site builder vs. site studio

[silvermoonlightjewelry]

I started building my site with site studio after I signed up with Hostgator because that is the only web builder I thought was offered. I have done a lot of work on my site but it is not finished. I just found out I can also use site builder and am wondering which would be better to use. I am NOT computer savy at all and it is taking me forever to do anything. Does anyone have any opinions on which is easier to use and better to use in the long run. I don't mind harder if it will look better eventually. I am having some trouble with site studio on getting some pictures to look right etc.
Thanks

[gwyneth]

There are much better (and easier options). If you're activated by the time you read this, here is a useful thread.

Site studio alternatives even novices can use

If you're not activated, I'm copying the main post from that thread:

Several recent threads have discussed a few of the issues associated with Site Studio/Site Builder.

These include (but aren't limited to) non-portability, quirky formatting, and trouble determining what to input so you get what you want.

While Site Studio seems to have one overwhelming advantage--the ability for even a total novice to publish a professional-looking page almost instantly--there are other ways for total beginners to achieve this.

IMO, one of the biggest drawbacks to using Site Studio is that it creates its own frustrations...leading novices to think 'if this is bad, the other ways must be even worse'.

Well, the other ways don't have to be worse, and offer much higher paybacks for the initial frustration, time, etc. that are inevitable even with Site Builder. And, ironically, it's much easier to find help when you're using the alternatives. (Hypothetical parallel--expert cookie makers wouldn't know the specific features of Cookeeze, the easy sleazy automatic cookie maker.)

One of the sites mentioned below discusses the issue here: Is It Better to Use an Online Site Builder or a Standalone Web Editor? (thesitewizard.com)

Believe me, you can do it. Here's how.

Option (or step) one

This site includes a very easy-to-follow set of explanations; an online page builder that lets you build and save to disk a simple page; and a free editor. There is help every step of the way.

* HTML for the Conceptually Challenged

Option (or step) two

Download NVU or KompoZer. (Note that these are essentially the same program, but one may work better than the other on your own system.) Complete handholding and getting started info is available at:

Nvu Tutorials (thesitewizard.com)

KompoZer Tutorials (thesitewizard.com)

The first link in each list gives you a step by step guide to get you through your first page. Other info shows you how to use the program with existing pages, such as...

Templates and more

Each of these sites has more easy-to-follow information and templates you can download and customize.

So, you want to make a web page

The Web Diner Introduces Your Web Adventure!

Iron Spider

Easy lessons

The first site has lessons for every aspect of web publishing, but this part is particularly valuable--a set of interactive page components ("HTML tags"):

HTML Examples (interactive)

This site, while downright cheesy-looking, does have some of the easiest-to-follow lessons anywhere:

44 HTML Lessons and Tutorials

[silvermoonlightjewelry]

Thanks, that is very helpful. I am not activated yet so thanks for pasting the info. I have dreamweaver on my computer and even bought dreamweaver for dummies but still haven't used or read it. I am scared I guess and wanted something up quick. A friend of mine told me about content based builders like Joomla so I am even more confused on which is easier and better between something like dreamweaver and joomla. So I just wanted easy and used site studio. My long range plan was to build it first with site studio and then learn dreamweaver and then when I am able do a website with it. But I want to start selling ASAP online so I wanted to get a website up the easiest way.

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by silvermoonlightjewelry

Thanks, that is very helpful. I am not activated yet so thanks for pasting the info. I have dreamweaver on my computer and even bought dreamweaver for dummies but still haven't used or read it. I am scared I guess and wanted something up quick. A friend of mine told me about content based builders like Joomla so I am even more confused on which is easier and better between something like dreamweaver and joomla. So I just wanted easy and used site studio. My long range plan was to build it first with site studio and then learn dreamweaver and then when I am able do a website with it. But I want to start selling ASAP online so I wanted to get a website up the easiest way.

The method described in the post will be almost as easy as using Site Builder or Site Studio (easier and less time-consuming in some ways, like figuring out how to change things).

The problem with Site Builder or Site Studio is that you won't be able to convert directly (both being proprietary software), so at some point you'll have to redo it anyway.

In addition, using one of those two to build an ecommerce site seems like an excercise in futility (to me).

Either Kompozer or Nvu are similar in scope to Dreamweaver but a) free and b) much easier to use. IMO, either is also a better way to learn the innards of sites because, although you don't need to know anything about the mechanics to use one, they make it pretty easy to find out about the innards and see what's going on.

In addition, the sitewizard links above will literally walk you through the entire thing.

When I compiled the info in the thread, I did a fair amount of research/thinking about the absolutely easiest way to do a "first site". It was very frustrating to see people spend so much time with Site Builder and or Site Studio, only to realize later that they'd either have to start over--and that they didn't even learn much for all the enegry expended.

Later, you can modify pages created with K or N with any other program (sometimes Dreamweaver-created pages can be confusing when edited with other apps). K and N are pretty good in their own right, as applications (I did my first HTML work in 1994, have at least 30 editors on my main PC, and still sometimes find K or N useful).

