You should really try NOLOH (http://www.noloh.com). I'm not just saying that because I'm one of the co-founders, but because we've found it to be the easiest way to create sophisticated websites, and WebApps easily.
Every year we get a batch of interns from high schools and colleges with no real programming experience, but can start writing full applications without any training whatsoever.
As part of the application process we require they write a TicTacToe application in our free hosted sandboxes and 9/10 times the applicant has no issue and replies with a link to their app. We don't guide them, train them, or instruct them in any way beforehand.
Watch our recent presentation from Confoo and see for yourself, http://vimeo.com/10106797. It really is that easy.
I've used NOLOH on a dozen projects, some very large a few modest and a few experimental and small. As someone who has a deep background in OO programming and design and who came to NOLOH with a strong distaste for languages with a C-like syntax (but still a JavaScript fan; go figure), I was not prepared either to enjoy or to appreciate NOLOH as much as I have come to do. It's the first tool I reach for when building Web-based software these days.
I'm not affiliated with NOLOH,but I am a fan, I know its founder through my work with his technology, and I'm always happy to chat about it with interested people.
I don't understand the negative feelings towards proprietary web frameworks. We offer a product that solves a problem. We've been working at it for 6 years, have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into R&D, and have numerous free options for non-commercial projects, including free educational, non-profit, developer, and open source project licenses. Compared to our competitors we're leaps and bounds ahead of them technologically, and we undercut them on price significantly.
Really, what more can we do? Do you not use a tool because there's a company behind it providing support, up to date documentation, and other resources? We even have a clause that says if anything should happen to us, all the source is opened.
It's unsettling that many developers who charge for their own services and products let out a sigh when other developers decide to charge for their services and products.
Every year we get a batch of interns from high schools and colleges with no real programming experience, but can start writing full applications without any training whatsoever.
As part of the application process we require they write a TicTacToe application in our free hosted sandboxes and 9/10 times the applicant has no issue and replies with a link to their app. We don't guide them, train them, or instruct them in any way beforehand.
Watch our recent presentation from Confoo and see for yourself, http://vimeo.com/10106797. It really is that easy.