What applications do you use to create, manage, update and upload your web site and what's your opinion of those applications in terms of how well they meet your needs?

I used Macromedia Dreamweaver MX and ADOBE Photoshop 7 for most of the work that I do on my sites. I use Smart FTP for uploading etc...

I find each of the applications very useful, they all have a lot of fearures that I do try to spend time learning. As I learn something new, I often try to reflect that in the site.

I make small amendments here and there, usually attmepting to visually enhance the site.

And to kick things off ...

I'm a hardcore HTML/CSS coder so everything is done manually by hand (rather than wysiwyg editors). Currently I am using:
- Macromedia Homesite 5.2 for HTML/XML (bought and paid for)
- Top Style 2.5 for CSS Style (net mag freebie)
- Xtreeme Site Xpert 4.1 for snazzy site map (net mag freebie)
- Xenu Link Sleuth for checking all links on my site work (net download freebie)
- Paint Shop Pro 6 for all grgaphics work (bought and paid for)
- WS FTP Pro for uploads (bought and paid for with a very old version of Demon Turnpike)

Homesite is very cheap and gives you a high level of control of your code. It never adds in code you don't ask it to and v5 has great support for HTML and XHTML. It's basically a text window with loads of toolbars/buttons for entering tags with great code checkers, code sweeper, help files, etc ... the list goes on.

Top Style is adequate for my needs, particularly considering this version is a freebie. In this version you can only edit one style sheet at a time and while I don't find it very intuitive it does support CSS1 and 2 and it prompts for tags from a pick list as you're updating it which is really good. Has a simplistic preview function in the bottom pane.

Xtreeme Site Xpert is really a menu builder but I didn't like its menus so I'm just using its sitemapping capability. Although it can autogenerate sitemaps I find they need alot of manual editing so it's easier to build one myself then keep updating it. It's very good for customising the look of your site map.

Xenu Link Sleuth is fantastic. So simple and easy to use and it just runs off and checks your site bringing back a report of the status of every link (many more than you think usually).

Pain Shop Pro. It's the best value money can buy. Have been upgrading since I bought v3. It has always brought Adobe Photoshop type features to the masses at a much lower price. Gives me lots of control of my graphics.

WS FTP Pro - Fully featured, easy to use, rarely breaks. Lots of control.

My total kit consists of Serif Pageplus8 pdf complete with uploader (to Ntl:) on board.
I did manage to insert some of that funny code stuff (Amdramers web ring) yesterday into the page as Serif has a facility to let you do this.all the site is created in desk top form and the programme then lets you publish in browser to check it works and them publish to web.

Another hand coder here. To write and update www.guildplayers.org.uk I use the following:

1st Page 2000 (free!)
Topstyle Pro 3 (cost me ?16 as an upgrade from a magazine cover disc freebie version)
WS_FTP LE
Paintshop Pro 7 (Cost about ?40, version 5 is currently available as a freebie on magazine discs)
CSE HTML Validator Pro 4 (another magazine freebie)
Online HTML and CSS validators at the The World Wide Web Consortium site (free).
Site Search engine at www.atomz.com (free).

Dave

You must have a big budget

Its only money at the end of the day......

Dreamweaver MX is only a trial version!

I might consider buying it in the future though, I am very impressed with it.

Photoshop 6 is what I have not 7, I was getting a little boastful and trying to show off

I can upgrade for about ?130 but have not chosen to do so....

I got the software originally from a computer sale, it was quite expensive at the time but I did have the budget!

Just to add to that, you can sometime get great deals on software through your employer. Often your employer has site licenses etc and therefore will get a reasonable deal on further licences for home use for employees.

Its wort investigating, the other options are student packages which are very good aswell!. Also beta versions of software can be excellent and free!!

Well I use only the best software there is....

Notepad...

That's it for the HTML.

Paint Shop Pro for graphics

and for uploading in bulk WS_FTP.

I must be the boring one then, I use Front Page 2002.

Can't find the time to leanr to use any other, front page may be limited but if I can use it..........
:-)