write in ANY-OTHER-LANGUAGE and output to javascript?

Question

For my day job, I program in python or c++. I'm trying to make a "slick" looking website for my mother.

Problem is, javascript is obscenely difficult for me. Nothing seems to work the way it should. I have tried to use jQuery and mootools and scriptacous and I just keep wanting to hit my head on the desk repeatedly. python/c++ come very naturally to me -- but with any of this javascript nonsense, I'll try to combine a couple of examples in the docs and everything stops working; javascript/css seem so easy to break.

Is there any kind of interface builder out there so that I don't have to touch javascript/css? The website doesn't need any fancy server side actions, she just wants the website to do things like have a slideshow where the pictures fade, the pages slide in and out, etc.

Is there any kind of program online or off that can build this for me? I use linux exclusively -- but would be willing to buy windows and whatever program to get this done. I'm beginning to think my computer is possessed by the devil.

Answer 1

Google Web Toolkit: http://code.google.com/webtoolkit/

This lets you write the program in Java and compile down to JavaScript.

There is also WT: http://www.webtoolkit.eu/wt

This one lets you write in C++. It's gotten much less press than GWT, but it might also be a good option. That said, I am not sure whether WT does exactly what you want, while I am pretty sure the GWT does (albeit in Java).

Answer 2

CoffeeScript

It compiles down to JavaScript nicely and is similar in feel to python.

As for UI development something like Sproutcore might be useful.

I don't think the two are very compatible though

Answer 3

Script# converts C# to Javascript.

However, you will still need to know HTML and CSS.

Answer 4

Is there a reason you feel like you have to do so much from scratch? Why not pay for a nice professional wordpress theme or something. I would think that should have most of what you need, and it would probably look slicker than you could do with a wysiwyg type builder.