Webdesign Tools
Hello Guys,
I've been doing some webdesign on the side for years, with HTML, CSS, PHP and MySQL.
I recently took over the challenge of redesigning Gymlink New Zealand (http://gymlink.co.nz), a pilates/yoga/gym search portal for New Zealand. The goal is too advance it into a more community-focused site.
Anyways, I was always using a simple setup of Transmit and TextWrangler to do all my coding, from scratch, text-only.
I want to keep with this style as it gives me the necessary flexibility. However, there is so much work to be done on that website that I would be happy about any tools that can make me more productive.
Those of you who are doing similar things, what do you think of:
- CSS Edit (http://macrabbit.com/cssedit/) or any other coding tools?
- the use of mighty mouse in the overall setting (currently have apple wireless mouse)
- the size of the screen (currently have only macbook 13" available)
- Ruby on Rails as opposed to PHP/MySQL (i.e., would the time learning RoR worth it in terms of saving development time later)
The question is: where should I invest my money and my time first? *g*
Any help from Mac web developers is welcome.
Many thanks
Andreas
I've been doing some webdesign on the side for years, with HTML, CSS, PHP and MySQL.
I recently took over the challenge of redesigning Gymlink New Zealand (http://gymlink.co.nz), a pilates/yoga/gym search portal for New Zealand. The goal is too advance it into a more community-focused site.
Anyways, I was always using a simple setup of Transmit and TextWrangler to do all my coding, from scratch, text-only.
I want to keep with this style as it gives me the necessary flexibility. However, there is so much work to be done on that website that I would be happy about any tools that can make me more productive.
Those of you who are doing similar things, what do you think of:
- CSS Edit (http://macrabbit.com/cssedit/) or any other coding tools?
- the use of mighty mouse in the overall setting (currently have apple wireless mouse)
- the size of the screen (currently have only macbook 13" available)
- Ruby on Rails as opposed to PHP/MySQL (i.e., would the time learning RoR worth it in terms of saving development time later)
The question is: where should I invest my money and my time first? *g*
Any help from Mac web developers is welcome.
Many thanks
Andreas
Comments
When I'm laying out a brochure in InDesign or Quark, I don't have to write code. When I'm editing video in Final Cut Pro, I don't have to write code. A web page is a glorified word processing document, and you need to be a programmer to do anything more than trivial.
A clear step backward, I tell you.
The world desperately needs Apple to design a quality website development program, complete with its own database component for news sites, ad management software, and a consistent, easy to learn interface.
Could somebody tell Steve?
When I'm laying out a brochure in InDesign or Quark, I don't have to write code. When I'm editing video in Final Cut Pro, I don't have to write code. A web page is a glorified word processing document, and you need to be a programmer to do anything more than trivial.
A clear step backward, I tell you.
Well, I do most of my document preparation in ConTeXt or LaTeX. They're more flexible than the graphical tools, and better for keeping a structured layout for long documents.
Same goes for web design. Those who want the maximum flexibility and structure will turn to raw code.
I still use Interarchy for my FTP.. which will not change, as there is not a more powerful, mac-like ftp client on the planet as far as I am concerned.
Other than, it's Photoshop and Flash to round out the toolkit.
I've tried CSS edit and other CSS programs, but I know CSS better than any programs so there is no need for an extra program in the mix, especially with the smart code completion in Skedit anyways.
I will say that I do sometimes use Xyle Scope to trouble shoot CSS layout stuff.. it rocks for that kind of thing.
Anyways, that's my take on your question, hope that helps.
Well, I do most of my document preparation in ConTeXt or LaTeX. They're more flexible than the graphical tools, and better for keeping a structured layout for long documents.
Same goes for web design. Those who want the maximum flexibility and structure will turn to raw code.
I'm a bit divided on this issue. I have done long and complex documents in LaTeX but I couldn't achieve the same level of control as I could from something like Pages. Image placement is just so much quicker when you can see it happen.
