Novice

i am a complete novice to development except to know a few html codes and the
structure of a simple web page - i now have to put together a web site for a
new business - my question is - is Dreamweaver MX 2004 suitable for a novice
like me or should i use a simpler wysiwig program where i might not mess up the
code for adequate search engine optimization?

Thank you

nanrod48 wrote:

i am a complete novice to development except to know a few html codes and the
structure of a simple web page - i now have to put together a web site for a
new business - my question is - is Dreamweaver MX 2004 suitable for a novice
like me or should i use a simpler wysiwig program where i might not mess up the
code for adequate search engine optimization?

Thank you

Dreamweaver is the tool. Have no worries, and people here will help you.

However, to become more confident:

Use the help files, a lot. Just press F1.
Find online tutorials, e.g. this:
http://www.macromedia.com/support/dreamweaver/tutorial_index.html
Go buy a book or two. I'm sure your local bookstore have some. Else,
check out amazon.com or ebay or why not visit your library.
Study *before* you start. Go through relevant stuff, like how to *start*
building a site and how to *plan* so that you don't end up in a mesh.
Try find out if you should use a DW template and spawn pages from it, or
SSI, or both. Compare tables and "layers" (or "divs") to figure out if
you should use either or both. Use a low tech approach like paper and
pens to sketch the design beforehand. Not only the visual design, but
also the structure (tables, divs).
Consider the site's various pages or "sections" so that it's easily
understood and navigated. Think about search engines and the keywords
you need to use in headlines ("h" tags), texts and filenames, etc.
Don't be too optimistic about the schedule....a website will "never" be
finished.

--
Dan Vendel - *GOF*
Contact: http://www.proformica.com/en/contact.shtml
Formmail tutorial: http://www.proformica.com/en/formmail_tutorial.shtml
Nested tables: http://www.proformica.com/en/nested_table_demo.shtml
SEO: http://www.proformica.com/en/search_engine_optimization.shtml
SE Utility: http://www.proformica.com/en/advanced_web_ranking.shtml
Search Dreamweaver newsgroup: http://www.proformica.com/google.html

If you have no HTML skills you will spend quite alot of time being mystified
and confused with Dreamweaver, and dig some mighty deep holes.

If you have some HTML skills, you may also find the ramp a little steep.

If you have some HTML skills *and* a good book, you will do just fine.

My recommendations -

Dreamweaver MX 2004: The Missing Manual - by David Sawyer McFarland
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0596006314/qid=1074863466//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/102-1685038-4464901?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

http://www.projectseven.com/foundations/index.htm

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver MX
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
news://forums.macromedia.com/macromedia.dreamweaver - THE BEST WAY TO GET
ANSWERS
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"~Flash~" <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

To use dreamweaver you don't have to have any html skill at all unless you
want
to do more complicated things such as javascripts.

I'd highly recomend it to anyone expert or novice, just set it to design
view
and you should have no problem.

Flash

Thankyou - that's reassuring.

Nanrod48

You're welcome - post back as you make progress. There's lotsa help here.

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver MX
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
news://forums.macromedia.com/macromedia.dreamweaver - THE BEST WAY TO GET
ANSWERS
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"nanrod48" <webforumsuser (AT) macromedia (DOT) com> wrote

Thankyou - that's reassuring.

Nanrod48

To use dreamweaver you don't have to have any html skill at all unless you
want
to do more complicated things such as javascripts.

To use DW correctly, or ANY WYSIWYG html editor for that matter, you really
do need to learn HTML and CSS.

That's not to say you can't whip out a site without knowing the markup
underneath, it just won't have the best markup.

Consider DW a helper app to assist you in writing HTML, not an app that does
it all for you.

I'd highly recomend it to anyone expert or novice, just set it to design
view
and you should have no problem.

And I'd recommend the complete opposite.

-Darrel