Best Web software

Hey everybody. After I spent some time with both Flash 5 and Photoshop 6, I think that I'm ready to start workin on my site. I want to get experienced web-masters' opinions on what the best software is. Dreamweaver 4? GoLive? FrontPage 2k? The list goes on. I need one that's easy to use Photoshop 6 with, as well as Flash 5. Well thanks everyone, I look forward to hearing your opinions!

I cant think of anything easier to use than notepad.

I 2nd that. :D

Or a little program called 1st page 2000, (www.evrsoft.com) I can't say how much this thingy had helped me. Works just like a regular text editor, you have to type in all the code but there are lots of shortcuts, preview mode and lots of more cool stuff

I have to agree that using notepad is the best. It let's you be in absolute control of your work!

But having said that. I've been using dreamweaver for the last year, and it has impressed me.

It's easy to use, similar interface to flash5 also, and the code is (mostly) good.

I can see why people say that notepad is the best, but personaly I don't think it's anything wrong with using WYSIWYG tools when they work and are time consuming.

I'd have to say Dreamweaver is the easiest to use. Especially if you don't want to get bogged down with all of the code. And if you need to hand-code some stuff, with the tap of a button you can be in code-view mode, and hand-code to your hearts delight. It's even color coded... Plus, it's very easy to work with Photoshop and Flash with it. If you want to edit an image, right click on it and say "edit image in Photoshop". It will then start Photoshop, load the image, allow you to edit it, then when you're done it will update the image in Dreamweaver. It's similarly easy to work with Flash. Dreamweaver 4 even has some aspects of Flash built into it. But if you like the image of being a "hardcore coder" then stick with notepad.

Derek

the reason I use notepad is I live on a limited budget. If I had the money to purchase DreamWeaver, I probably would give it a shot, but by using the trial version first. But I have to say that while dreamweaver is good for incorporating flash and other active content, like ActiveX and other controls.

The code is cumbersome and awkward. Coding a rollover yeilds several extra lines of code that could be cut down by using different methods that I would use in handcoding.

DHTML is probably the only thing I would ever use dw for because I get lazy when it comes to coding long scripts and css to go with it. But even then, I will go back and fix its javascript.

If you really want to be hardcore, get a shell account on a linux/unix box and learn vi. Then once you get the hang of it, edit all your code in vi. I do it for quick edits to fix code that I messed up in notepad.

I agree that Dreamweaver's code is slow and bloated in most cases, but to be honest most of the time it's not that big of a difference for me to care. The main advantage to me is the speed and ease of updating an entire site with templates and library items. If I were doing a personal site, for my art gallery or something, I would most likely hand code everything, or at least everything besides simple table layouts and things like that. But when every hour counts towards your paycheck, I don't have time to care about whether Dreamweaver's code takes .000243 seconds longer to execute a rollover, and frankly the client doesn't either. So basically, to the original poster of this thread, you've seen different viewpoints from different people that make web pages in different circumstances, so hopefully with that information you can find a program that fits your needs, budget, and expectations.

the reason I dont like over bloated code is because I learned HTML by looking at peoples source code. Now, someone wants to view my source.

What is easier to view? Archaic, messy code? Or My code that is well commented and clean.

1st page 2000 is free, you know. You better give it a try, it simply rules, still hand coding of course. And in April there will be First Page 3, which will be even greater, it will have SSI renderer and stuff.