Best way to code web pages?

Which is the best way to code web pages: to code the HTML yourself, or to use software to do it for you? When I first started learning HTML and making web pages, I tried my hand at MS FrontPage, but it created huge HTML files with lengthy code that I couldn't understand. Manipulating such large, slow-loading files seemed so cumbersome at the time for the very simple project I was making, so I switched to writing the HTML directly using a text editor.

But now that I have a teeny bit more experience, and am more ambitious with the kind of pages I want to create, I'm wondering if my method is too slow or limited. Should I switch to using some kind of web design software? If so, what would you all recommend? I'm looking for something powerful, user-friendly, and most importantly, free.

I'm incredibly new at web design, and I'm learning completely on my own (I don't even have a book on the topic), so excuse me if this is an obvious question.

Aximili23

I'm pretty new as well. However thank the Lord I found Dreamweaver MX.

Highly recommended
*not free though...*

With DW, photoshop and notepad = you can't go wrong.

Drop FP and run, far far away.

I use Visual Vision's Hyperpublish. It is fairly easy to learn and costs about $150.00. I bought front page, but haven't learned it well enough to use it. Hyperpublish even has a built in ftp client. Also has a trial period....
Support is good too...I am not trying to put together a page to make me a millionaire tho...the link to them is at the bottom of my page http://www.link2earth.com .

[Annied]

I use Dreamweaver 4 and find it excellent. If you don't mind not having the very latest version, you could probably pick up a copy very cheaply on Ebay or at one of the online shops which specialise in software.

Sounds like I need to look at Dreamweaver. I really need something with "slow class mentality", and hate to buy something else like FP which takes a long time to learn, even for the basics. Is dreamweaver fairly easy to learn ?

btw I'm really new...if anyone talking in here has a free website they don't mind another visitor at pls post the url....I like to snoop....

[Annied]

When I started out with Dreamweaver I had absolutely no knowledge of building websites or how to use the software at all. My next door neighbour was the person who actually created www.catsup.co.uk which began life with 8 or 9 pages. He showed me a few basics, to get me started, and I got a bit carried away. (It has 84 pages at the last count.) Since I'm anything but a techie, it follows that it can't be that difficult to get your head around!

I think you said you were OK with html, but for anyone that isn't, the tutorials at http://htmlgoodies.com also helped me tremendously when I started.

No, I know little about html, know a bit about networking and routers, but no programming. It's just a new hobby I'm trying to pick up...

BTW your site is very impressive.
Of course one would assume that any one with the ability to decode cat behavior would naturally be adept at the cryptic confusion that is html...

[Annied]

Originally Posted by fergu38397

No, I know little about html, know a bit about networking and routers, but no programming. It's just a new hobby I'm trying to pick up......

Then I'd definitely recommend http://htmlgoodies.com . The basic html tutorials are just what they say - basic, but they're very well written and easy to follow.

Originally Posted by fergu38397

BTW your site is very impressive.
Of course one would assume that any one with the ability to decode cat behavior would naturally be adept at the cryptic confusion that is html...

Thank you - compliments are always very welcome!

There's nothing complicated on the Catsup website though. I only do basic, but it's amazing how you can adapt a little knowledge and make it go a long way. There are plenty of clever people around who write scripts and then allow you to use them. If you can copy and paste, it's surprising how many features you can include. Where the html tutorials helped me was that I could see how to customise the scripts. That's how I was able to add things like the quiz and the puzzle pictures. Working out the machinations of a Siamese mind is far more difficult!

I'm beginning to untangle the html a bit, htmlgoodies.com helped. I ran across a free editor called First Page. Here's a link - http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage2.shtml . I will try it for a while before laying out more money, but if I do buy another one I think I'll try Dreamweaver based on everyone's praise...

I use Dreamweaver and Fireworks MX. It really does help to have a basic knowledge of HTML even with a WYSIWYG tool though.