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Web Design For Novices
aralysis of Choice things like HTML, XHTML, CSS,
JavaScript, and Php, let’s go
So you want to create your more basic where there are fewer
first web site but are feeling choices.
more than a little daunted by the
thought. First step… relax. Just Do-It-Yourself
about everyone who has ever
created a web site has been here The first choice is whether to do
before. The feeling is not it yourself or pay for someone
uncommon. Perhaps one of the else to do it. For many people,
scariest things about the whole this one is decided by budget
prospect of creating a web site alone. Web sites built from
is the sheer number of choices scratch can cost a lot of money.
out there. So let’s assume that you’ve
already decided that you want or
There is a phenomenon that I like need to do-it-yourself otherwise
to call the paralysis of choice. you probably would have already
It goes like this… give me a shelled out the money and
choice between two or three wouldn’t be reading this article.
items, no problem. That’s easy. Am I right?
But now make it a choice between
twenty items and a paralysis Web-Based Services
starts to set in. There are
simply too many choices! And The second choice is whether to
with people afraid of making the use a web-based service or to
wrong choice, they decide that construct the web site on your
the safest choice is no choice at own computer. Many hosting
all. At least this way, they services have built-in online web
haven’t made a mistake. So site building tools. While you
instead of getting wrapped-up in can certainly construct a web
site, the end results are usually decide what’s going to go there:
pretty rudimentary. This avenue text, a picture, a flash movie,
is probably just fine for a or a slideshow, etc. Adding those
little personal web site, but elements is easy. Not bad. And it
most likely not enough to impress gets you an end product better
more important visitors, like than those online web site
clients and customers. builders. But I’m still a less
than wowed.
A Step Above
Web Templates
A step above the online web site
building tool is the stand alone OK. As is usually typical I’ve
program that allows you to saved the best for last! Unlike
construct a web site without the canned web site templates
knowing any HTML or other types that come with software like
of coding. Among the better ones Microsoft’s FrontPage (now dubbed
is Incomedia’s Website X5 which Expression Web); professional web
comes in two flavors: Compact and site templates are much more
Evolution. Think of these as sophisticated and give you much
personal and business. more control over each design
element. Each template typically
You start from a number of comes with a list of software you
template choices and then color would need to edit the template
combinations. Between those two before you buy it. Higher level
elements alone, the chances of templates may require specialized
your site looking just like software like Flash. But for a
someone else’s is pretty slim. typical price of between $55 and
The main idea of Website X5 is to $75 for most templates, this is
divide each page into a grid. In short money compared to paying
each square of the grid you someone to design a web site from
scratch. simply look for web templates
that list SWiSH as one of the
Most templates also come with softwares.
Adobe Photoshop (PSD) files. Even
the low-cost Photoshop Elements Customizing
can fully edit these. The beauty
of this is that for the price of Many people don’t realize that
less than $100 you’ll have the most templates can be
ability to edit every single professionally customized for an
little design element. This makes individual. Simply look for
customizing your template much template customizing services
easier. For most templates, the where you buy your template.
only other software you would Since you are beginning with a
need is the design software like: template that you’ve picked out,
FrontPage, Dreamweaver, you have a much better idea how
Expression Web, SharePoint it’s going to turn out after some
Designer, and more. custom tweaking and there are
fewer surprises. There’s much
If you’d like to add Flash less risk involved than with a
elements to your website, but web site designed from scratch.
can’t afford Macromedia Flash
(now Adobe Flash) there are the You can generally save hundreds
poor man’s alternatives like of dollars by starting with a
SWiSHmax. SWiSHmax allows you to template even after adding in
create Flash (SWF) files without custom tweaking if you prefer
having Flash and costs only a someone else to do it. Remember,
fraction of the price. Take a you’re not starting from scratch.
look at SWiSHzone on the web for You already have a fully function
more information. If you’d like site, so the costs of editing a
to use SWiSH as an alternative, template are small compared with
the cost of constructing a full one than probably comes with your
web site. webhosting plan, 2) use
standalone software like
Bottom Line Incomedia’s Website X5, or 3)
start with a web site template.
So for a novice like yourself The results you can expect will
that wants to do-it-yourself, you probably increase in quality in
basically have three choices: 1) the same order.
use a web-based service like the
About the Author:
Malcolm Broderick's web templates are all about the ability to draw visitors into a site. While good content will always bring visitors back a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time, the truth is there won't be a 1st time without a visually striking site. http://www.icandytemplates.com
Read more articles by: Malcolm Broderick
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
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