very attractive to me, however it reality it offers little benefit.

 

I have to be very confident of performance whilst running Windows. Said essential software is at times required to perform data simulations that run overnight, so performance is essential as 20% slower can mean hours.

 

I also want common file system folders when running both Operating Systems in parallel. This is a problem as I have data mountains of output from my Windows dependant software that I need to analyse in Excel. And unless I can export it directly to a folder accessible by OSX, I will have to analyse it in the Windows version of Excel, which kind of makes dual OS’s redundant, and means I have to buy two versions of Excel: one OSX, one Windows. Unless I decide to do all Excel work in Windows, which defeats the purpose of dual OS. Same for email attachments that are derived from the Windows dependant software: I would have to email them from Windows, thus splitting my email database between platforms. I am waiting for this type of shared file system folder functionality.

 

I could make it work, but why bother? It is easier for me to simply use one operating system to do everything. Unfortunately Windows will always win due to the essential software issue.

 

Back to topic: Misorano, you’re a bastard for suggesting Frontpage

[indosnm 0]

le Spud, exel file will read in a win or OSX version of Excel. Your other stuff though, I wouldn't have a clue.

[misorano 1]

Sorry about that. But I stand by what I said.

FP is great for organizing sites as it has and easy to use interface, and when used with the server extensions you get a lot of simple functionality.

(But it does write funny code )

 

As Bobby says, Most web hosts do provide a set of applications for designing webpages but most are quite simple. On the other hand many now have very good control panels that let you set up many parts of your site your self.

 

If you are going with windows then you may want to get a host with win2003 server and a plesk control panle as I've found then very easy to use.

 

I've used dreamweaver and FP and both are easier to use, but I find FP is easier to keep track of your site as it grows. And once you get up to speed with it is provides quite a lot of simple functionality.

The funny code is really only and issue for advanced developers, as all you are probably after is something that displays correctly on the internet. FP writes code for IE, so you need to check it in netscape etc to see how it looks.

[sunrise 0]

Like fjef said - Rapidweaver, also iWeb (part of Apple's iLife 06 suite).

[damian 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Indosnm:
le Spud, exel file will read in a win or OSX version of Excel. Your other stuff though, I wouldn't have a clue.

yeah, I know that. My issue is this scenario:

- running W and OSX at the same time
- in W I use my software to generate csv data for Excel analysis
- Excel resides on the OSX partition
-> therefore I need to save the W data file to the OSX file system, and that aint possible (as far as I know).

!! The two OS's use entirely separate file systems. I am waiting for this to change (besides, my W laptop is still s good machine, no need to replace it for another year or so)

The basic issue is that if a W only app produces output files for use in OSX Excel or OSX email or OSX image editing etc then you have a potential issue of easy accessibility, rather than compatibility.

What kind of a word is 'plesk'?