Need Recommendation For Dragndrop Site Builder

[Kayleen]

I sent this to TCH support and they told me they cannot make any recommendations so I am hoping this is the right forum to post this and get some feedback from people who might know what is what with the options available.

 

My situation: I have space here at TCH but my site is still over at Homestead - why? Because I am hung up on their proprietary SiteBuilder that lets you easily visually make a site, keep it sync'd, update, etc. it's here: www.captivespirit.com .

 

I really need to find a replacement site builder but as I am not a software techie (in web stuff, know quite a bit about databases, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.), I am finding myself stuck on terminology and so forth in trying to decide what might work for me to replace the Homestead program. I'd REALLY love to hear feedback from anyone who has used the Homestead program and moved on to something else, but that is probably too much to wish for .

 

Here is what I wrote about my needs:

 

I am desperately looking for a good drag and drop type site editor to

> replace the SiteBuilder at Homestead so I can get off there but it's

> hard finding something when you don't know much about the tech specs.

 

> I need:

 

drag and drop, ability to build from scatch (no templates, as a

> creative I must have a unique site and can't use premade buttons and

> such),

 

ability to add some little scripts/code (like email shield,

> mouseovers - not even really sure if thee are scripts or code, see an

> html dummy!!),

 

and a navigation builder tool that is smart (retains

> links and can be edited when new pages are added or pages are deleted)

> and makes a navigation element that can be dragged and dropped onto

> each page.

 

I guess that is the most that I need but I am having a

> really hard time figuring out which website builders I should even be

> looking at and I am fairly sure Dreamweaver is too much for me as I do

> not wish to build sites for others. Hate to waste time on something

> that isn't even in the ballpark for me. I thought maybe CuteSite or

> something from globalscape as I am comfortable with CuteFTP but I am not sure if CuteSite can do the things I need.

 

Homestead

> really has inexperienced people like me hooked with that easy to use

> SiteBuilder module. I am sure I cannot use it once I leave Homestead

> and surely they do not license it. I really wish I could just license

> it as I am comfortable with it and can do what I need to.... any

> advice for me on software, maybe a short list to look at given my

> needs?

 

 

Thanks to anyone who can give me some feedback. Please don't try to convince me to code by hand using a text editor. I just will not do that although I do some editing of html template pages (BreezeBrowser) for my photo proofs galleries to make them custom for my site. I just am not cut out to hand code a whole site and keep it working right. So advice to use a text editor type to handcode will not help me but will probably just confuse me more. I just need to figure out which wysiwyg site builder will work for my pretty basic needs. Or at least in my naviete, I think they are pretty basic:) See, I am not that savvy....

 

 

Thanks,

 

Kathleen

[Samrc]

You could consider CSB (CuteSite Builder). Low learning curve, inexpensive and does allow you to insert code, your own menus, etc.

 

My personal site is built with it: http://www.samisite.com Comes with templates but you do not have to use them (my site is not built with a template).

 

And here's a review of the program: http://www.samisite.com/csbreview.htm (was easy to move it from the old host to TCH)

 

Not a perfect program by any standards, but user friendly and fun to use. There's a user to user forum for assistance on both the TCH forum and at globalscape.com

Lots of folks here at TCH use the program. 30 day free trial. Try it. You don't like it, you can go on to something else!

 

-Samantha

[Kayleen]

Thanks Samantha! Lots of info on CSB at your site and I think it's safe to say you love it

 

It looks good for my needs, the only real issue is with the lack of ability to stretch to fit different screen sizes. I am hoping the html to be imported for that would be fairly simple to find and use?

 

One more question, have you heard anything further about Globalscape's plan for this software? I sure would hate to get it, get up to speed and then have it go away forcing another change in 2 years when OS revisions push upgrading of applications.

 

Thanks again for the great information.

 

Kathleen

[TCH-Thomas]

CSB gets my vote too.

[jme574]

I have only built 2 sites in my life. I'm not a big computer guy or really that computer savy. the first site was www.fullefx.net made with Webeasy, then i made this one www.totallymobiledjs.com with webeasy 5.0 pro.

http://www.v-com.com/product/Web_Easy_Pro_Home.html

 

I know there are alot of mistakes in my site, but they are user mistake because i didn't know all the "rules" of making a website. Webeasy pro lets you make your own templetes or use theirs.You can add different types of script, add java programs, flash, swift and a whole lot of other type of movie files. The possablities are almost endless.

[Samrc]

It looks good for my needs, the only real issue is with the lack of ability to stretch to fit different screen sizes. I am hoping the html to be imported for that would be fairly simple to find and use?

No stretch and fit. The tables in CSB are PIXEL set only, no percentage. If you visit any Trellix or CSB built site with text and images you will see tables being used which preset the size of the text area. Inserting code into the table does not make the table adjust. You can center the table (as I do on my home page) but that's it.

 

One more question, have you heard anything further about Globalscape's plan for this software? I sure would hate to get it, get up to speed and then have it go away forcing another change in 2 years when OS revisions push upgrading of applications. 

 

As I mention at the bottom of my review page, I think its possible we are on the last generation of CSB. Globalscape has made no mention of a beta for version 5, but they also haven't announced the product is dead either...

 

webeasy 5.0 pro

When I last looked at the product, it did not have the support that CSB offered. Don't know if that changed. If so, you might consider that one. The documentation does not say if it supports framed and non-framed sites like CSB does, but on the bright side, it allows overlapping images & text which CSB does not. (A prepared image with text on it can be used in CSB for same result but is not as fast)

 

My tutorial site was not originally built to support a product. It was my testing ground. When I needed to try something new and wanted to find out how to do it, I used my personal site to test/learn on. Then once I got it working correctly I took the finished product over to the business site I was working on. Eventually I had all these tests on my personal site and decided to add a few instructions so others could learn from my trial and error.

 

Yes I like the product, but don't love the product. It has quirks but use it despite them because of the ease of the product. I prefer WordPerfect over Word (WP is still the only one that can truly reveal hidden codes to allow you to find that elusive style code that is driving you crazy and when it comes to LABELS, WP wins hands down.) I use Word and other Office products because I have to. I choose WordPerfect and CSB because I want to.

 

-Samantha