Web Site Design

[W3WN]

Any suggestions on a simple (and hopefully cheap or free) web site design application?

I have, or had, a small site for storing my club's newsletters (which I edit), www.washrag.info (http://www.washrag.info). The person who was supposed to be keeping it updated, well, hadn't.

KE7FD, who used to own a small hosting company & got the domain set up (and moved it to the current host when the previous one went haywire, I never did get all the details on that) let me know the other night that someone hacked the site as it existed, and that it was generating questionable emails (it should only be a repository) going off to a web site out in Eastern EU. Not knowing what was hacked or where, he took the path of least resistance and wiped the entire site clean. So, now I'm back to square one, only I have to do it all myself.

I'm a database admin and a newsletter editor. My few attempts at a web site in the past have been somewhere between pitiful and real pitiful, but that's in part because I haven't the right tools. (I don't consider Word or Publisher the "right" tools for a proper web site)

Suggestions?

73

[ad4mg]

Any suggestions on a simple (and hopefully cheap or free) web site design application?

I have, or had, a small site for storing my club's newsletters (which I edit), http://www.washrag.info. The person who was supposed to be keeping it updated, well, hadn't.

KE7FD, who used to own a small hosting company & got the domain set up (and moved it to the current host when the previous one went haywire, I never did get all the details on that) let me know the other night that someone hacked the site as it existed, and that it was generating questionable emails (it should only be a repository) going off to a web site out in Eastern EU. Not knowing what was hacked or where, he took the path of least resistance and wiped the entire site clean. So, now I'm back to square one, only I have to do it all myself.

I'm a database admin and a newsletter editor. My few attempts at a web site in the past have been somewhere between pitiful and real pitiful, but that's in part because I haven't the right tools. (I don't consider Word or Publisher the "right" tools for a proper web site)
Suggestions?

73

Virtual Mechanics makes a free version of their Site Spinner, a "WYSIWYG" html creator, called "Web Dwarf. I did my page with it this time, taking the lazy way out. The Web Dwarf does a decent job, but will NOT edit existing html pages, and will only save the page under the name of "index.html". Easy enough to work around, but if you like the interface, the Site Spinner paid version is under $50.

Web Dwarf Download link (http://download.virtualmechanics.com/download/install/webdwarfv2/291g2/WebDwarfV291G.msi)

Do have a look at their paid version: Virtual Mechanics Products (http://www.virtualmechanics.com/products/index.html)

I did 2 of the 4 planned pages on my site with this program, Ron ... here: http://ad4mg.org

For the Linux guys, this program does run well in the newest version of Wine. And, I do suck at web page design ... :roll:

[kf0rt]

I actually still "code by hand." Notepad works.

Not a website guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to know what goes on "under the covers."

My ham site is here: http://kf0rt.westton.com/. Hasn't been updated in quite awhile and I run a couple of other private sites that are geared more towards photography (large volumes of photos). All coded mostly manually. I've written a C++ program that writes some of the HTML though.

My "buds" tell me that a good entry level tool for website development is coffeecup software: http://www.coffeecup.com/ I think it's free.

On the bookshelf here: HTML for Dummies. :snicker:

[W4GPL]

http://www.w3schools.com/ - great resource for learning HTML and CSS, etc.

[KC2UGV]

If you don't mind getting your hands dirty with code during the initial layout-design, I'd suggest Notepad++ combined with PmWiki for the site CMS.

Notepad++ for the customization of the templates and Style Sheets, and PmWiki as the engine.

The following sites took me a day each to build:

http://www.transportationresource.com
http://www.batavia-paranormal.com
http://www.eriecountyparanormal.com
http://www.theparanormaljournal.org

All of them run on the PmWiki engine. And now, I don't really need to touch HTML and CSS to make changes.

[n0iu]

My "buds" tell me that a good entry level tool for website development is coffeecup software: http://www.coffeecup.com/ I think it's free.I use the Coffeecup HTML editor and swear by it more than at it! Some of the nice features are that you can upload your pages directly to the server from within the program rather than using a separate FTP program. Another very useful feature is that you can validate the code from within the program instead of going to w3.org. While your code may appear to work, validating it assures you that it meets the current specification.

I got the program when it was free, but now it is offered on a 28 day trial and then its $49 to buy. Still, not a bad deal. Before you get jealous, the old free version does not have all of the functionality of the $49 version so I may actually pay for the program... one day... if I have to... I guess!

(Yes, I do watch the Red Green Show)

[ki4itv]

My ham site is here: http://kf0rt.westton.com/.

