Time to pull out a question from the mail bag 
Q: Hi, Lynette, What do you recommend as software to build a simple (5-6 page) website which includes a blog? FrontPage seems to have issues, Dreamweaver is awfully complicated…We don’t want to over-engineer, but we do want to be able to make changes in the future with ease. Thanks for your thoughts.
A: I know many people do not like Frontpage. In some ways I don’t either. Then again, it’s not all that bad. Keeping things in perspective, every web publishing tool particularly a WYSIWYG tool has some issues with bloated code. If that
is the crux of your worry, honestly, the one way to ensure 100% lean code is to hand code. And who wants to do that anymore?
That said, you can try XSitePro which is really easy to use, and it’ll get your 5-6 pages up in no time. Coding wise, it’s not perfect but at some point, you have to let the coding slide in favor for having the page up and making money (and I’m assuming you are in business) as quickly as possible.
As for a blog, I recommend WordPress. Actually, WordPress can also create pages like regular web pages. So it’s a real nice content management system as well as blog system if you like to keep things together in one place. If you’d like to learn more about blog setups, click here.
View Comments to “Web Site Creator Software For Small Sites”
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Jannette Murray December 7, 2006
How about putting up a link that lets us send your pages, such as this one to others. I’m sending it to my husband via email (copy/paste), but then the links probably don’t work.
Jannette
Lynette December 7, 2006
Great idea Jannette! You got it. Right under each post you’ll find a link to email the post now
Thom Meyer December 7, 2006
I’ve never used any WYSIWYG editor myself and have been using first the free version then pro version of AceHTML for a few years.
I do know many people who use Xsitepro and from what I have seen and heard it is very good if you don’t know how to code.
I make most of my living working with WordPress either through the book I’ve written on it or doing installs and customizing. With the plugins available for it, the themes available and ease of use, you can really use it for just about any type of website. My wpcustom site is a WP blog using the Home-Page-Control plugin to give it a ‘static’ home page. If you want to get a site up quickly with the least effort then I think WordPress is the way to go.
Paul Glowiak December 7, 2006
I use Dreamweaver a lot, but there are times that I have used different editors. Now that Frontpage is being discontinued, the couple of clients I have that want me to use that on their sites are going to be transitioned off of it.
I like NVU, it’s a decent editor, I’ve used Koala HTML and Alleycode, too.
Lynette, you are MORE than welcome; you would have done the same for me
.
Paul
Tom M December 7, 2006
I bought XSitePro and think it is great!
Lynette December 7, 2006
Hey guys thanks for all that great feedback! I have forgotten all about AceHTML. I haven’t used of Koala or Alleycode but have heard of them. Yes I do a lot in NVU too.
Anyhow, I am testing out Expression Web – the upgrade to FrontPage and this one I really like much better than FrontPage. You guys (if you’re on Windows) might want to check out the free beta.
greg December 10, 2006
They are all good.
I hate it when people bash web editing software. I’ve been using Front Page for seven years and I’ve had no problems. I do know some HTML and I could code from scratch, but why do that? I’ve got better things to do with my time than spend hours each week typing new code.
I’ve tried Dreamweaver and that is good too.
I wonder if the people who always bash Microsoft also bash Walmart just because it is big?
greg
Lynette December 11, 2006
Hey Greg,
Thanks for stopping by.
I certainly see your point. I started out writing the long huge post about my history with FP and deleted much of it out. In the back of my mind, there are many things I miss about FP that’s not quite as well done in other tools I’ve used.
Paul Glowiak December 11, 2006
I feel the same way about Dreamweaver, too. I will be the only one that knows that I didn’t totally hand-code.
Jonathon Maller December 21, 2006
I refuse to learn more as my brain is just melting. I am looking forward to the holidays ending this year. Seems outr industry has slowed a lot this year.
Lynette January 9, 2007
I just saw your comment Jonathan. Hope you’ve had plenty of rest during the holidays.
My brain feels like melting often too. Right now I’ve got stacks and stacks of material I need to review and it’s only the 2nd week of January! Trying to see where I can shovel off work to my assistants.