DIY Website Design Software

[Sideshow Bob]

Can anyone recommend a DIY website design package? What (I think) I’m looking for is software that has simple but eloquent templates that you can modify (or not), is designed for easy navigation, easy to update with new content and has a “buy it now” function. I don’t know HMTL or any other design language and I don’t want to learn one. I’m probably asking for a lot but you tell me.

Thanks,
Gale

[Walter Calahan]

Don't know about the "buy it now" function, but the simplest website design software I know is Apple's iWeb. It's what I used to make my site.

[Dan V]

This may be of interest.

http://tinyurl.com/2d9jlz

[Frank Petronio]

On a Mac, a nice theme-based package is called RapidWeaver. There are numerous add-ons and third party themes you can use with it too.

http://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/

[Randy H]

Adobe Dreamweaver Suite (formerly macromedia)
Integrates with Photoshop, Fireworks, others.
WYSIWYG, or full tilt HTML.

http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/

[paul stimac]

I like freeway.
http://www.softpress.com/

[roteague]

Microsoft Expressions Web

[scrichton]

Photoshop is great, iWeb, Aperture even. Plus the Open Source multi-platform NVU (nvu.com)

All are pretty much WYSIWYG. iWeb and Photoshop are horribly powerful, but that involves scratching the surface properly.

I personally just hard code everything as I have to do more custom apps for people (yes I work in "new" media I'm sad to say) Although I have though I should really do a personal page soon. So iWeb will be my first choice from a point of view of ease and sheer laziness.

Or like a lot of people do now. Use Wordpress blogging and customise the look of it. I love wordpress.

[JavaDuke]

Bob,

Unfortunately most of the existing software available today does require some HTML and CSS knowledge. Perhaps the best way for you would be to use WordPress blog to publish your photos on the web and Google checkout or PayPal if you want to sell your photos online. Or, if you prefer, you can use JAlbum to create your galleries.
Or just have someone design and build the site for you. Check my web site, if you like it, I can make something like this for you. PM me for details.

[Duncwarw]

I'll bet you're glad you asked.

Since I haven't seen a Mac since I left the Amiga 2000 behind, I can't comment on stuff in that world, but my two cents....

Microsoft Front Page strikes me as the easiest web page builder I've seen. Click the tabs for Design, HTML, and Preview. Design view just lets you put things where you want and pick blackground colors and fonts, etcetera.

I use Dreamweaver but sometimes Front Page because it's just easier for some elements.

IMO, you really don't need to understand HTML or otherwise be a programmer to build a website. Photoshop gives you the ability to sort of automatically build online galleries but why complicate matters when you can download free programs that will generate whole directories of web-appropriate images with a couple of clicks?