Not sure whether you noticed this or not, but, some displaced NASCAR loving 4-lander has snuck in the house and Duct Taped your fireplace closed.
;)

I loved the Packaging Hell page. That's great! :lol:

[kf0rt]

My ham site is here: http://kf0rt.westton.com/.

Not sure whether you noticed this or not, but, some displaced NASCAR loving 4-lander has snuck in the house and Duct Taped your fireplace closed.
;)

I loved the Packaging Hell page. That's great! :lol:

:rofl: :rofl:

We don't use the fireplace and the tape was a cheap way to keep the draft out.

You should see some of the hits I get on the Packaging Hell stuff. Dow Corning? :rofl:

[W3WN]

I actually still "code by hand." Notepad works.

Not a website guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to know what goes on "under the covers."

My ham site is here: http://kf0rt.westton.com/. Hasn't been updated in quite awhile and I run a couple of other private sites that are geared more towards photography (large volumes of photos). All coded mostly manually. I've written a C++ program that writes some of the HTML though.

My "buds" tell me that a good entry level tool for website development is coffeecup software: http://www.coffeecup.com/ I think it's free.

On the bookshelf here: HTML for Dummies. :snicker:
I don't mind getting my hands dirty at all (what the hell, I still program in dBase! and they pay me for it!) but I need to have some clue as to what I'm doing... I'll take a look at some of these, thanks all for the suggestions.

[n2ize]

The tools I use are cheap as sin and are available on any machine. Emacs or vi if you're on a Unix type system, or Notepad if you're on a Redmond based system + a reference web page or a book on html. For enhanced web programming a knowledge and/or reference of php, javascript, java, ruby, and Perl are also helpful.

[kf0rt]

I actually still "code by hand." Notepad works.

Not a website guru by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to know what goes on "under the covers."

My ham site is here: http://kf0rt.westton.com/. Hasn't been updated in quite awhile and I run a couple of other private sites that are geared more towards photography (large volumes of photos). All coded mostly manually. I've written a C++ program that writes some of the HTML though.

My "buds" tell me that a good entry level tool for website development is coffeecup software: http://www.coffeecup.com/ I think it's free.

On the bookshelf here: HTML for Dummies. :snicker:
I don't mind getting my hands dirty at all (what the hell, I still program in dBase! and they pay me for it!) but I need to have some clue as to what I'm doing... I'll take a look at some of these, thanks all for the suggestions.

Your best friend for learning HTML is the "View Source" feature of your web browser. See a page you like anywhere on the web, right click and "view source" to see how it was done. I don't use the books much, probably wouldn't buy any these days -- there are lots of good online tutorials like the one Jeff mentioned.

One of my friends who uses the coffeecup editor swears by the instant preview feature -- you can instantly see the results of any changes you made. I just keep a copy of a browser (Firefox) running, pointed to the page I'm working on from the hard drive. From within my text editor, I hit "save" then just refresh the browser. Two clicks, instant gratification! A dual monitor setup really helps.

I think the real trick is just a clean layout and clean navigation though. So many of the ham type sites I see are just cluttered messes that look like they were put together by a 3rd grader with some free recess time. My ham site was actually modeled after "The Misanthropic Bitch" site. Any fans here? :snicker: Nothing high-tech about it -- just a clean, easy to navigate layout where the whole concept was stolen from something I saw and liked. Totally static. The most advanced HTML involved is tables (though I'm now using CSS on my photo stuff). I guess for me, the object of a web site is to provide compelling content, but the mission of the dude writing it is to present it in an appealing, easy to use manner. And that means treating your audience with respect -- keep the sound OFF (nothing in the web world pisses me off more than hitting a site that fires up my 5.1 system at 4 AM the morning after I was digging rotley's YouTube contributions at full volume on the Island the night before). Pay a little attention to your color scheme. Etc., etc... The kf0rt site is where I learn and play, when time permits. It's a far cry from the professional commercial sites these days, but I've tried to make it "not look like crap."

Let us help if you run into any snags, Ron. There are a number of Islanders who are into this and I know you'll get good advice here.

[KC2UGV]

Man! You guys use Notepad on winderz? Get Notepad++! You'll thank yourself when you start using it with all the plugins it has :)

[kf0rt]

Man! You guys use Notepad on winderz? Get Notepad++! You'll thank yourself when you start using it with all the plugins it has :)

I've got Notepad++ installed on the work machine. In reality, I do most of my text editing with TextPad.

So many editors, so little time.... :yes:

[KC2UGV]

Man! You guys use Notepad on winderz? Get Notepad++! You'll thank yourself when you start using it with all the plugins it has :)

I've got Notepad++ installed on the work machine. In reality, I do most of my text editing with TextPad.

