Mac newbie with question about graphics and web software

Hi,

I just switched (used PowerBook G4) and feel elated but overwhelmed. I used PhotoImpact for my graphics stuff and would appreciate some advice about inexpensive graphics software, and for that matter, web design software.

I had a Toshiba that spent more time in the shop than at home and finally died at a whole 1 1/2 years old. I just couldn't take the whole PC thing anymore and bought this PowerBook-I'd wanted a Mac for years but just was too scared to start all over with new software.

I was asked, before my computer died, to do a couple of websites for two non-profit animal rescues I volunteer for. Now I need some very inexpensive web design software and graphics software-can you all offer some recommendations? I've used PhotoImpact for years and have no idea where to even start with new software for the Mac. I've been looking at Freeway 5 Express for the web design-is it as good as it sounds?

Thanks!

alice

Welcome!

You have a wealth of choices available to you in both of these areas on the Mac. An embarrassment of riches!

Let me start with "graphics software." You don't really specify exactly what you mean here, but I assume you want something like PhotoImpact. If so, then you should go with Photoshop Elements (~$100, can often be found cheaper) and I have to say its an excellent investment for people not wanting to spend the full $600+ on Photoshop. You may also want to check out my signature for information on a still-developing alternative.

For something less expensive, you should probably look at GraphicConverter ($40), a great graphics program for the Mac that's been around forever. It's powerful, but easy to get into.

If you need something a bit simpler and cheaper, I'd suggest SeaShore (free), which is intended as a kind of "the GIMP but Mac-native." The GIMP is available too, but requires X11 which I find to be far too much of a barrier to actually use.

On the more-advanced side, you might want to try out Pixelmator ($60) which I guess I would describe as an attempt to take some parts of Photoshop into the 21st century. Not my favourite tool, but some people seem to like it and for basic-to-middling stuff it would be a fine choice.

On the website front, iWeb is included with iLife 09, and is an excellent WYSIWYG creator of personal websites. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for anything more complicated than a basic site -- its simplicity comes from its restrictiveness (kinda like iPhoto in that regard), but you can create a good-looking site literally within minutes.
Here's an animal-shelter site that was literally created with iWeb, judge for yourself:
Township of Ignace

There's also RapidWeaver ($79) (very popular and inexpensive, but the add-ons do kind of nickel-and-dime you to death as you get fancier!), and Freeway which you mentioned (I always liked it because I come from the print world so "absolute positioning" was a big plus for me) and Sandvox ($60-100) about which I know very little. These are all template-based WYSIWYG editors, and all have free trials. Check out their galleries!

For pro-level coding, there is Flux for ~$80 and Dreamweaver ($400) and of course a wealth of inexpensive text editors where you can write your own code (be it HMTL, CSS or PHP, etc) to your heart's content.

Hope that helps!

Thanks, Chas, that does help. I'm still really leaning toward the Freeway program and they do offer a nice discount for non-profits and senior, both categories I fall under.

I'd been seriously considering GIMP, but I'd have to upgrade my OS to Leopard for the X11, which I'm pretty sure I'll need to do anyway, but what is X11 and why do you say that's a barrier?

Thanks!

alice