Best way to get into web page creation?

JWFokker

I want to start a pretty basic site. Pretty much the same format as what PA has going. Just one main page with text on the front and a link to the comic. (I realize PA has more links to shit, but the text and the comic is what I'm looking to do) What would be the easiest way, aside from paying someone else, to do this? I already have access to Dreamweaver and I could buy CoffeeCup if necessary. Also, I heard Dreamweaver sucks for page creation, though no reason was specified. I'm unaware of any real alternatives.

Any and all advice in this regard is much appreciated.

WeeSneak

I started off using Frontpage, then moved onto getting free templates from the web and basically changing them to fit my needs, eventually after going through some tutorials you can just open up notepad and create a site. It is a site made for female children but probably the best worded tutorial site i have ever been to.

www.lissaexplains.com

JWFokker

Notepad? That sounds unintuitive. Like Linux. I was hoping for something with a GUI.

Andorien

http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm

WeeSneak

Yeah notepad plus has a lot of bells added, more towards what you are seeking, but learning HTML code is the best way to go in terms of flexibility.

Jasconius

It depends on who you ask about software as to what opinions you will get on software. As I complete my associates in web design in three weeks I can tell you that from a professional standpoint, Dreamweaver is stupid. I hand code everything and I find much of the functionality in Dreamweaver is worthless to me, except for certain auto-fill/auto-complete functions that any two-bit shareware HTML editor offers.


However, as a noob, you aren't ready to worry about hardcore web standards, deprication, and other stuff. You just need a website that displays information to, I imagine, a small target audience.

Dreamweaver can put you on the path. I reccomend doing external reading on table usage so you can understand how to put together a graphic-based design together in Dreamweaver so it doesn't look like a jigsaw puzzle.


Outside of manually editing text and links to comics (which really isn't a bad idea for just a fledgling website), you need to investigate content management software like WordPress, or like-minded tools.

However, you need to learn to stand before you learn to walk.


http://www.w3schools.com/ is the most straightforward resource of proper HTML usage, and I reccomend you read all of the HTML tutorials carefully if you are serious about not making a shitty looking website.

That's the best general information I can provide. In addendum, I wouldn't spend money on any editing tools until you know you actually need them for a specific purpose. Dreamweaver and Frontpage exploit designers who don't know how to code, you are better off knowing how to code.


In addition, if you are seriously in pursuit of a revenue producing website that you intend to be popular/taken seriously.. you will want to eventually hire the pros...