Web Site Design Software Recommendations

[Scot]

I currently have a web site, xtremetexascookers.com that I built with the web hosting company online web builder tool. It has worked well for us but I would like to improve the site beyond the limitations of the canned sitebuilder program.

I am going to purchase Web Design software and looking for some recommendations. I am looking for the latest and greatest tools like Coffee Cup products etc. But looking for some first hand experience and advice... BTW I do not know HTML so it has to be a tool that does not require knowing it....

If someone has built a website and they would like to share the tools they used to build it, that would be great.

 

[GrimJack]

I started building websites using this type of tool, but never could get the fine control that I wanted. Furthermore, these tools create GOBS of code, so it was never very efficient.

Years ago I put in the effort to learn HTML - it's not very complex - and started writing everything from scratch using a basic text editor. This has paid off *many* times since, and I highly recommend the route.

 

[SupraMario]

Dreamweaver is about the easiest your gonna get without scripting, this is base HTML.
If you understand the english language you know HTML...
As for a website built off flash, I would suggest SwishMax3, it does require knowledge of HTML and Flash if you want to make the site own your own, if you don't care to make it and just find a template it will do that too.
I'm using SwishMax3 and I love it, I can edit stuff when I need too, but be lazy when I don't feel like typing out code.

 

[TopSecret]

Well, I'm far from being a genius in programming or anything. Far far from it. I do however know a little bit of the old school html, the simple stuff, nothing flashy. The things I don't know I either google or I ask for help online.

I would suggest that you do learn some html, it will make your life a lot easier even if you have some fancy program that will do most of the work for you.

You really don't need much html knowledge to build a decent website especially if you can live without flashy things.

I use Best Address html editor (they have code and visual editing as well as a live preview), I also sometimes use Macromedia Dreamweaver (mainly for menus, like pop-up menus). But for those programs you need some html knowledge.

This is the kinda stuff I'm capable of making but nothing more than that, really. It's the index.htm I did for a friend. It's not a project or anything, I mostly did that to piss off his gf, lol. You can see a pop up menu (it's not there all the time, only on mouseover, at least the way I have it set up).

 

[Scot]

Thx for the input. I'll make the slacker in me learn HTML. Sounds like it can only help.