Web Design Software input?

[BWells]

Hi All,
Recently my company has decided to update its web side because quite frankly it's bad, i mean real bad. They have been avoiding it (the update) for at least 3 years if not more and with a new guy in Marketing they have seen fit to just bite the bullet and get the thing updated.
The thing is that they don't want to go through a third party to get it done so in house looks to be the direction they're going. I've been pretty much leading the charge in redesigning our site and have come to an impass. I have little knowledge on web design and have no idea which web design program would be both cost effective and efficient for the job. So i figured why not ask the local guru's.

In the coding end of things:
So far i'm looking at HTML, CSS, Java script, and a little PHP for the base design of the site because of the dymanics and graphics that marketing wants for th base design. On top of that i'll eventually have to add some sort of database for customer log in as well. Based on my existing research i'll probably go with some PHP and SQL.

For software though:
i've looked into dreamweaver and it looks great but i'm not sure my company wants to spend that kind of cash on the software. i also thought about frontpage but i'm not sure if it could handle what we want to do with the site.

Any recemendations?

[CADMASTER1128]

On my website (www.husemanfamilylights.com) I use very little HTML. The software I use is supplied by the web host 1&1.

Their web hosting is pretty cheap, and the software is easy to use.

[f700es]

Frontpage? Do they still make that? I would look at MS Expression Web and/or MS Visual Web Developer. If your company wants to do it right they will spend a little money on some software. I guess you could always grab NVU or Kompozer. I admire people who can code!
Good luck

[BWells]

MS Expression Web and/or MS Visual Web Developer? I hadn't thouht of those ones thanks f700es. I know what you mean about spending a little money to do the job right. the hardest part will be talking them into spending the money on decient software so they don't have to replace/upgrade it too soon.

thanks for the input!

[f700es]

Well the good news is you can download the express edition of MS Visual Web Developer for free.
http://www.microsoft.com/express/Web/
This way you can try it and see if it will work before spending money on it.
Good luck

Sean

[BWells]

Good call on the MS Expression Web. As it turns out it's compatible with MS access so that i can create a databate for client profiles as well. Since my company has so many MS applications we should be able to get MS Expression Web at a discount too.( That'll make the guys up stairs happy!)

Thanks for the point in the right direction.

[f700es]

Cool, no figure out how to use it and teach us
Glad it helped. I have the MS Visual Web Developer but I have not had time to play with it

[David Bethel]

Here is a decent group of people that is all about web designs:

http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/index.php

I would run away from Front Page. In fact I'd run away from most 3rd party apps. I imagine there are some good ones out there. I've never found it.

HTML and XHTML aren't that hard to learn.

I would definitly make sure that your site is compliant with W3C standards for either HTML or XHTML and CSS as well.

http://validator.w3.org/

If you need to add or incorporate php / pearl / python / sql stuff, then that's another ball game all together. You will need someone proficient with those types languages. -David

[David Bethel]

Check put the bottom of the page here on CadTutor for validation services. -David

[f700es]

I know a guy that does it all day with just a text editor