Hi, I would like to know what is the best software for a novice to build a web-site. I had training on Microsoft FrontPage some years ago and found it very easy to produce basic pages/links as it has similar key strokes as other MSoft products. However, a friend said I would waste my time with this and should purchase Dreamweaver as it is a better product. I want to produce a professional web-site by myself and was worried that Dreamweaver would be to complicated (I'm a competent web/excel/word etc user). Any views welcome. Thanks

On Windows, you might want to check out WebEasy (http://www.v-com.com/product/Web_Easy_Pro_Home.html). On the Mac OS X side, I'd recommend RapidWeaver (http://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/). Both are easy for the beginner, but can be used to produce professional-quality sites.

On Windows, you might want to check out WebEasy (http://www.v-com.com/product/Web_Easy_Pro_Home.html). On the Mac OS X side, I'd recommend RapidWeaver (http://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/). Both are easy for the beginner, but can be used to produce professional-quality sites.
I would agree. I tried them both and they work fine. Nice one...

Very nice.

Front page is fine to use. Be sure to use a unique title tag and meta description tag per page. Keep your pages content rich based on your business topic. If your business is only going to a local market keep the content and tags centered around the important keywords for your business and locale. Your content should be readable and make sense to the people visiting your page, as well as any navigation you use should guide users to an end goal. Think to yourself what is this website for when creating your navigation? Explain your product/services? Get people to contact you or purchase online.
Try to keep each page under 100k including graphics. Flash is NOT helpful in producing an optimized site. It can hurt you if you want to try to gain natural rank in the SE's.

Once you have your pages created you will then upload them to a server, most likely a hosted space on a server that you have gotten for free or paid for. Do you have a domain name? If not you will want one - GoDaddy is the best place and lowest cost for this so far that I have found. You can host your site and domain name for free as well or you can pay a monthly or yearly fee to host someplace. If you go with shared Linux hosting that will most likely be the lowest cost route.

If you want more advice I am happy to help - please feel free to IM or email.

GoDaddy is the best place and lowest cost for this so far that I have found.

There are a number of top 10 web hosting lists out there; here's one of them (http://www.best-webhosting-2008.com/). Personally, I've found GoDaddy support rather unhelpful and the structure of their website hard to use for the novice (I know other people are happy with them, though)... I use BlueHost and have been very happy with them, but any of the services listed should be a good choice.