To start a Web Site

[geoffrey_swenson]

I am planning to start putting my Web Site together, and asking your advice on what is the best software to do it with. I am proficient with Photoshop and a few drafting programs, but I don�t want to go too deep into specialisied programming.

Also any input is appreciated on how to go about it, and what pitfalls to avoid. I am also interested to now what to Hosting Service is the best go with. Thank you all. Geoffrey

[geoffrey_swenson]

I forgot to add that I have a PC system. Thanks again, Geoffrey

[matthew_runde]

Geoffrey,

 

<p>

 

I've built web sites for years, and I've seen that people have

trouble when they don't plan it out first. I would suggest that you

think very carefully about WHY you are building the site. Do you

want to sell fine art prints, promote your commercial photography,

etc. Knowing why will help you design and build the site.

 

<p>

 

Then, if it will be a "static" site (no databases, etc.), decide what

you want to have on every single page. I can't stress this enough -

it is the point where most people have trouble. They may build a 20

page site and find out that they only needed four pages. I would

suggest that you draw a simple flow chart that explains how the pages

are linked. Then I usually create a precise look and feel in

Photoshop, and then recreate it in code.

 

<p>

 

I would suggest that you use Macromedia Dreamweaver to build it.

This is a personal opinion based on trouble I've had with FrontPage.

I usually code by hand, but I've found that Dreamweaver keeps code

relatively clean and tidy.

 

<p>

 

I don't have much direct experience with one particular host, but

based on reviews that I've read I would recommend Verve Hosting

(www.vervehosting.com). They seem relatively fast and inexpensive.

 

<p>

 

Also, you may want to check out sites that you like and figure out

exactly what it is about them that you like. This may help when you

design the site.

 

<p>

 

Good luck and don't give up!

[psychophoto]

I only started building my web site a few months ago, so I don't

have vast experience in this area yet, but my preference for

software is Adobe GoLive. I've had brief experience with other

programs, but at this point I like the Adobe best. I find it easy to

get the results I want. I'm about to totally overhaul the design on

my site, so if I run into anything else I think might be useful, I'll let

you know. I use AT& T Small Business Hosting and have yet to

find something I don't like about their services.

[lars ake vinberg]

I use Frontpage and Photoshop, lets me focus on content and stay away

from programming, I get enough of that at work.

 

<p>

 

http://www.vinberg.nu

[fred2]

I really agree with the recommendation to spend a LOT of time with

notepaper and pen putting your ideas, both visual and literal,

together. A web search will turn up some very nice guides on the

thought processes in putting together an effective site.

 

<p>

 

In terms of web editing software I normally use Dreamweaver 4 and

find it very intuitive to use. I have recently acquired GoLive, but

haven't had much time to try it out. Macromedia has a 30 day free

trial, fully functional, of Dreamweaver on their site for download. I

downloaded it early one Saturday morning a couple of years ago

(version 2 then) and by Saturday afternoon had some really nice pages

ready to ftp to the server. All of my graphics work is done in

Photoshop and Illustrator. I have just started to work some in Flash,

but I do not find it nearly as intuitive as Dreamweaver.

 

<p>

 

As an afterthought, do some research on which fonts work best on the

web. Poor font selection will drive viewers away from a web site.

 

<p>

 

Good luck.

 

<p>

 

Fred

[peter brown - www.peterbro]

Hi Geoffrey,

 

<p>

 

I would endorse the recommendation for GoLive. This is a very intuitive

program and especially so if you have a graphic design or visual arts

background. It seamlessly merges with Photoshop (same manufacturer)

which is a bonus and is very easy to learn. It is also very stable and works

well on Mac or PC. For an example of what can be achieved with GoLive visit

Paul Schilliger's site at www.paulschilliger.com

 

<p>

 

Dreamweaver is also an excellent program and as stated above is very

stable. If you are confident with HTML or other programming you will find it

quite easy to learn too, but I find it is not so "designer friendly" as GoLive.

 

<p>

 

I can't comment from personal use of Frontpage but a lot of PC users I know

have designed their sites with it and I think it is very good as a first choice for

beginners. It is easy to learn and does a good job especially if you are used

to the PC and Windows interface.

 

<p>

 

One other reason I like GoLive is that it is very good at managing large sites.

There is also a nice, easy little 'action' for slide shows, something many

photographer's like.

 

<p>

 

Any of the above programs will do a good job and it is really a matter of

personl preference, depending on whether you are more attuned to visual

design or to programming.

 

<p>

 

Good luck with your site and let us know when it's ready.

 

<p>

 

Kind regards

 

<p>

 

Peter brown

[nigel_turner]

I used Frontpage for my first attempt at designing my web site. But

alas I found that it writes very cluttered code. Frontpage was

designed to be viewed with MS Explorer, and getting it to look the

same in Netscape is a pain sometimes. Taking into account the

dwindling amount of netscape users that might not be such a problem

though.

 

<p>

 

You can see the result at http://www.nigelturnerphotography.com

 

<p>

 

I've also used GoLive 5 but found that to be rather buggy. The

interface is not that user friendy, and although it integrates well

with Photoshop you have to know Photoshop, which in itself is a

rather complicated programme.

