Freeware for making a basic website

GrahameR · 03-05-2010, 10:55 PM

Hi, any ideas on good (i.e. easy) freeware for a newbie to try to make a website?

I gather Dreamweaver is the professionals' choice - but as I find with so many of these programs, for basic users there are just too many 'bells and whistles' which just add to a really hefty price tag (for stuff we neither want nor can understand).

In the first instance I just want to try to put together a website with pics, text and a movie. I have done it using iWeb but find it a bit limited as it ties you in to Mac and you must pay for any extra space.

TIA,
Grahame

acme.mail.order · 03-05-2010, 11:13 PM

If you are familiar with HTML, then TextEdit will work fine (and it came with your Mac). Otherwise TextWrangler from barebones.com is good (that's what I use to develop websites).

If you want a graphical html editor you can look here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_HTML_editors

Jay Carr · 03-05-2010, 11:51 PM

Do you have a Mac? iWeb should work just fine...

styrafome · 03-06-2010, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrahameR


	I have done it using iWeb but find it a bit limited as it ties you in to Mac and you must pay for any extra space.

You're not locked in. iWeb lets you FTP to anywhere, with some limitations.
http://iwebfaq.org/site/iWeb_Folder_FTP.html
I have no experience with it, though.

Mostly I don't like to code, but in the case of simple web sites I have found it extremely useful to learn CSS and HTML, which can be coded in TextWrangler for free. The other free tool you can use to help you code is the Web code inspector now built into Safari (and IE on Windows 7) and which can be added to Firefox via the Web Developer plug-in. What this does is you can click on anything on a web page to find out how it is coded, and if you're inspecting your own site you can change the code interactively right there in the browser to find out what's going wrong and how to fix it. For me, a non-coder, these in-browser web inspectors have been invaluable in not having to use Dreamweaver.

benwiggy · 03-06-2010, 03:09 AM

As usual, the versiontracker website allows you to search for and download freeware web editors.

Dave Braine · 03-07-2010, 02:44 AM

iWeb is fine, although it doesn't always display correctly on our work's PC using IE6. Here's my website:
http://freespace.virgin.net/dave.braine/index.html

If you are limited on webspace, as I am, upload your movie to YouTube and then embed it on your site.

benwiggy · 03-07-2010, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Braine


	iWeb is fine, although it doesn't always display correctly on our work's PC using IE6.

That's your problem right there.

IE6 is not only ancient, but doesn't implement internet standards very well. Some companies, such as Google and YouTube, are about to pull the plug on support for it. Even MS recommends that you don't use it!

Dave Braine · 03-07-2010, 05:13 AM

Quote:


	IE6 is not only ancient, but doesn't implement internet standards very well. Some companies, such as Google and YouTube, are about to pull the plug on support for it. Even MS recommends that you don't use it!

Yes, I know, but the people I work for are only just getting around to upgrading their system from Windows 2000 to XP, and this machine hasn't been done yet.

mituw16 · 03-07-2010, 09:59 AM

one word... nano

GrahameR · 03-07-2010, 08:42 PM

Thanks guys - fantastic as usual.

Cheers, Grahame

mclbruce · 03-09-2010, 12:11 AM

SeaMonkey has a web page editor built in. It's free.

http://www.seamonkey-project.org/

trevor · 03-09-2010, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Braine


	Yes, I know, but the people I work for are only just getting around to upgrading their system from Windows 2000 to XP, and this machine hasn't been done yet.

Firefox will run just fine in XP or Windows 2000. Google Chrome will run just fine in XP with Service Pack 2. These are both far superior to any version of IE, and are a free download, easy to install. OR (and I'm not advising the use of such an awful browser, but) IE 8 will run fine in XP with SP2.

Ditch IE6, preferably for a better browser, but at a bare bare minimum for IE8.

Trevor

mituw16 · 03-09-2010, 09:22 AM

IE (in all incarnations) is Microsofts way to make users pull their hair out!

Firefox, Opera, Chrome, and Safari are all free, and are all much much better than IE.

Dave Braine · 03-09-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:


	Ditch IE6, preferably for a better browser

We only get what they give us, I'm afraid.

03-05-2010, 10:55 PM	#1
GrahameR Triple-A Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 121	Freeware for making a basic website Hi, any ideas on good (i.e. easy) freeware for a newbie to try to make a website? I gather Dreamweaver is the professionals' choice - but as I find with so many of these programs, for basic users there are just too many 'bells and whistles' which just add to a really hefty price tag (for stuff we neither want nor can understand). In the first instance I just want to try to put together a website with pics, text and a movie. I have done it using iWeb but find it a bit limited as it ties you in to Mac and you must pay for any extra space. TIA, Grahame

03-05-2010, 11:51 PM	#3
Jay Carr Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Springfield, MO, USA Posts: 3,110	Do you have a Mac? iWeb should work just fine... __________________ ~ Long ago I was called Zalister, keep that in mind when reading responses to my old posts.

03-07-2010, 02:44 AM	#6
Dave Braine Triple-A Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warrington, UK Posts: 177	iWeb is fine, although it doesn't always display correctly on our work's PC using IE6. Here's my website: http://freespace.virgin.net/dave.braine/index.html If you are limited on webspace, as I am, upload your movie to YouTube and then embed it on your site. __________________ PPC Mini, 10.4.11; Intel Mini, 10.6.6 White MacBook 10.6.6

03-07-2010, 09:59 AM	#9
mituw16 Triple-A Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ATL Posts: 194	one word... nano __________________ Macbook Pro- 2.33 ghz Macbook Air- 1.6 ghz iPhone 3g- 16 gb

03-09-2010, 09:22 AM	#13
mituw16 Triple-A Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ATL Posts: 194	IE (in all incarnations) is Microsofts way to make users pull their hair out! Firefox, Opera, Chrome, and Safari are all free, and are all much much better than IE. __________________ Macbook Pro- 2.33 ghz Macbook Air- 1.6 ghz iPhone 3g- 16 gb

03-05-2010, 11:13 PM	#2
acme.mail.order League Commissioner Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 6,045	If you are familiar with HTML, then TextEdit will work fine (and it came with your Mac). Otherwise TextWrangler from barebones.com is good (that's what I use to develop websites). If you want a graphical html editor you can look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_HTML_editors

03-06-2010, 03:09 AM	#5
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,039	As usual, the versiontracker website allows you to search for and download freeware web editors.

03-07-2010, 08:42 PM	#10
GrahameR Triple-A Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 121	Thanks guys - fantastic as usual. Cheers, Grahame

03-09-2010, 12:11 AM	#11
mclbruce Hall of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,870	SeaMonkey has a web page editor built in. It's free. http://www.seamonkey-project.org/

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