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Web Page Design on Macs

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trialsboy50

Monkey
Nov 23, 2004
160
0
Hey All,

I recently got a Powerbook, and moved from a Dell. I used to used Frontpage, but there is not a Frontpage for Mac, so what software do you recommend for basic web page design? (not html stuff, other languages)

Byron
 
pixelninja

pixelninja

Turbo Monkey
Jun 14, 2003
2,131
0
Denver, CO
trialsboy50 said:
so what software do you recommend for basic web page design? (not html stuff, other languages)
Click to expand...
What do you mean "not html stuff, other languages?

html IS what you use for basic web page design. Maybe I don't understand the question.
 
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trialsboy50

Monkey
Nov 23, 2004
160
0
Ok, well when I used Frontpage, I never typed code. I just put text/pictures like on a word document. Frontpage automatically convereted it to HTML i think, but I never dealt with code and it was easy peasy.

Dreamweaver is way too complicated I think.
 
pixelninja

pixelninja

Turbo Monkey
Jun 14, 2003
2,131
0
Denver, CO
I see, so you want a WYSIWYG editor and not a code editor.

Dreamweaver is both. You can use it as wysiwyg only, code only, or both.

Do a search on Yahoo for "free mac wysiwyg html editor" and you'll find a few programs.

Here's one: Nvu
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,660
1,237
Nilbog
man do yourself a favor, learn a bit about the code, you wont be able to make really clean design/code without it. Take it from me, i started with dreamweaver, but after learning html code, you can do all kinds of fun stuff :)
 
Ridemonkey

Ridemonkey

This is not an active account
Sep 18, 2002
4,108
1
Toronto, Canada
Dreamweaver is probably the best overall editor (WYSIWYG and code), but if you're just looking for a code editor you might want to check out BBEdit, TextMate, or SKEdit.
 
Toshi

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,720
8,732
Ridemonkey said:
Dreamweaver is probably the best overall editor (WYSIWYG and code), but if you're just looking for a code editor you might want to check out BBEdit, TextMate, or SKEdit.
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given that he liked the "word document" type interface on frontpage i don't think bbedit will be his tool of choice :oink:

(vi for life! actually, i use textwrangler for its coloring.)
 
Wumpus

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
You might try Homesite. It's put out by Macromedia(Dreamweaver) and if I remember right was more point and click, not exactly wysiwyg but definitely doable.
 
pixelninja

pixelninja

Turbo Monkey
Jun 14, 2003
2,131
0
Denver, CO
Wumpus said:
You might try Homesite. It's put out by Macromedia(Dreamweaver) and if I remember right was more point and click, not exactly wysiwyg but definitely doable.
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Homesite is purely code based, with a wysiwyg preview. Macromedia describes it as "a lean code-only editor for web development".
 
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trialsboy50

Monkey
Nov 23, 2004
160
0
haha yea, you can tell i def am not a computer guy

but i do appreciate the links, i will def try one of thoe WIss... editor things, thanks for the help
 
pixelninja

pixelninja

Turbo Monkey
Jun 14, 2003
2,131
0
Denver, CO
trialsboy50 said:
haha yea, you can tell i def am not a computer guy

but i do appreciate the links, i will def try one of thoe WIss... editor things, thanks for the help
Click to expand...
WYSIWYG: What You See Is What You Get
 
Wumpus

Wumpus

makes avatars better
Dec 25, 2003
8,161
153
Six Shooter Junction
pixelninja said:
Homesite is purely code based, with a wysiwyg preview. Macromedia describes it as "a lean code-only editor for web development".
Click to expand...

Well, it seemed easier than dreamweaver, and it's a whole lot cheaper.
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
trialsboy50 said:
haha yea, you can tell i def am not a computer guy

but i do appreciate the links, i will def try one of thoe WIss... editor things, thanks for the help
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That's a good reminder to the hard core computer geeks... we're not all hard core computer geeks. Even those of us who, like me, are into PC's may not have time or interest in learning HTML. I work with computers all day. the last thing I want is to go home and spend hours and hours learning HTML so I can make or update my little web pages. I use and like Front Page. It's easy to use, and produces decent results. I've used Dreamweaver as well. It's OK. Does the same thing as Front Page. The big difference for me is that I already know how to use front page (Anyone want to buy a copy of Macromedia Studio MX?).

Granted, I am indeed envious of the nice pages I see out there, but I just don't have time to learn HTML, XML, Java, Flash, and all the other stuff to make those flashy whizz bang webpages. Mad props to those who do know all that stuff, though.

My Page... all made with Front Page. It's nothing fancy, but it works.

http://www.blackrune.com/
 
Ridemonkey

Ridemonkey

This is not an active account
Sep 18, 2002
4,108
1
Toronto, Canada
Aside from various user features, the main difference between Frontpage and Dreamweaver is the quality/compatibility of the code they produce. Frontpage tends to add a lot of superfluous, malformed code to its pages, whereas Dreamweaver tends to be better syntax and efficiency-wise.

That aside, Dreamweaver has nice integration with Fireworks, and Flash, so if you're doing any decent amount of development you can really streamline your workflow.

That all being said...I personally prefer a straight editor like TextMate because I need to do most of my coding by hand...but then again, I do this for a living.
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
Ridemonkey said:
Aside from various user features, the main difference between Frontpage and Dreamweaver is the quality/compatibility of the code they produce. Frontpage tends to add a lot of superfluous, malformed code to its pages, whereas Dreamweaver tends to be better syntax and efficiency-wise.

That aside, Dreamweaver has nice integration with Fireworks, and Flash, so if you're doing any decent amount of development you can really streamline your workflow.

That all being said...I personally prefer a straight editor like TextMate because I need to do most of my coding by hand...but then again, I do this for a living.
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I have a question about the differences in the HTML code these two editors produce... How can you tell? Other than looking at the code and knowing what you are looking at, how can I tell the difference? Will a page with cleaner HTML load faster? Will the less clean HTML (FP) load slower? Not look right? Tables off?
I have used both and my pages all looked the same. Now, I do know that my pages are very simple and pedestrian, especially to someone who does real code and makes real fancy web pages, but they are the kind of web page that I think most people have as a personal page. In my case do you think it matters how clean the HTML code is that is produced by these WYSIWYG editors? Even though web design isn't that important to me, if I can make my pages better, I will.
 
Ridemonkey

Ridemonkey

This is not an active account
Sep 18, 2002
4,108
1
Toronto, Canada
Honestly, for a personal page it probably doesn't matter.

However, as a rule, cleaner code will load faster because there's less of code it will download faster, and the more "correct" it is, the less time the browser takes to interpret it, and the more accurately it will display it. Again, on a personal site with a basic layout this difference is probably negligible.

The other concern is cross-compatibility with browsers. Frontpage codes pages to look nice in Internet Explorer, which is considered by most industry people, to be the worst browser on the market. Sometimes this means using proprietary code that other browsers don't support. Dreamweaver uses what's called "standards compliant" code, that should look nearly the same in all browsers. Again, something you may not be concerned about on a personal site.
 
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