WHat to download/use to start a web portal

[Booth Martin <booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

OK, its time I bit the bullet and accepted the idea that the web is 
probably not a fad.

I would like to build a simple portal.  I'd like it to have easily 
changed skins, and not grow stale with age, I am not interested in 
knowing the nuts & bolts anymore than I want to learn how to build an 
internal combustion engine in order to get a driver's license.

I would like a tool that allows me to layout the portal and then develop 
pieces to fit in it.

I've looked at several commonly talked about tools, but value the 
judgments of the people here.

General comments, and anything useful, would be just great!

Thanks.