Free or Open Source Web Design Program?

TheZorch asks: "I'm looking for a good Freeware or Open Source web design program. Right now, I use Web Dwarf but its features are a little limited. I love the ability to put text and graphics wherever I want, which is also how Dreamweaver works. The main problem with Web Dwarf is that I can't insert Macromedia Flash items onto a web page. I've tried Mozilla's web page composer, FrontPage Express, and OpenOffice. None give me the freedom to do what I want to be able to do. The program has to be FREE, no adware, no turned off features until you buy it, and I have to be able to format the page freestyle similar to how Dreamweaver and Web Dwarf work. Can you recommend one for me?"

Comments

That, and I want a pony too.

[Jeff DeMaagd]

What is the constriction preventing the use of commercial software?

Re:That, and I want a pony too.

[Jeff DeMaagd]

In my opinion, I think it was the subject line, but the problem is that I thought there is some truth to the sentiment when I wrote it, and I still do. My thinking is that someone wants the advanced features found in a $400 program, but is willing to pay $0 to get it.

While I think OSS is a great thing as it offers more choices, but I simply don't think it is necessarily capable of solving all problems in the best possible way.

Re:That, and I want a pony too.

[aminorex]

It is capable of eliminating the ability to sell software without source code for a profit, and will do so in time. Some of us don't buy closed-source software because we consider it immoral to so do, barring some overriding need, and are willing to pay in money, features and even time in order to avoid it.

Re:um

[DA-MAN]

You want free and/or open source stuff but you're using it on a proprietary OS? (your mention of DreamWeaver suggests that)

Perhaps he doesn't want free/open source for ideological reasons. Maybe he's just cheap, broke or both! Maybe he was using dreamweaver with Crossover Office.

Whatever it may be, he has his reasons. Why not obstain if you have nothing useful to say.

Re:Do you NEED Flash?

[Bastian]

Seriously. I have a 300kbit internet connection (not as fast as standard cable modem service, but faster than 2/3 of Americans), and I hit the "stop" button and take my surfing somewhere else when I encounter Flash sites. I'm sick of the load times. I'm sick of the craptacular web design that seems to be endemic to Flash websites. I'm sick of overdone Flash sites that run poorly on my three-year-old computer. I'm sick of Flash sites bitching that I don't have the latest version installed. I'm sick of sites with text that's too small to read and that I can't make larger because they did the text rendering with Flash. I'm sick of sites that force me to make my browser window larger when I'm using a small window or that only fill a small portion of the window when I'm using a large browser window because Flash sites run one size and one size only.

Businesses that have Flash-based websites with no non-Flash option usually lose my business. I won't even stick around to see the sales pitch. I'll go find a competitor who didn't start their relationship with me by annoying me with some animation-rich but content-deprived piece of self-absorbed fluff.

Flash is for Homestar Runner, not overdesigned menu sets and half-implmeneted-and-mostly-broken re-implementations of things that are already built into HTML such as the button and the scroll bar. It's a toy for web designers who think their primary job responsibility is mucking around with Flash, not making websites that don't suck.

New rule

[booch]

Here's a thought. Anyone asking for free (as in beer) software should explain WHY they think they are entitled to software at no cost. For example: they've contributed significantly to the community, they're running a non-profit for underpriveleged youth, or Mommy hasn't given them their allowance this week.

As other posters pointed out, you can't realistically expect a $0 program to be equivalent to a $1000 program. You have to be willing to give something up. Sometimes if you've contributed to the community, or are working for a non-profit, people will see that you are giving something, and help you out. Other times, they'll see that you're just being a selfish jerk. It would help us out a lot if you could provide us with some more details to help us make that determination.

Re:New rule

[skryche]

Entitlement? What the hell are you talking about? That's the great thing about free software: everyone's entitled to it!

“As other posters pointed out, you can't realistically expect a $0 program to be equivalent to a $1000 program.”

“Equivalent” is too tricky a word to argue with, but Apache and Linux easily compete with $1000 products.

Re:Be a professional

[HappyDrgn]

Are you a professional web developer? Then use a text editor.
 
Are you serious? I can't remember the last time I sat down with a professional and had them open a terminal with VI or whatever. Professional web developers are hardly the static HTML page designers of the early 90's. Sure for a personal site, a couple pages, a text editor would work fine. But these days professionals develop code in PHP, ASP.NET, CFML and Java. Professionals write websites like Amazon, Google, MSN and CNN. These websites are mostly an HTML framework powered by databases and endless lines of code created by teams of professionals. VIM, GREP, AWK and SED are hardly a match for a full blown IDE like ZendStudio or VisualStudio. For example, try tracking down an object you can't remember (or never knew) the name of in a full blown web application using a text editor. Having trouble? Open an IDE and browse the objects tree! Want to bug test a couple of functions without uploading a whole application? Use the run from here command, the built in interpreter or compiler will handle the rest for you. IDE's certainly do have their place, and more often than not it's with the professionals.