Can An Online Site Builder Make Web Design Simpler?

[PFork]

I am looking for feedback from you on our advanced online site builder.

We try to make web design with real-time collaboration and simpler.
It is compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox (can run on Mac, Windows and Linux for this reason).

It allows real-time collaboration in web application development, has advanced features as for instance real time database creation / management (forms creation, shopping cart, etc,...) and possibility to add easily any existing php scripts. We want beginners as well as webdesigners and developpers to give us their opinion to this substitute to offline web authoring tools. For now we provide it to web hosting companies which offer it to their hosting customers.

There is a demo on http://www.dragdropsitecreator.com/demopage.php

Thanks for any feedback, positive and negative on Drag drop site creator, any advice and comment will be a great help for us to go further in the software development

 

[talkwebhosts.co]

I just looked at the demo. First off, the tool has great potential. The only thing that I would suggest is make it easier for the end-user. Some fo the content flow within the interface is a bit confusing and I code websites from scratch! Who knows what the end-user would think! Other than that keep up the good work! I am sure people will find this beneficial for there website building needs.

 

[PFork]

Thank you very much! It is a difficult task to simplify even more the interface.

Originally we thought the software to satisfy webdesigners needs.

When we decided to make it accessible to none technical users we created the beginner interface. We have hidden loads of functions neat for webdesigners and programmers in the advanced version (includes manager, database report creation/inclusion, CSS stylesheets creation/management, adding PHP scripts that you can find on www.paspagebuilder.com/packages.php without coding or add your own, etc,...).

The beginner version is now accessible to most people using software on a regular basis. In the full software there is a Video turtorial helping you for the first steps. There are still things we need to work on to make the interface even simpler and I would love to know what element brought you confusion. Did you try the advanced or the beginner interface?


Thank you very much for all your help!

 

[talkwebhosts.co]

It was the overall presentation of the admin interface. It was a little overwhelming to see everything at one time. If the content flow of the admin interface is fixed then there would not be a problem.

 

[PFork]

If you tried the Advanced version it is indeed overwhelming unless you take the time to learn the software. It is to compare to web authoring tools like Dreamweaver or Frontpage.

The beginner interface (you will see only the strictly necessary icons and no bar on the left for the tools) is meant to make it more accessible for a first try. This is why I am curious to know which interface you were using.

It might be easier this way;

Can you go to www.site-builder.us/login.php with Username "moberg" and password "moberg598" you will access the beginner interface.

If you close all your browser windows (or kill the cookie with the Firefox developper toolbar) then open a window and go to www.site-builder.us/login.php with username "moberg2" and password "moberg598" you will see the advanced interface.

I hope you will have some spare time to look at it and tell us where we need to improve and what we got right in Drag drop site creator.

Thank you very much for all your help!

 

[Talkfreelance]

Looks great! I would suggest improving the actual design/website though to portray a more "professional" image to your customers.

Also, what is the code like that it produces? I mean, frontpage/dreamweaver add lots of extra nonsense into the code.

 

[PFork]

Thanks robson. It produces HTML and PHP (when adding dynamic / database elements to the site - many adds-on packages are on www.paspagebuilder.com/packages.php ) code. We added a METAINFO tag needed for allowing the Drag drop site creator, but we are on our way to make it as close as possible to XHTML in the coming new versions of the software.

Which design do you think we should improve? The one of the demo? Which template do you think should replace it (we have a list of templates on ww.dragdropsitecreator.com/templatespage.php )

 

[blip888]

I like the idea, and it does have loads of potential!

 

[PFork]

Thanks a lot Blip888. Could you tell me what you liked most?

 

[talkwebhosts.co]

Have you let clients use this tool yet?

 

[PFork]

Indeed we do, http://nc5.net/ for instance.