Freeware Web Page Builder
From LoveToKnow Web-Design
There are many choices when it comes to choosing a freeware web page builder.
Finding a Freeware Web Page Builder
With the rapid growth of the Internet, more people want to have their own websites. However most individuals don't have the necessary Internet programming skills required to create their own web pages using standard programming techniques. Non-programmers need a user friendly tool that allows them to generate web page content easily and without the need to use scripting or programming.
Important Features
Software that assists non-programmers to develop a web page typically has a WYSIWYG design. WYSIWYG is an acronym that stands for "What You See Is What You Get." This means that if you click and drag an image to a particular spot on the page in design mode, that is exactly where the image will show up on your web page.
If you type text using a certain font on the design page, that is the same font that will show up on your web page. A useful freeware web page builder will allow users to do this using the simplest approach. In most cases, creating a web page with this design software is as easy as typing a document.
The most important features to look for in a good web page builder include:
- Simple layout: The text editing should be simple and the resulting web page should match the text layout in the design view as closely as possible.
- Image management: The image tools should allow you to click and drag an image precisely where you want it placed, and the resulting web page should display the image exactly where you put it.
- Publishing help: A major part of creating a web page is publishing the page when you're done. Any good design software should include FTP or any file transfer tools.
- Programming allowed: The software should allow users to edit the background html code, within the design mode, if the user wants to.
- Multi-platform: Good web design software should be offered on a variety of platforms including Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Things to Avoid
Try to avoid web design software that is poorly programmed or has a design space that is messy and hard to understand. It is difficult enough to create a multi-page website with images, links, and content - the software you use to create those web pages should not be complicated as well.
Also, web design software should generate clean HTML when the pages are saved. A poorly designed software tool will generate erroneous HTML and unnecessary code that could possibly cause your web page to load slowly or cause errors within certain browsers.
Popular Free Web Page Builders
The most popular software tools for creating web pages are the ones that are well established and have been around for years. However there are also one or two newer freeware product now offered that rival even the best older web page builders.
Netscape Composer
Netscape Composer is a web authoring tool that has evolved over the course of many years. Originally a very rough and basic web page creation tool, it is now well-written software that incorporates some of the best web authoring features offered by any of the available free design builders.
Key features of Netscape Composer include:
- Option to edit in HTML
- Supports fonts, colors, images, lists and bullets, and tables
- Features integrated spell checking
- Plug-ins provided for additional functionality
- One-click publishing to your web host
Nvu Web Page Creator
Nvu is one of the more advanced web page design software packages available. The software was created to rival other retail programs such as FrontPage or Adobe Dreamweaver. As such, Nvu is actually very much a watered down version of Dreamweaver.
Key features of Nvu include:
- Very simple layout and editing
- Provides switching between WYSIWYG mode and HTML mode
- Supports even advanced website coding such as forms, tables and templates
- Well integrated with FTP for fast upload to your web site
- Multi-platform support on Linux, Windows and Mac
CoffeeCup HTML Editor
CoffeCup HTML Editor is another very popular web design tool that provides a great deal of functionality and features considering that it is free software. The Free editor offered by CoffeeCup is a lesser version of the full CoffeeCup HTML Editor, however for simple website design it has everything that you will need.
Key features of CoffeeCup include:
- Very simple drag and drop design mode
- Wizards available to create tables, frames, and forms
- Supports XHTML tags as well as all HTML 4.0 tags
- Wizards provided for images and links
- Unique split screen that shows both the web page and the background code
Building Web Pages
As the Internet continues to grow and expand exponentially, more non-programmers are entering this community with a need to publish their own website. These websites are the public face that people put forward to the world, and most people expect to be able to create such a public presence without needing programming skills. A freeware web page builder is a powerful tool that lets people create such presence on the web with very little effort.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 1,639 times. This page was last modified 05:48, 26 June 2008.
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