One volunteering organisation has really badly done website and I might have an opportunity to make it better but am quite confussed (pls, bear with me i am newbie):

website is already hosted on the net so not sure how to update it and how to change it - make completely new site (looks like best solution). what to do when new website is done with the old one - how to exhange them?

They asked for knowledge in Front Page - is there any way to get it free so it is legal as well and can publish websites?

Thanks

Oookay, it takes some knowledge to design a completely new website that won't look the same as it did before, when you're starting off you aren't going to create something amazing and it won't look like it did before. Using software like FrontPage to do this isn't recommended, because it doesn't have the graphical power to produce sites to the web 2.0 standard, which is what you want. You'll need some software like Photoshop, then to code the website by hand so it works in all browsers.

 

If you're having any trouble, drop me a PM, and I'll have a look at the non-profitable organisation, if it's worth it, I may donate my time and design them a website free of charge. Just head over to my website (www.traxor-designs.com), and send me an email or call me on Skype and we'll have a chat.

Frontpage is old software and no longer supported by Microsoft. Add to that the fact that it's probably the worst web tool ever.

Hm, Photoshop is quite expensive software and as a new in this but with some knowledge in html, vb, would that really be good path to start with?

With regards to this page, it is quite small local community who uses it so it doesn't require the edge of designing expertise - that's why am daring to get involved and it is a good exercise for me.

There's a few open source photo editing software packages around.... Quite a few designers on here use them!

 

As for xHTML / CSS I personally recommend Aptana Studio (that's free)

Hi Trinity

I think christopher is right

i also recommend you to go for Aptana Studio

As I understand this is like your first website or among your first. It's very hard to make a good website the first time.It takes experience.Don't think you'll be able to create something much better than the volunteering organisation did(though depends)..

 

Your best bet is use a software like Aptana Studio (Frontpage is really the worst thing possible)

But if you want to really learn to make good looking websites with valid code and etcetera the way to do it is design it in Photoshop/Fireworks and code it manually in notepad++ or Dreamweaver

 

About "exchanging" the websites(putting the new one to replace the other) you need to know the FTP details.FTP comes from File Transfer Protocol.It's the way you basicly put the website on the internet.

You can use a software like FileZilla(its free and called a "FTP client") and it willl ask for an username, password(you need to know those)Once you input those you just press on Connect

It will open the "website".Then you will see all the website files and you'll just hit,click,delete basicly use it like Windows Explorer

Gimp is the best free graphics program you'll get, and it's not half bad. Has around 60-70% of the photoshop features, and it's like £600 cheaper

 

I'd say notepad++ for coding, just my preference though

I have an article on my blog about where to start, free software etc

Thank you so much for all your replies - they are really helpfull.

I hate Front Page as well but people on this website ask for an expert in FP

hm, have so much things to do now...

also, as i have seen here html, jscript are essential but when does PHP come to scene?

If you're working directly for a registered charity, and can provide supporting evidence (usually given authority on a charity letterhead including the charity number), it is possible to buy Adobe products under a charity pricing structure - pretty much the same as the educational pricing.

 

As suggested before, there are free alternatives, but it might be an option to make the un-affordable a bit more affordable. It's certainly preferable to using Frontpage!

 

The usual restrictions apply - that license can't be used for commercial work, etc.

If i understand correctly you need a way to get the files on to the server right? If so Google info on FTP.