I would like to learn website design and would appreciate advice on the best software program to start with.

Is it best to start off by learning html or should I use a program such as Frontpage or Dreamweaver?

Both Dreamweaver and Front Page are WYSIWYG programs that allow you to create web pages without having to write lines of code. They are only as good as the operator. Without a basic knowledge of html, pages can be difficult to tweak to achieve the results you desire. However, between the two, I prefer Dreamweaver over Front Page.

I recommend spending some time learning basic html prior to using these programs. A great tutorial site can be found at:

http://www.w3schools.com/

Both Dreamweaver and Front Page are WYSIWYG programs that allow you to create web pages without having to write lines of code. They are only as good as the operator. Without a basic knowledge of html, pages can be difficult to tweak to achieve the results you desire. However, between the two, I prefer Dreamweaver over Front Page.

I recommend spending some time learning basic html prior to using these programs. A great tutorial site can be found at:

http://www.w3schools.com/

Thanks for that.

Frontpage is out of production already and replaced with Web Expression which is ages better than Frontpage. Dreamweaver is more complicated than Web Expression.

An other prog for to start with is Net Objects Fusion which I using for very fast creation of Websites.

Cheers.

I'm a Dreamweaver advocate also. It does have a steep learning curve, but is the "industry standard" for professional web developers.

If you're going to invest the time in learning, I'd suggest to learn about the best! There are lots of tutorials online to help you out.

What exactly are you intending to do, are you interested in getting into web design as a profession or are you intending to build your own site? If you're just building your own site, what type of site are you looking for?

Depends on the destination server .... Web Expression (or Frontpage) is more aimed at the Windows Server, while Dreamweaver is suited for both servers.

If you intend to develop php/MYSQL or .ASP/MySQL I would say go for Dreamweaver.

First of all, learn HTML/CSS. Do not worry about which tool (Dreamweaver, Expressions Web, et. al.) to use. You need to understand the foundation of HTML/CSS first. Then you can choose the tools that provide you the feature set and comfort level you seek.

After you learn HTML/CSS then you can advance your skillset by learning additional technologies PHP/MySQL or .NET/MSSQL (or both) as appropriate.

Good luck to you.

...I recommend spending some time learning basic html prior to using these programs. A great tutorial site can be found at:[/size][/font]

http://www.w3schools.com/

I agree with this. Two weeks ago I knew absolutely nothing about HTML. Then while working on a weblog I wanted to insert a table and make some links open in a new window. I went to www.w3schools.com and within minutes learnt how to write the necessary code.

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Maestro

Netobjects has a free version of Fusion here.