As for web development, I was plodding away with code but then I saw one of the web designers I work beside use Dreamweaver and they were able to do rollover layers and complex layouts in a fraction of the time. The generated code was hundreds of lines long but generated in a matter of seconds. I could have coded it manually but in nowhere near the same time.
I still think that for certain functionality, hand coding is better but I'd say that website design is better done in a WYSIWYG editor. My preference so far in that area would be Dreamweaver but it's not universal so maybe even iweb could suffice for the starting layout and then switch to hand coding the rest.
I don't like BBedit any more. I came across a few files that opened fine but saving changes gave a warning that there were unsupported characters for the encoding when saving and even cancelling the save scrambled the file contents. The exact same files worked fine in TextEdit and Smultron.
I'm a bit divided on this issue. I have done long and complex documents in LaTeX but I couldn't achieve the same level of control as I could from something like Pages. Image placement is just so much quicker when you can see it happen.
True, but you can't get the structure so well.
I'm wrestling with this one at the moment - I'm using ConTeXt to typeset a recipe book. I tried in InDesign, and got frustrated when whenever I wanted to make a global change I essentially had to redo loads (and yes I do know about master pages!).
Amorya
True, but you can't get the structure so well.
I'm wrestling with this one at the moment - I'm using ConTeXt to typeset a recipe book. I tried in InDesign, and got frustrated when whenever I wanted to make a global change I essentially had to redo loads (and yes I do know about master pages!).
Amorya
You guys just took my thread and ran away with some wild topic!
I am perfectly happy coding my entire site by hand. This is not up for discussion!
Anyhow, where should I spend my money to improve the hand-coding experience?
Hardware? Software?
It is insane that in 2007, we have to learn programming languages to build websites. This is a clear step backward in the progress of mankind.
When I'm laying out a brochure in InDesign or Quark, I don't have to write code. When I'm editing video in Final Cut Pro, I don't have to write code. A web page is a glorified word processing document, and you need to be a programmer to do anything more than trivial.
A clear step backward, I tell you.
The world desperately needs Apple to design a quality website development program, complete with its own database component for news sites, ad management software, and a consistent, easy to learn interface.
Could somebody tell Steve?
For the actual page layout, I can see using something like Dreamweaver, but gimme a break. Do you really think that the back-end of an interactive website will write itself? That's like saying it's insane that programmers program code line-by-line. Why doesn't Steve just release a software package that allows programmers to just tell a program what to do through a microphone. Development time instantly goes from 2 years to 1 hour. Amazing!
There is one thing that you are forgetting about InDesign, Quark and Final Cut Pro... None of that is interactive. The movies aren't interactive. The designs you make in InDesign and Quark are just sent to a printer. People don't have complex interaction with a brochure, they just read it.
For the actual page layout, I can see using something like Dreamweaver, but gimme a break. Do you really think that the back-end of an interactive website will write itself? That's like saying it's insane that programmers program code line-by-line. Why doesn't Steve just release a software package that allows programmers to just tell a program what to do through a microphone. Development time instantly goes from 2 years to 1 hour. Amazing!
There is one thing that you are forgetting about InDesign, Quark and Final Cut Pro... None of that is interactive. The movies aren't interactive. The designs you make in InDesign and Quark are just sent to a printer. People don't have complex interaction with a brochure, they just read it.
Well, yes and no. If you look at a lot of what Apple's doing on the Cocoa front with Xcode and Interface Builder, you get a lot of code for free. Cocoadevcentral.com somewhere has an almost code free mail program using Core Data and Cocoa Bindings. It's far from perfect, but the amount you get for free nowadays on Cocoa is astounding.
I believe that Frank777 is referring to something like this: have an HTML editor that includes lots of builtin AJAX widgets, form validation scripts, galleries and such for free. Not that there's no code, but basic interactions could still be had for free.
Normally I swear by BBEdit which at version 8 really rocks.
But lately I have been tempted by TextMate which is looking awesome and imo, is a serious competitor.
TextMate Kills!
I simply love everything about it and I can't wait until Version 2!
Sebastian