Web site help.

[stuffssguy]

We are using Adobe Dreamweaver to make our website, and we want to make a working blog, but we don't know how without buying extensions. If anyone has source code or is willing to help us, then that would be great.

[Ctrl Alt Delete]

I would recommend WordPress and not use Dreamweaver for something like that.

[JohnBoucher]

Most hosts offer free blog setups. Wordpress by far has the largest support system.

What does you hosting company offer?

[richalex2010]

I also recommend WordPress. I've got an installation on my personal site, and I'll also be setting one up for robotics at some point.

[gibbyrawr]

what version are you using?

[artdutra04]

Dreamweaver isn't a bad program, if you exclusively use it in code view.

Look into an existing blog solution (Blogspot, WordPress) rather than recreate one in Dreamweaver. Having any kind of content management system that resides on the server will save an immense amount of time for the students who have to keep the website updated.


// Although if you have a lot of experience in server-side languages (such as PHP) and databases (such as MySQL), you can write your own if you want. It's a good learning experience. But I wouldn't recommend this to someone just trying to get something that works.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

Dreamweaver isn't a bad program, if you exclusively use it in code view.

I agree. The WYSIWYG part of DreamWeaver generates incredibly nasty code, but the syntax highlighting and autocomplete in the code view are nice.

[stuffssguy]

what is wrong with dreamweaver? I am putting everything together with it, but I am using a lot of outside code, and looking over it myself too. Oh I think someone asked, but the version is the newest CS3.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by stuffssguy

what is wrong with dreamweaver? I am putting everything together with it, but I am using a lot of outside code, and looking over it myself too. Oh I think someone asked, but the version is the newest CS3.

Like I said, Dreamweaver isn't a bad program. It's just that if you use it in Design View, it will add all kinds of unnecessary HTML, CSS, and Javascript code into the page. The amount of useless code generated by Dreamweaver has gotten better over the years, but in the long run it will me much better if you learn XHTML and CSS, and create websites by hand.

Once you get over the initial learning curve, it often becomes much faster to keep static HTML websites updated by doing everything in Code View. Here, Dreamweaver - with it's color syntax features, auto-complete, and more - all vastly speed up web development.

Personally, my favorite application that I use Coda, which is an amazing application for web development, but it's only available for Mac. But when I'm using my laptop, I use Dreamweaver (version MX, which is six years old. I don't care, it's fully functional, and instead of spending about $400 on Dreamweaver CS3 I'd rather spend a combined total of $100 to get Transmit and Coda and put the rest of the $300 saved towards that 24" iMac I've been eying for a while. )

[Ctrl Alt Delete]

My favorite tool on Windows is Notepad++. There is also Komodo Edit, which I believe is really good.

[Nathan]

Notepad++ also has good syntax highlighting. It doesn't have autocomplete though.

[Ctrl Alt Delete]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Notepad++ also has good syntax highlighting. It doesn't have autocomplete though.

If you hit Ctrl+Space, you get the list of functions. It doesn't do it automatically, but it's there.

[jdh]

I am an avid blogger myself, and I would totally recommend WordPress for just about everything. Though there are a few things you will have to get the hang of, you will quickly learn. I have been programming myself for about 3 years (when I was 11), and in those past years I have learned which online applications really deliver what you need.

I personally think that Dreamweaver is over rated and over priced. I think that free, open source programs are best, albeit Photoshop isn't exactly a penny. If you have some free time over the summer, I would recommend buying a book (or if you don't want to go that route, there is a LOT of stuff on the internet--W3 Schools is great) and you can pick up some XHTML/HTML with some CSS. The product will be worth it. I would go that route.

But if you don't want to hand code a layout, WordPress has TONS of different themes you can download and install.

Here are few links:

WordPress: http://www.wordpress.org/
WordPress Themes: http://themes.wordpress.net/
W3 Schools: http://www.w3schools.com/

I own the "For Dummies" books for my beginning programming language things. I would go with one of those if you were to purchase a book. It is simple and can be humorous with corny jokes. If not, go with W3 schools and google some more tutorials and you will be familiar with the languages before you know it.

Good luck with your team website--may the FIRST be with you.
-JD