 

<p>

 

I also have Dreamweaver 4 Ultra Dev and Fireworks 4 and have found

this to be the most useful WYSIWYG web authoring software available.

 

<p>

 

Dreamweaver writes extremely good, clean code and has a very good

user interface. If you add this together with all the extentions that

are available for free at Macromedia's web site, and use Fireworks 4

for any graphics you'll be well on the way to producing a good

looking, friendly website. Macromedia also makes Flash, but I don't

really think you need that in a photographic website.

 

<p>

 

As to pitfalls.. I suggest you spend more time on design and

presentation of your site, and the presentation of the photography

you plan to show rather than fancy graphics that take to long to

download. There are still a lot of people who bimble along at 28k and

use either IE1.1 or Netscape 2.

 

<p>

 

Earthlink provide a great hosting service at $19.99 per month. I

haven't had any down time, and the user logs are very useful.

 

<p>

 

If you have any questions then please feel free to email me and I'll

try to help.

[janez_pelko1]

My goal was just to present my photos and make a simple homepage. I

also use FrontPage. For small corrections and making similair pages I

use Notepad or Ultraeditor.

Regards,

www.janez-pelko.com

[erik_asgeirsson]

I use and like FrontPage, but I have not really tried anything else.

As to a place to host it, if you have or are planning to purchase

your own domain name, Your-Site.com offers reliable (in my limited

experience) and comprehensive service (ie several email accounts,

50mb space and Java/Perl/CGI support) for $60/yr.

[john_henderson1]

I use a text editor.

[upscan]

Peter Brown: Many thanks for the mention of Paul Schilliger's web

site. Paul's site is an inspiration and not only because of its

beautiful landscape photography. The presentation, writing, -in

english and French and the textual content are admirable, the whole

thing is truly one of the 'must see' things in the web. If adobe go

Live can help produce such pages, it must be good. However, I did

look at Go Live and perhaps I did not spend enough time on it but to

me it seemed entirely un-intuitive and felt I would have to spend

much more time with it to get going. With Microsoft FrontPage 2002

it was go right from the start, without need of the manual until much

later. Though I am a beginner in FrontPage, I was able to do with it

what I wanted right from the start. My question is, am I loosing

something without Adobe go Live ot Dreamweaver. What makes those

programs a must for a user? Could Paul's site not have been created

in FrontPage?

[alpshiker]

Julio, thanks again for your kind email sent privately and for your nice words about my site. I think, if you are

working with Photoshop images and graphics, Adobe Golive does a great job. It wasn't easy for me to master and I

had to take a course to get the basics, but then it went all right with some help gotten on the way. I wanted to point

some resources at Adobe Website where you can watch small step by step tutorial movies. Had I known about it, the

course would have not been necessary. There is also a forum very useful when seeking help. There are some great

specialists there! I think, if you only want a small simple website, FrontPage might be all right. Otherwise, I would

advise not to loose too much of your time and energy with it, but go straight for a pro solution. There is also the

DreamWeaver option that some use, but I know nothing about it. Here are the links. The second requires registering.

Good luck!

 

<p>

 

http://www.adobe.com/web/tips/glvvtco/main.html

 

<p>

 

http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?14@@.ee6b31a

[peter brown - www.peterbro]

Hi everyone,

 

<p>

 

Although I have sent this to you privately Julio, I thought others may also be

interested in an answer to your question; >What makes those programs a

must for a user? Could Paul's site not have been created in FrontPage?<

 

<p>

 

Paul's site may have been able to be created in Frontpage, but by using

GoLive he was better able to integrate it with his Photoshop images. There is

seamless integration between the Adobe programs and using tools called

"Smart Objects" allows you to work with native applications, Photoshop,

Illustrator and Livemotion, manipulating images and objects while they are

updated "in real time" in GoLive. This makes creating and working on images

very easy.

The main reason though, for using a professional program like Dreamweaver

or GoLive, is that they are both very good at site management. This is not a

problem with small sites with just a few pages and with few links, but once

the site grows it becomes important to have good site management.

GoLive and Dreamweaver also make finding and fixing broken links easy.

Using templates and page content which is used often and needs to be

duplicated, is very easy with these programs and saves lots of time 'cutting &

pasting". The good site management of these programs also allows you to

easily update or change web site content.

 

<p>

 

If you are planning on your site growing or if you intend doing more web site

design, I would recommend either GoLive or Dreamweaver. I have and use

both but prefer GoLive which seems to fit with my graphic design skills better

as it works just like a illustration layout program.

 

<p>

 

Good luck with your site.

 

<p>

 

Kind regards,

Peter Brown

[davey]

I know this is sort of an ad, but I have been involved in programming web pages for many years, and found that many people have ran into the same problems building thier own photography web site.

 

I have just finished a program which I am hoping will have addressed all these issues. Check it out, there is a demo link available:

 

http://www.gallerydir.com

 

Anyway.. as many other programs/services have been "advertised" in this thread, I hope I am not out of line mentioning it here.

 

I would like feedback, if you dont mind.

 

Thanks

 

Dave