So many editors, so little time.... :yes:

I keep hearing about TextPad. I gotta try it out. Anything is better than notepad.exe though :D

[kf0rt]

Man! You guys use Notepad on winderz? Get Notepad++! You'll thank yourself when you start using it with all the plugins it has :)

I've got Notepad++ installed on the work machine. In reality, I do most of my text editing with TextPad.

So many editors, so little time.... :yes:

I keep hearing about TextPad. I gotta try it out. Anything is better than notepad.exe though :D

Yeah, actually, I use TextPad because it works pretty well with multiple files. Two critical features:

You can load a bunch of files and save the collection to an icon on your desktop. Click the icon and it loads the whole set.

It also does text searches across multiple files -- can't live without that.

There are probably better editors out there, but you know how it goes... Switching editors implies a learning curve, and who has the time for that? My main project (what I get paid for) is a set of about 50 x86 ASM files that are built at the command line under MASM. Talk about dinosaurs... There is no IDE for this stuff; I use TextPad and a few batch files to get the job done. Embedded stuff that doesn't even run under an OS.

Development environment is Windoze (could be done under DOS), but the target is purely proprietary.

TextPad isn't perfect, but it ain't bad.

[WØTKX]

Textpad is better than Electric Pencil and Wordstar!

Funny, I use Textpad too, have for years.

[KC2UGV]

Balls. Textpad costs money. Notepad++ doesn't.

Looks like I'm sticking with Notepad++

[WØTKX]

One of those cheap pieces of software that is worth it. I sent money to the IrfanView dude a long time ago. Oh, and Ham Radio Deluxe, too.

I like free trials, but I send money to folks eventually. Compassionate Capitalism. :cheers:

[KC2UGV]

One of those cheap pieces of software that is worth it. I sent money to the IrfanView dude a long time ago. Oh, and Ham Radio Deluxe, too.

I like free trials, but I send money to folks eventually. Compassionate Capitalism. :cheers:

Oh, so do I. But I prefer those one's that say,"Well, I make this software. It'd be nice if you send something my way. BTW, here's the software's code. You can make any changes you like." Compared to:

"Oh, if you like the software, and use it past X days, you gotta pay me. Or else, you're a crook. And, if you need something fixed, I'm the only one who can do it. Screw you, and send me money."

But, just my thought.

[N1LAF]

Man! You guys use Notepad on winderz? Get Notepad++! You'll thank yourself when you start using it with all the plugins it has :)

I've got Notepad++ installed on the work machine. In reality, I do most of my text editing with TextPad.

So many editors, so little time.... :yes:

Textpad is neat because you can copy text in vertical columns. Notepad is banned on my computer, wordpad is default where Notepad used to be default.

yes, I hand code using Wordpad.

[N1LAF]

"Oh, if you like the software, and use it past X days, you gotta pay me. Or else, you're a crook. And, if you need something fixed, I'm the only one who can do it. Screw you, and send me money."


Which is better than "buy me sight unseen..."

[WØTKX]

Well, I dunno. I forget who did this one, it was a long time ago...

If you find the software useful, please send money at your convenience. Your conscience could haunt you for the rest of your life if you don't. This presumes you have a conscience, and a life.

[W3WN]

Textpad is better than Electric Pencil and Wordstar!

Funny, I use Textpad too, have for years.
I miss Word*Star. During it's heyday, it ran rings around everything else; unfortunately, it got killed off by WordPerfect's marketing (and a whole bunch of other reasons, I know...)

Sometimes I wonder if just for giggles I should try reinstalling it on one of the new boxes... nah

[n0iu]

Textpad is better than Electric Pencil and Wordstar!

Funny, I use Textpad too, have for years.
I miss Word*Star. During it's heyday, it ran rings around everything else; unfortunately, it got killed off by WordPerfect's marketing (and a whole bunch of other reasons, I know...)

Sometimes I wonder if just for giggles I should try reinstalling it on one of the new boxes... nahGive it a try! (But I bet you won't be giggling by the time all is said and done!)

But sorta getting back on topic (I know, what am I thinking?), the nice thing is that while the actual content of a website is (or should be) copyrighted, HTML code isn't. As KFØRT says, "reverse engineering" is a great thing! I am just as guilty of plucking things off of other people's source code and using it on my own sites.

[KC2UGV]

Well, I dunno. I forget who did this one, it was a long time ago...

If you find the software useful, please send money at your convenience. Your conscience could haunt you for the rest of your life if you don't. This presumes you have a conscience, and a life.

I think that was Doom :) If not that, then one of the ID games.