Web Development

GulfVetSAF · May 4, 2007

I've been dabbling in web development since the later portion of 1995. For 12 years I've used versions of MS Frontpage and recently purchased Expression Web...

However, now that I'm transitioning to macs (I will probably always keep a PC, at least for another year for gaming and such)... I'd appreciate knowledgeable persons input on software available for macs.

Ease of use and functionality are my primary concerns... it's makes me angry (kind of) that I may have to learn yet another program (especially after the thousands of hours spent in FP); but I do love learning and as I said previously; I really would like to move to everything mac.

Anyway, thanks in advance.

Scott

MartinS · May 4, 2007

I'd recommend Freeway Pro, available from http://www.softpress.com/

I use it for my main site, and iWeb for my subsite.

eric06 · May 4, 2007

I use Dreamweaver for my sites and my clients web sites.

Thyamine · May 4, 2007

I'm going to probably come off as a snobby geek, but I'd suggest anything that lets you code by hand.

The more you know about what you are doing on the back end, the less the program will really make a difference. For example, if you can code a page in notepad, then any program with a GUI will only be a bonus since it'll help simplify tasks and you won't really have to learn the app as much. However I'm also extremely picky about keeping my HTML clean, and most apps seem to be terrible at tag management/placement so part of my bias comes from that.

MacPeterBristol · May 4, 2007

I use dreamweaver.

giulio · May 4, 2007

Thyamine said:
I'm going to probably come off as a snobby geek, but I'd suggest anything that lets you code by hand.

The more you know about what you are doing on the back end, the less the program will really make a difference. For example, if you can code a page in notepad, then any program with a GUI will only be a bonus since it'll help simplify tasks and you won't really have to learn the app as much. However I'm also extremely picky about keeping my HTML clean, and most apps seem to be terrible at tag management/placement so part of my bias comes from that.

Agreed, 100%.

Kaurotu · May 4, 2007

Yeah I just use TextWrangler. It's free from the people who made BBEdit.

GulfVetSAF · May 4, 2007

Thyamine; your input was the opposite of what you worried about (snob)... I agree with you and now that I'm retired I'll have more time to do as you suggested. I think your advice is even more important as I'm entirely new to mac, OS X and such... now's a good as time as ever to start fresh with something... as I've done with scripting. I appreciate all the input.

Thyamine · May 5, 2007

GulfVetSAF said:
Thyamine; your input was the opposite of what you worried about (snob)... I agree with you and now that I'm retired I'll have more time to do as you suggested. I think your advice is even more important as I'm entirely new to mac, OS X and such... now's a good as time as ever to start fresh with something... as I've done with scripting. I appreciate all the input.

Glad to hear that. =) HTML is easy to pick up, CSS is a little more complicated but still not too bad, and I find them all to be fairly interesting. There are lots of little things you can learn that make it fun.

BradNolan · May 6, 2007

Has anyone in here used BBEdit? I have only built a webpage using a CMS. (www.nau.edu/asnau) That required little code and I want my own page. I was thinking about getting BBEdit. Not sure if it is good. Like I said, I am very much a beginner.

DrQuincy · May 18, 2007

Thyamine said:
I'm going to probably come off as a snobby geek, but I'd suggest anything that lets you code by hand.

The more you know about what you are doing on the back end, the less the program will really make a difference. For example, if you can code a page in notepad, then any program with a GUI will only be a bonus since it'll help simplify tasks and you won't really have to learn the app as much. However I'm also extremely picky about keeping my HTML clean, and most apps seem to be terrible at tag management/placement so part of my bias comes from that.

I could not have put it better myself. I use Text Wrangler to hand code and Cyberduck to FTP to remote servers. Both free!

giulio · May 18, 2007

Coda looks pretty good.
http://www.panic.com/coda/

jonnyd · May 18, 2007

I use Dreamweaver.

The learning curve on it is a little steep at first, it's not particularly intuitive, but it works for most things.

You can also switch very quickly between the GUI, and the handcoding screens. I find it's the best of both - the GUI isn't always perfect, and it produces some messy html if you're not careful, so I tend to lay out a page with the GUI (maybe that should be wysiwyg), and then tidy up the code afterwards.

DrQuincy · May 18, 2007

The thing with Dreamweaver is if you take all the features out you shouldn't need you're left with a basic and very over-priced text editor. It's really not a good idea to develop websites using WYSIWYG editors if you don't understand what's going on in the code underneath.