Website building advice for dummies

[*Bob*]

Any web-type folks out there that can offer a pointer or two? I've been googling but it's hard to see through the marketing/sales trees to see the particular bit of wood I'm looking for.

I have a nuts-and-bolts website I made and update with iWeb which has done the job years now - and is a pieces of piss to use.

Can anyone recommend something 'up' from iWeb that is just as piss easy to use but offers a bit more functionality? Rollovers, responsive pages, possibly a basic ftp download area.. that sort of thing, but drag n drop like iWeb, no coding or any of that stuff.

I'd prefer a one-off application I buy rather than one of the monthly 'lease' affairs.

Thanks FORUMMERS!

[Angelina]

moonfruit.com

godaddy.com

Have you tried these?

[*Bob*]

As I say, I'd like to buy a standalone application/program rather than those sorts of packages.

[Angelina]

I thought they had one-offs, but just hosted as well...?

[*Bob*]

Dunno.. but suspect both those places try to entice you in with the promise of a free website builder but then you have to pay for their hosting. If you stop paying for the hosting you probably lose the website as well.

But thanks for the suggestions anyway!

[Burbage]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Dunno.. but suspect both those places try to

> entice you in with the promise of a free website

> builder but then you have to pay for their

> hosting. If you stop paying for the hosting you

> probably lose the website as well.

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Dunno.. but suspect both those places try to

> entice you in with the promise of a free website

> builder but then you have to pay for their

> hosting. If you stop paying for the hosting you

> probably lose the website as well.

Yes. That's because things cost money, one way or another.

But free web-building-and-hosting things do still exist, up to a point. Weebly, Google Sites and Wordpress.com, for example, might suit, depending on what 'additional functionality' you want. Whether these will stay as they are (i.e. free), and whether the functionality you need is free (there are often pricey 'enhancements' to be had) depends on how and whether they make money. None, however, nvolve 'one-off' bits of software - the constant race against hackers, the tediously-evolving demands of awkward-shaped displays and the desirability of locking in even 'free' customers to a potential subscription machine, means it's nearly all online-only point-and-click things now. Those few that aren't, like Everweb, you have to pay for.

Some of these might do exactly what you want. Some won't. You'll only find out by trying them out. As usual, there's a list on Wikipedia.

Don't, incidentally, overlook what you might already be paying for. Many broadband suppliers provide webspace as part of the package, and several include website-building functionality. It's not a major selling point, so it's not often much good and they don't advertise it, but it might be what you want, so check that first.

[ianr]

*Bob*, I'm not fully understanding what you say about buying an application, and about not wanting to rely on a hosting service. It sounds as if you are running your own server. Is that the case? If not, where is whatever you use now hosted? iCloud perhaps? Whatever, the potential non-existence of any single hosting service isn't really problematic nowadays. You simply find another one. Most provide the same old applications. You keep a backup of your own website somewhere else anyway, and simply find it a new home.

[ianr]

[The following got dropped off Burbage's last post. Unterminated quote]

As usual, there's a list on Wikipedia.

Don't, incidentally, overlook what you might already be paying for. Many broadband suppliers provide webspace as part of the package, and several include website-building functionality. It's not a major selling point, so it's not often much good and they don't advertise it, but it might be what you want, so check that first.

[*Bob*]

Perhaps I have explained poorly. Up till now, I knocked something up on iWeb, then paid for hosting somewhere else to host it. Jobsagoodun.

I will continue to pay for the hosting (with the same provider probably) but want (to buy) another program to make the website in. Something easy like iWeb (and for a Mac, obvs) but with a bit more functionality, not a lot - rollovers, responsive pages, an ftp download area - but that sort of thing.

What I don't want it a combined make-your-website-and-host-it-with-us-package because I'd like to keep them separate and not tie the two together.

Thank you kindly for the responses.

[right-clicking]

Hello *Bob* Have a look at this, Not cheap but maybe it's what you're looking for?

http://www.serif.com/webplus/x8/in-depth/

[*Bob*]

That's the sort of thing.. Looks like PC only though, alas

[Burbage]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> I will continue to pay for the hosting (with the

> same provider probably) but want (to buy) another

> program to make the website in. Something easy

> like iWeb (and for a Mac, obvs)

Everweb, then, which is meant to be an iWeb replacement-type thing. They have a 'standalone' option, still, though they're don't seem very fond of it.

http://www.everwebapp.com/

[*Bob*]

Everweb.. I have seen that one mentioned. Looks fine.

I assumed the place would be crawling with standalone easy web apps, but it looks like the choice is actually quite limited. I suppose trying to tie you in to an ongoing payment/subscription is very much 'the thing' these days.

Cheers All