Hi everyone, i would like to ask a few questions as i'm wanting to start webdesigning :

1) What kind of software do you mainly use to design and code?

2) What are the steps you take when you start designing?

3) What kind of coding languages are the best to learn?

Thanks
James

Software: Adobe photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver.

Steps: Be creative and know how to use adobe.

Coding: HTML/XHTML/CSS are the basics, then i'd move on to PHP/JAVA.

Softwares would be dreamweaver,....as mentioned by hellhound

steps: clear your basics with html, xhtml.... Design a website and check it out with "easy php", you can also try starting a free website using a subdomain. After you are confident enough go for a Domain.

When it comes to web design, a software like Dreamweaver can make your life a bit easier, but the software will not be the major factor in creating a well designed site.

Learn html and css. Absolutely stay away from templates. Build everything from scratch. If you are looking into dynamic sites, php/mysql is a must.

Don't forget to get yourself trained on search engine optimization. In the future, only webmasters who understand seo have the edge. Without seo knowledge, you can build a site that no one comes.

Dreamweaver is not cheap. Try NVU, at www.nvu.com it is free and works just fine.

My preference as a professional is

Text editor with Adobe Golive
Photoshop
Flash
Php knowledge
SEO knowledge.

Originally Posted by theseokit

My preference as a professional is

Text editor with Adobe Golive
Photoshop
Flash
Php knowledge
SEO knowledge.

LMAO -- "Professional" in SEO and PHP?

If so, display a PHP code for "Finding distinct values in a MySQL query" ... show me what you're boasting!

AHEM, I said Php knowledge

Not a programmer. I can fix problems and the like if I have to. Can you please lay off Travel Agent.

MY suggestions:

Learn HTML and CSS from the ground up and CODE BY HAND using Notepad or some other text editor.

Adobe GoLive (which is DEAD btw), Dreamweaver, etc. can NOT write good code, in fact they spew garbage code left on their own and used only in WYSIWYG mode.

Photoshop is the best, but not the ONLY graphics tool and it's quite pricey for most people. You can achieve very good graphics for the web with Paint Shop Pro ($99), or Fireworks.

Flash.. nice to have but not essential. Flash is good for small animations, etc., but NOT good for entire sites. Good to learn, but shouldn't be first on your list.

PHP/MySQL - if you want to write database-driven or CMS driven sites, these are a good place to start.. AFTER you've mastered HTML and CSS.

LadynRed -- couldn't agree with you more ... especially pertaining to DW producing lousy, unnecessary code, and in particular hand-coding!

Yep; before you can WRITE PHP/MYSQL code, you need to have a firm grip on HTML & CSS!

I agree, not only DW but all WYSIWYG editors are no longer practical for designing high quality compliant CSS sites. And you just don't need them.
Learn your basics and get a good text editor.
Start by implementing some of the excellent packages that are available now and you'll have a site that is far better than you could ever create in DW.
An online CMS like Joomla is not too hard these day, Blogs like Wordpress are pretty powerful and a client side CMS can be used for the sites where these are required or suitable.
All of these have lots of free templates you just need to customise to give your own design.

I hate when people ask this question. It hardly ever gets answered properly. A lot of people throw in a lot of personal opinion and what not. LadynRed hit right on almost.

First, get a good firm grasp of (x)HTML and CSS. That's the obvious. As far as an editor goes, forget about buying a WYSIWYG editor. Stick with notepad and an FTP program until you learn basics. BUT, if you feel you need a WYSIWYG editor, you can find a lot of free ones out there. Just make sure they come with code highlighting.

Once you get into designing sites, you need to go a little further than the code. I could suggest getting a book named "The Non-Designer's Web Book" by Robin Williams & John Tollett. That book gives the very basics of web design concepts.

There is more to making web pages than just coding. There are rules for making good designs, usability and accesibilty issues that all need to be factored in when designing web pages.

Opinions on editors or graphic design programs are a dime a dozen. It is TOTALLY a matter of personal preference. What works for me may not work for you.