[silvermoonlightjewelry]

Ok, thanks for the info it helps me a lot in trying to figure out what to do. I did research on forums and stuff when deciding on a web hoster and on how to build my site and saw the nvu and I think I may have even downloaded it. But I chickened out and just used site studio. I have a question, do you have an opinion if it is easier to use a content management site like Joomla or nvu? And what is the difference?
You have talked me into trying my own site building with nvu, I will read the tutorials etc. While I am doing that I at least have a partial site up with hostgator using site studio and people can log on and see it and email me if they want to order jewelry.

[gwyneth]

There are a lot of ways to achieve almost anything anybody wants to do with their site.

While some content management systems (CMS) may be easier for some people to use, IMO they may be harder to learn without at least a little HTML. In addition, choosing the right one is a task in itself, much easier after even a short time working with a site and pages.

Some CMSes are easier than others; WordPress, for example, might be much easier to pick up than Joomla.

All advice here or from anywhere else needs to consider your goal is not just building a site, but incorporating e-commerce. Combining a shopping cart and a CMS is still something of a patch job and even a few weeks of working with your site will help you understand things better.

Two of the more evolved combinations of CMS/shopping carts, IMO, are Viart/Viartcart and Drupal/Ubercart. The latter has the advantages of being free, able to use the many Drupal modules, and a terrific installation tool (the ubercart.org site has a web-based installer that pops in both Drupal and ubercart).

Of course, everybody has a different way of interfacing and learning, so it's important to learn enough so you feel comfortable deciding what you like and what's best for your purposes.

[silvermoonlightjewelry]

Ok, thanks. I guess I will look at nvo and what shopping cart works with it as I don't want anything too difficult. My plan was to use the zen shopping cart with the site studio and I am going to see if I can use it with nvo and if it is easy to do. I want one that is compatible with pay pal as that is what I plan to use. It sounds as if nvo will be better than Joomla at least for me. I will do some more research and read the links you gave me to make a decision I guess. I would like to learn how to do all that stuff anyway. And there are a lot of forums out there so if I have trouble surely someone will be able to help me. Especially with the hostgator form people will have ideas on stuff that works with host gator and how to upload etc.

[gwyneth]

Just to clarify--NVU, like Dreamweaver, is a tool rather than a web application; they're used on your PC to create or modify sites. Site Studio/Site Builder, CMSes, Zen cart are all web applications.

[silvermoonlightjewelry]

So does that mean I can't use zen cart with nvu as my shopping cart? Wow I have a lot of research to do to understand all this stuff.

[GvilleRick]

NVu is a program, just as DreamWeaver is a program, that you can use to create a website. You can certainly use Zen Cart with your website, you would just need to create the link in your main page to send users to Zen Cart to view and purchase items.

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by GvilleRick

NVu is a program, just as DreamWeaver is a program, that you can use to create a website. You can certainly use Zen Cart with your website, you would just need to create the link in your main page to send users to Zen Cart to view and purchase items.

Thanks, Rick, I was trying to edit/expand my last post when we lost power.

silvermoonlightjewelry, think of NVU and DreamWeaver as being like Microsoft Word, or any other word processor. You keep them on your PC, and can either create sites and pages or edit sites and pages created with other applications.

Zen Cart and other shopping carts are web-based applications that let you create a set of pages that display products you're selling. These pages include all of the "active" parts of ecommerce--how the customer chooses products, how prices are totalled, etc.

While you can edit your Zen Cart (or other ecommerce program-created) pages in NVU or Dreamweaver, most people work with the "active" parts within the ecommerce program to minimize errors and keep the "active" stuff working.

Rick is suggesting you create the non-store part of your site in NVU/Dreamweaver, and the store part in Zen cart, then put a link from the non-store part to the store (like a hall from a museum to the gift shop).

One easy way to start with ecommerce is to create a site, then use Paypal buttons (found at the paypal site)...you make one for each product you're selling, and paste it into your pages.

A good method to minimize confusion may be to think about what you want to do, temporarily ignoring how to do it. That's how I teach artists/handcrafters to make their sites...get some paper and draw a rough sketch of how you envision your site, one sheet per page. Once you've visualized things, then start worrying about "how".

[striddy]

If you are new to website creating, I would certainly suggest Wordpress. To make installing easy, it is available in Cpanel / Fantastico.

You don't need to know any html, and you use it very much like a word processor.

Wordpress is free, and there are literally thousands of free themes to skin your site with and they can be changed anytime in the future. Also lots of useful plugins when you get a bit further down the track.

Don't think you can really go wrong with Wordpress.

[silvermoonlightjewelry]

Ok, I will sit down and work out each page of my site on paper and then figure out how after that. I like the idea of a paypal button for each item. I would rather incorporate the purchases into the site instead of redirecting it to another place which I guess zen cart does. But that may end up being the easier thing to do. I will have to figure it out. I checked out wordpress before but when I looked at it I thought it looked like something to use for blogs and not ecommerce. I must not have looked at it correctly and I will look at it again. I want to make it very user friendly for people when they want to purchase something and I have to research that side of what I should do also. I picture the shopping cart like most places I order from where people just click on a button to add to cart and then they can go to their cart and edit or check out with ease or go back and review the site with ease. Thanks for all the advice and any more advice you have is greatly appreciated.
thanks,
vicki