Frontpage & Dreamweaver

Hello all,

Currently I am enrolled in a degree plan with an emphasis on web design. My next 5 credits will be devoted to working with Dreamweaver. I started out using Front Page; however I moved to writing HTML from concept sketches. If I had the choice, I would go back to FrontPage instead of Dreamweaver.

Is using either of these programs for web site development considered professional? I have heard yes and no. I am not talking about templates but custom designs from blank.

What do you all think about Frontpage & Dreamweaver?

Thanks

I never use WYSIWYG to code HTML/CSS, they add unnecessary code, use antiquated methods (for the most part) and produce very unprofessional code whether or not it validates.

From that standpoint, if you are writing the code by hand anyway it does not matter which editor you're using. If you're using the WYSIWYG functionalities I highly recommend you actually learn what the HTML/CSS code does and ditch the quirky junk.

Dreamweaver is industry standard. I agree, you should be coding by hand, but if you are going to us a wysiwyg editor, the newest version of Dreamweaver should produce the cleanest code. I have used Frontpage, and can't stand it.

Just throwing this out there, but if you are into open source, you should check out NVU.

I use Dreamweaver to code my layouts, because I just dont feel I could learn how to code effectively. There is just so many different languages etc. and I know if I did learn one I would have to learn them all just to keep myself satisfied.

Originally Posted by Scott1707 I use Dreamweaver to code my layouts, because I just dont feel I could learn how to code effectively. There is just so many different languages etc. and I know if I did learn one I would have to learn them all just to keep myself satisfied.

The term "coding" is used loosely when referring to web pages. I myself am guilty of calling it coding on a regular basis.

However, writing HTML and CSS is far from actual coding in a language such as ASP.Net, Perl or PHP. The only thing you have to learn to "code" web pages is how to write HTML and how to style it with CSS.

I find there's nothing wrong with Dreamweaver so long as you're using the coding panel to write with. I like the little things it does like auto-close open tags.

As for the preview panel, I never touch that.

Never use Frontpage. If you offer your services professionally, you should hand code, but if you are just doing it for yourself, Dreamweaver is the best out of the two.

Never use WYSIWYG software. Coding by yourself, and you can write a clean and beautiful XHTML and CSS code.

I must admit, I got my first development job when I knew nothing about web design. I used frontpage and came out with a decent looking website which I was paid $2500.00 for. After that I continued using frontpage and made $47k part time over a year. Dreamweaver earned me another $70K. Then I realized that there is only so much I can do using editors and went to college. Now I write the markup and CSS. My custom websites go for $3500.00 to $5,000.00. With all honesty, I could produce a visually = website with frontpage, dreamweaver, or notepad and CSS. My markup is fairly sloppy, my skills with flash are quite lame unless I am just really inspired. It is not the code that my clients pay for, it is the "custom" service. I know their business in and out before I ever start writing the markup. Playing detective and building a site to meet the needs of a business in a specific way with unique design is the only way I can make a decent living as a developer. My clients would not care if I used frontpage, dreamweaver, or even coffee cup editors.

Is that incredibly lame?

Originally Posted by Nomad78 Is that incredibly lame?

From a business standpoint no, but from a coding standpoint you could do a lot better than the code produced with automatic code generators. It would be value added to your service to put as much hard work and determination into the engine running your web site as you do the web site content and design. To skimp out on one or the other is kinda like shooting a canon from a row boat.