DESIGN TOOL: Notepad? Dreamwaver? Frontpage? HTML Kit???

galaraf

What's your favorite tool to use when building your site? What about maintaining it? Question

I started out designing in Frontpage and have been using Dreamweaver for a little while now, especially for major site changes. I usually do "touch-ups" in Notepad. Since I've got quite a few galleries, I started using Image Walker a few years ago (it's free) and have been using it ever since. I've been using Top Style Lite (free) to view/edit my css files. Since my site(s) have basically been a hobby, I can't afford a lot of software, so I look for free stuff with which to enhance my site. Embarassed

Any comments? Question

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jupiter · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 8 Karma: 0 (0)

When I first started trying to write some HTML, I thought I "needed" a tool, so I downloaded something called HotDog, it was horrible. I also tried using Word, but didn't like all the extra junk it added. Then I found out all I needed was notepad. Done a lot of FTP/notepad development. Nowdays I skip the FTP as much as possible and just use the UNIX editor vi right on the server. That is fast, no more uploading HTML pages, only use FTP for images.

galaraf · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:52 pm Post subject:

I noticed you signed up for a top site list here at top-site-list.com as well as your list on the Jarvis Network. I also have one ther, but unfortunately, the lists there haven't appeared to have updated in about 2 years. It's now owned by Westlin, and they've never fixed it. That's one reason I came here.
BTW, thanks for joining FSF! Smile

Other than your topsite lists, what;s your "regular" home page?
Is it a FSF site?
Would you list it here, too?

I do a lot of "touchup" work in notepad, including adding small changes to pages here and there, but I've found it easier utilizing DreamweaverMX lately. It really helps when I'm paring down the site because it keeps track of all your internal links & fixes them, when necessary. I haven't really done much with FireworksMX or FlashMX, but I guess I'll mess with them as I get used to using the suite. There are plenty of tools, and it's kind of neat to learn how to do new things that I can use later.

I'm relatively new to all this, even though I've had web sites since about '99. I've taught myself how to build computers from scratch, build websites, etc., and I love the interaction on the 'net with folks of all ages.

Hope you'll visit the forum once in a while & share some tips.

Again, thanks for joining & participating in FSF! Laughing

_________________
You can't always get what you want...

http://www.fictionalworlds.com

jupiter · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 8 Karma: 0 (0)

Yeah, that service has been iffy all along. Remember they lost my HTML layout at least once, may have even lost some members. Anyway, I think that things will be a lot better at TSLP, in fact I'm going to make sure of it since that's my job. Wink

I've got a lot of sites, actually, but Moons of Jupiter is my most scifantasyish one. Wink

Love what you've done here, FSF looks really cool!

elium · Moderator Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 16 Karma: 0 (0)

Same experience route as jupiter although I use Notetab Light (www.notetab.com) it justs let me open up many files in one session & I can flick through them by clicking on the relevent tabs - simply opening the package up also opens up all the files I had open last session so makes access to all pages for a single site dead easy.

Currently hosting on my own webserver - that's a learning curve let me say ....

galaraf · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:53 pm Post subject:

How's that for bandwidth? I mean If you're hosting from home, what speed is your connection & is it costing extra? I'd think it would degrade your personal online access. Very interesting. Confused

_________________
You can't always get what you want...

http://www.fictionalworlds.com

jupiter · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 8 Karma: 0 (0)

Running your own server has got great advantages but extra demands. I love it. Might need to get another one this year... Wink

galaraf · Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject:

Are you on DSL? What speed? Did you have to get permission to host a website from your ISP?
_________________
You can't always get what you want...

http://www.fictionalworlds.com

elium · Moderator Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 16 Karma: 0 (0)

Well I'm only on a halfMeg pipe but then again none of the sites are particuarly access heavy. Cannot comment about the effects on personal on line access becouse I don't get to spend enough time at home to get a chance to use it that much.

I needed a static IP for which my ISP charges an extra fiver a month for - don't know if this is a good rate or not simply becouse the whole ASDL setup is part of DRP plan & allow me to hook into our company servers to perform OOH system maintenance - I just had to perswade them that a static IP was all in the interests of Research.

One thing to be aware of however is the type of broadband package you are on. If it is unlimited the all's fine but if you are on a restricted capacity (regardless of how wide your pipe is - i.e. halfmeg / 1Mb / 2Mb) you could endup either being charged a fortune or simply having no In or Out traffic occuring for the rest of the month.

I've used Names.co.uk to supply me with just the domain names and then linked the URLs through to the relevent directories on my server via the Names.Co's quite powerful Online Control Panel (no having to phone them up for small changes and waiting for them to get round to it). I've not actually done the redirects quite right as a user seems to go via a small redirect page on the Name.Co servers rather than pointing directly at my server - but it works. Although it is worth mentioning that this is currently causing issues for some SE BOTs as they are unable to follow that inital redirect link - but as you can see from searching for K.G.Childs via google there are many other ways of getting high ratings even with such a BOT access problem occuring.

On the side note of SE Rankings, folks can do worse than create some pages on Wikipedia. It seems their whole site is searched reguarly by at least the Google BOTS and that alone has given me second ranking in Google for the keyworks 'The Fortress City'. It seems daunting at first but the scripting is quite easy when you get your head around it esp. if you find another page and copy the commands & layout changing just the content. To top it off there are always advanced users looking at any new pages and correcting layout problems - my two entries where overhalled by someone in under a week and look very nice now.

galaraf · Posted: Fri May 12, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject:

You know a heck of a lot more than I do about what's going on in the world of the 'net. I'm still trying to learn more about keeping the sites I've got somewhat up-to-date. I've been interested in the way php looks and seems to work, but I haven't had the time to devote to reading enough about it to know how to use it.

My DSL was recently (this month) upgraded to 3M down & 512 up. When all the stuff on my little 2-computer + 1 laptop network at home are working correctly, things seem to work right fast and well. Only problem is that I've kept upgrading machines over the years and now all (exc. the laptop) are totally home-built rigs with about 2/3 of the software being either had-me-downs, purchased online, or as I found out about a week ago, on machine has an evidently pirated copy of XP. Had to order a "make windows legal" upgrade from MS (by the way, it worked - they're sending me a CD coded to my new registration number). Interesting thing happened - when the computer rebooted after the upgrade, my antivirus was shot & had to be reinstalled. Works perfectly though. I've been using Grisoft AVG (free version) and have had NO problems. My wife's laptop gets more "grief" (acts weird, etc.) from Norton than I've ever had from AVG.

Back on topic - what software do you use to build/maintain your site(s)?
_________________
You can't always get what you want...

http://www.fictionalworlds.com