That's why I'm so bummed and really surprised that their software iWeb is so darn bad.
I've tried about 6 different variations of website building software. By far my favorite is Bravenet. This isn't an ad for Bravenet but I've had websites with them for going on 7 years and I love how easy it is to have a website with them. I can't say the same about that iWeb software that came on my computer and their soon-to-be-fazed out Mobile Me.
How can it be so bad? They do things so well....most of the time. But iWeb they really missed the mark.
I understand they know they missed the mark and iweb won't be shipping with new computers coming out next year. I've heard that from hanging around in the Apple Store. It's a happy place for me. I take classes and drool over their stuff as often as I can get that into my schedule.
Give me a day to work on a Personal Project in the Apple Store with an Apple expert there to help me out...well...for me...that hangs close to the top of my favorite things to do. I come home filled to the brim with new information and problems solved.
But I digress.....
I know that you learn something best by just jumping right in. So I bought a pretty website template. A template only available to use with iweb though. First mistake. But I'm riding my learning curve.
I struggled with the site and learned stuff. It wasn't great. But it wasn't like I needed it to be great. I was taking it for a test ride. I played around with ideas then I just left it hanging around out there on the web. I just left it out there to Google along. Recently I headed back to it and made some changes.
Since Mobile Me will be fazed out next year I had to transfer it somewhere. So with the help of an Apple Store instructor, I FTP'ed it to Bravenet. But since it was an iWeb-made website, I had to keep using iWeb to update it and then re-send it over to Bravenet after each change.
Again, I struggled along. It was really annoying so I only made a 6 page website. The list of what I don't like about this software is long but the worst is that you can't work much "behind the scenes"... even if you want to. Apple believes in protecting you from yourself so they only let you go so far. Then you are blocked out.
I'm not an HTML genius or webmaster extraordinaire. Not even close. I'd consider myself an intermediate. Middle intermediate at best....not a high level one. But I do know some HTML code. I wanted and needed to get behind the scenes. Just a little more. But nope. Not allowed except for their crazy little "snippets". They know us middle intermediate types needed to be stopped at the door.
I won't go into all the boring details or spend time on a constructive critique of some software that I've heard is not going to be updated or improved.
But one page of my small little 6 page website inspired me to write an About Us page. Check it out until I screw up the link and it doesn't work anymore. It looks like this but if you go directly there you may be able to read it better and see the other pages of my test-run website devoted to Party Placecards.
