Web site newbie help.

[Franco]

Its not something I had particually thought about getting into before but especially now Ive got a cab I would like to set a site of my own up, to document my build and hopefully have some pages for my other interests as well

The only thing is I dont know where to start.

Can anyone recommend some software and/or forums/sites that would be suitable for a beginner? I dont want something so basic that I wont be able to do much with it. I dont mind having to study some software, i dont expect to produce something decent for quite a while.

Any help would be great.

Thanks.

[Jabba]

Microsoft Front page is not too bad. I used it for my site. I really didn't want to have to learn too much, but just enough to get the message across. I think I started out with someone elses website as a template and went from there. 

I'm sure others will be along do post some much better stuff...

[GameOver]

I used FrontPage for mine too, hosted for free by Tripod.  I don't claim to have a web site, more of a web page! (just 1 page  )

FrontPage is relatively easy, but unless you have a copy or know someone who does can be a bit pricey upfront.  I don't know any free type stuff.

[TOK]

Microsoft Front page is not too bad. I used it for my site. I really didn't want to have to learn too much, but just enough to get the message across. I think I started out with someone elses website as a template and went from there. 

I'm sure others will be along do post some much better stuff...

Lots of good info on your build on your page. You have a bunch of broken image links in the control panel section. From about 1/4 to halfway down the page, none of the images show for me.

[cholin]

Guys, any web designer will dis Frontpage to the ground.  Use Macromedia Dreamweaver.  Frontpage adds a bunch of nonsense coding to your website and is harder to manage than Dreamweaver.  Trust me, I write sites.  If you want any dynamic coding, use a mixture of Macromedia Dreamweaver and DzSoft PHP Editor, and some people will recommend PHP Designer 2005.  DzSoft is good because it allows you to preview your code if you have PHP installed.

Basically, use Macromedia.  I was going to create a designer called Jotpad Web Editor, and I got rather far on it, until I had a drive error.  I had it planned and surveyed several designers asking what they wanted the most out of other designers.  I had it planned so well

[GameOver]

Guys, any web designer will dis Frontpage to the ground. Use Macromedia Dreamweaver.

I've tried Dreamweaver, it works great.  And as I web designer I absolutely trust and respect your opinion.  BUT - I would argue that for a generation of slackers brainwashed on MS products, the learning curver on MS FrontPage is way shorter than Dreamweaver.  The FrontPage interface is nearly identical to other Microsoft products (not saying that's great) which means most anyone who can use a Windows PC nowadays can learn FrontPage relatively quickly.

[Trimoor]

Frontpage is absolute crap.  It doesn't even follow W3 standards.  You might as well close your eyes and imagine you had a web page.  The best thing to use is a text editor.  You can find tutorials at http://www.w3schools.com/

If you must use a program, try something like HTML-Kit.  It generates very clean XHTML compliant code.

Whatever you do, NEVER write IE only pages or scripts.  You will be flamed mercilessly.

[Jabba]

Lots of good info on your build on your page. You have a bunch of broken image links in the control panel section. From about 1/4 to halfway down the page, none of the images show for me.

Thanks TOK...ME Bad. I haven't been to that Website in a while. I noticed the same thing. Should be corrected soon...

[Jabba]

Frontpage is absolute crap.

[cholin]

If money's a factor, lean towards HTML-Kit, PHP Designer 2005, and other free programs.  There was one with the word "build" in it, but I forget.