A few months ago I was talking to a local business owner who needed a website. Despite my warnings, he decided his best bet was to buy a consumer-level web design product and build his own site.
I saw him the other day and he's nearly bald from all the hair he's been pulling out. I resisted the urge to say "I told you so." (It was hard.)
"My web site looks ok on my computer at home, but it looks COMPLETELY DIFFERENT on my computer at work!" he yelled. "How is that even possible?!" he wanted to know.
The thing he hadn't counted on, and that so-called "web design software" can't seem to handle, is cross-browser compatibility.
Cross What What?
Every internet browser (for example: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera) is different. Many of the differences aren't noticeable to your casual user, but a few of these differences can create undesired effects. In fact, even between different versions of a particular browser, there are often some major quirks. Depending on what version of what browser you use to view a website, colors might look different, objects may be in different locations, and interactive elements might behave wildly differently.
There are ways to fix these odd behaviors, but you're not going to find them in the manual for your software. There's no "fix my problems" button in design software, and without the knowledge to tweak the code yourself, you're stuck.
The best choice is to work with an experienced designer from the start. Trust me, it will save you money in the long run. Web sites created with consumer-level programs are often so convoluted that having them fixed by a professional is more expensive than having a pro build one from scratch.
Enjoyed your information very much, Dave.
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