The right tools for the right job?

I'm praying this fits into this forum. If not, someone feel free to lock it

I'm wondering...
What do YOU feel are the right tools for your website?

Do you run a database driven website on PHP and MySQL? A nifty Dreamweaver based site made of pure HTML? Or do you venture into the lands of Flash? And do you host your own site or does someone else?

Personally, I run the first.. my website is composed of HTML, PHP and all of the database entries are stored on a local MySQL machine that I set up to run off of my home PC. At first I took the time to learn the basics of PHP and MySQL so that I could store entries and later recall them on my website for future reference. It was fun and nifty, seeing how I could handle so much... It was a dream come true. I could finally host my own message board and not have it crash due to bandwidth restrictions (though, my ISP doesn't like all the traffic I get ). I've done a lot of my website's actual design in Dreamweaver and have done the graphics in Photoshop 7. And right now I'm working on a new website design that will allow a "user commenting system".. after anything added or a picture or just about anything I want to, users can add a comment to the database and it'll be read back to them. While this isn't monumentous, I do find it challenging and fun, since I've never met anyone (in person) who's handled a database driven site like mine

So, how about you? What do you use?

For modular Sites: PHP and SQL

For Sites using a single nav bar: SHTML

For most other things: Vanilla HTML

¤Night

For my website I use a hosting company, which provides me with PHP, MySQL databases, etc. I could have hosted it on one of my computers but the bandwidth might have been too much, and besides I use the computer for other things and might not leave it on all the time.

Anyway I do know a bit of MySQL and PHP and do somestuff with that at work from time to time. But for my website I wanted a package that would let me handle the data, a portal site, plus forums. So instead of programming I researched PHP apps via Sourceforge and Freshmeat, and installed many and tested them for weeks until finding one I liked. I use PHPWebsite for my main portal, PHPBB v. 2 for the forums. Makes it much easier to manage plus somebody else has to worry about fixing bugs. I still have to do stuff in PHP and MySQL, like coding themes and backups, etc. For another section I will code it in PHP since there is no specific app for credit listings and use MySQL for storing data. In the future I might use Gallery or another PHP app for an image gallery.

For my own personal homapage I just used plain vanilla HTML, using Dreamweaver, Textpad and Photoshop. It's small enough so I can do it nice and simple, I like things Spartan. I might use maybe a portal PHP app but I'm not so sure.

I have to use remote hosting, since my Cable provider blocks all incoming requests from port 80 (HTTP). Xieish.com is at websolo.com for a year, and then I will switch it elsewhere.

I've just recently switched to my own domain. So I'm still kind of figuring out how to use the tools it provides. As of now, I have almost all html but some java as well.

-sj loves kevin spacey

Photoshop and Dreamweaver.

Hmmmm, nice question, Carosel, i don't use anything fancy, a small Javascript here and there, a small HTML all in there with the thrusty help of my Paint Shop Pro. I use nothing complicated for my site, i just feel that good grapics is the ke, and that's my motto.

I'm a huge fan of using CSS too...

Dreamweaver for the layout, and Photoshop for the graphics.

At the moment I use Photoshop, Fireworks, Dreamweaver MX, Flash MX and Coldfusion MX for the back end.

I also use WSFTP for those miscellaneous uploads.

For my website, I'm still stuck using Geocities. I use CSS, together with Strict HTML for the website. I'm considering using flash, but I don't want to do so if it's only use is as an opening page; I feel it's a waste of time to have to click on "Enter". I use Adobe Photoshop to edit all pictures of mine, even if easier tools will do, as I'm used to that programme.

For the bigger site, I've begun doing almost all of the menus in Flash. It's so much quicker and easier to do drop downs with. I almost never use it for an intro unless the entire site is Flash.