What software should I use?

There are many choices, and here are a few:

FrontPage (about $200) - Easy to use, has features common with other MS programs. Has some 'strange' coding, and you need hosting with FP 'extensions.'

Dreamweaver (~ $400) - First-rate but complicated, not for the beginner.

GoLive (~$400) - Works great with Photoshop and Illustrator but complicated, not recommended for the beginner

HomeSite (~ $100) - Not WYSIWYG, but a fancy HTML text editor, if you want a text editor.

I chose to use FrontPage 2003 after hundreds of hours of...

Well, no, it's the program I happened to have when my wife told me she wanted a website for Christmas (see www.elizabeth1.us,) and I was short on cash and short on time.

References:

How Do I learn That?

FrontPage 2003 Bible (about $27)

Special Edition Using Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 (~ $28)
 

Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 Inside Out (~ $33)

Here I'll have to say any of these books will help you learn FP2003 if you decide to go with that.  For any this or any other software, any of the on-line booksellers have a number of choices.  When choosing, look at what else the author has written.  Then sit down with the book on one side and the program on the screen and start on page 1.