bigAPE

As a beginner interested in starting out in this field getting a grounding in the basics is critical. Walk before you run.

When you feel like running, don't waste your time buying an e-Commerce solution when there are many open source offerings available. This will allow krestsaf to ease himself/herself into the next stage of the learning curve without incurring additional costs. While I have no inherent issue with the ASP.NET based CMS and Commerce offerings out there, the volume of freely available PHP based solutions, sample code and community support would suggest that this would be a more appropriate course of action.

Once krestsaf is prepared to step into the big world outside then I would feel more than happy suggesting .NET (specifically, but not limited to, C#) as a stepping stone into Enterprise development platforms. Microsoft offers the Express line of development tools for free which would make an excellent tooling choice as would Eclipse for Java (any of the varieties although I do like Oracle's).

However, walk before you run...

I'm a senior Enterprise Software Architect fluent in .NET, Java and PHP as well as many other languages and technologies. I'm also an MCSD.NET and have been doing it for over twenty years. Everyone has to start somewhere...

Al

bigAPE

I would second that. Having worked with Joomla and Mambo before it (I have even released some rather popular add-ons for them) I can not recommend them enough.

DunRoaminTheUK

.NET only emerged in 2000. Do you mean that you have 20 years of software development experience?

bigAPE

Yes sir, but I did have an iPhone in 1984

viviennef

open source rules.

I use .net but only because I have to. I wont admit I love the IDE

Viv

DunRoaminTheUK

Best of both worlds (well, kind of)... http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page

krestsaf

thanks for all the replies (debates)

I was trying to design a site for a friend but in a short time period of which I cant do with the limited knowledge I have so have admitted defeat.

But will def research what u have given me so far in a more adequate time scale

thanks

Scrawni 2

Has anyone used, 'Coffeecup' website design software to create their own website?

http://www.coffeecup.com/

ABCDiamond

Never give in... You should have seen my first web site

But it's much better now, well, at least I think so....

Now waiting for the experts to give me their opinions....

Brisben

I am no expert but I have seen many, yours is good mate.

ABCDiamond

Thanks for the comment

The "Original site, based on HTML", that I mention was not my first one.
That one was a massive improvement on my first attempts, which should indicate how bad my early version were

I am however looking at reverting to a htm version, as they seem to open faster than php. But I am going into a steeper learning curve on this now, to try to get the best looks with fast page opening

Brisben

You got it all wrong. your early versions weren't bad, just your newer ones are better.

Anyway enough trumpet blowing!

Hutch

I think an important thing to remember is that there is an opportunity for one-(wo)man band web designers in this country that doesn't really exist in the UK anymore. Australia's a long way behind the UK and Europe in web implementation and a solo web designer producing bespoke sites for SMEs can make a good living. In the UK the various roles that all used to be tackled by a single person have become highly specialised, so you get interface designers, back-end specialists, SEOs and all the jobs in between. My missus has been in the game since 1993 and has hooked up with a Sydney based marketing company to offer web services, but she's also getting good local work. In the UK she was forced to work with your specialist coders, not always a pleasant situation.