[Megan]

Just wondering what programs to use when building a good website. I've heard of Dreamweaver and Frontpage.. - but am looking for something maybe a little cheaper due to budget. Also, what particular type of program is good for creating logos? I would like to start on makeing a logo and banner cell for the top of my webpage.

Clueless in PA

Megan

[Onyx]

Hi Megan.

Dreamweaver is the industry standard web publishing tool at the moment, but it's really not necessary for the average person. MS Frontpage is a good place to start if you are familiar with using Word, but be careful not to use any of the Frontpage Extensions reliant features - stick with the basic HTML stuff.

A better option may be to get an early version of Dreamweaver from eBay. Dreamweaver 2 or 3 will be more than up to the job and should be quite cheap. Just be sure to buy from a reputable seller and check that you are buying a genuine copy of the software.

As well as a web design package you'll also need some sort of image editing package. PainShop Pro is far cheaper than the industry standard Photoshop, or you could even look at a second hand copy of Fireworks as that integrates with Dreamweaver. Also check out magazine cover discs as these will often have free versions of old software, so check out any web design mags at your local store.

For web use you can create a logo in your image editing package, but if you're looking at using the logo for print you will need a vector editing package such as Freehand or Illustrator. The key thing here is that the artwork you create is size-independent, so you scale it up or down without loss of quality. Fireworks has some good vector tools in it though, so again is worth considering.

Get hold of trial copies and magazine cover discs/tutorials so you can get a feel for what it's all about!

[Praetor]

Although I would NEVER condone such a thing, I have heard that programs like Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, etc, are available on P2P networks like Kazaa and Limewire. It negates the cost factor. Just a thought.

Chris.

[ericesquire]

[Praetor]

Like I said, I would never condone such a thing..... It's just an option that's out there, for better or worse.