Is there something between CMS and HTML?

(Reformulation of a previous post)
Looking for tools/frameworks to help me make nice relatively static web-sites.........
Seems the fundamental choice is between coding HTML/CSS/JavaScript in Dreamveaver, and CMS?
Though CMS seems a bit of an overkill to me. There is a heavy DB, and I don't really need the CMS (in the beginning)
I just want something that can:
1. Generate nice menu's.
2. Tie content together.
3. Administrate links.
Any hints for what to look at, where to look or what to Google would be appreciated.
(I am thinking a bit on phpCMS, since there is no database)
Thanks
Olav

I'm sort of going through the same scenerio right now at work. However, our website is way too big and will require not only a database but a backend cms for a few of the departments.

Currently I'm researching the best possible progs to do the job. I've played with open source cms's and found that they are going to take way too much time to rebuild to suit our purposes.

I would suggest that you build a dynamic site opposed to a static one. The work up front is painful especially if its the first one you are creating however it will allow for greater flexibilty and growth in the future.

I'm really profecient in Dreamweaver, flash, xhtml, html, css, and I'm learning php as we speak. If you really want a great and flexable website that you can build on in the future you will need to create a templated based php/mysql or dreamweaver/cold fusion website. Coldfusion in union with adobe flex 2 can create very powerful ornate websites. I think this will eventually end up being the route that our company takes. Keep in mind however that if you go to a coldfusion based website you will need to host your website on a coldfusion server.

My progs of choice for website creation/design are Photoshop, Flash, and Dreamweaver. You can code in just about any web lang in Dreamweaver, create any image in photoshop, animate anything and create any vector imaging in Flash. I'm checking out flex2 over the next week to see if I can't utilize it for our site. I'll keep posting to let you know.

Hi Isus
Actually I think we have different requirements
Except perhaps that we don't really actually need CMS?

I am not enough of a designer to create a modern looking cite with just Dramweaver. CMS platforms let me do that, I think.

Also I want to get up an running quickly with static content, and have flexibility later. You probably need to find something that meets your requirements.

Anyway - thanks, and keep us up to date.
Olav

I am not sure whether you have the concept of what a CMS actually is.
Of course, it varies between CMS, but they normally do not provide a solution where you can know absolutely no HTML...
CMS are usually made with templates and although some provide some provide some sort of WYSIWYG editor - none will come near to DreamWeaver in this respect.

It depends what your over all aim is. If you wish to learn, then go for a lightweight CMS. If you don't then just use DW.

You can test run CMS at opensourceCMS
Compare CMS: CMS Matrix

Learning simple PHP or the basics of SSI will allow you create your own templates,
but you may need some visual guidelines as provided in a WYSIWYG.

You could also look at frameworks, CAKEPHP and CODE IGNITOR are just 2 available written in PHP.

Good luck..