More and more Internet users are interested in creating their own web sites. Everyone has different reasons; some want to express themselves through a blog, share photos, stay in touch with friends and family or promote a product. These web design software products are making it easier and easier for your average Joe to publish a web site without learning HTML and other languages. Depending on the program, you may have to learn HTML anyway. With an assortment of web design software available, which is the best one to use?
Adobe Dreamweaver 8
Known as one of the most popular web design programs out there, Adobe Dreamweaver can create everything from simple, single page web sites or complex business web sites that integrate shopping carts and other e-commerce options. Dreamweaver 8 isn’t necessarily the best option for a web designer on a budge. This web site design software will run you about $400. Adobe Dreamweaver 8 is definitely capable of creating simple web sites but if this is your purpose, you may be better off with another web site design program. Dreamweaver 8 is a very powerful web site designing program and may be difficult to learn for your first time web designer. Most Dreamweaver 8 users have a more advanced knowledge of HTML and the Internet. If you are new to web design, Adobe Dreamweaver 8 may take you as long to learn as HTML itself. However if you are a more advanced HTML and Internet user, Adobe Dreamweaver 8 is basically the industry standard of web design. If you are using more advanced features on your web site, Dreamweaver 8 will fulfill all your needs.
CoffeeCup 2006 for Windows
If you are producing a personal web site or possibly even a web site for small businesses, CoffeCup 2006 for Windows may be the one for you. It will cost you a lot less (around $50) and will be easier to learn than Adobe Dreamweaver 8. CoffeeCup 2006 definitely doesn’t have the e-commerce features and some other options that you’ll find in Adobe Dreamweaver but if your web site doesn’t utilize these options, CoffeCup 2006 will help you get your web site live in less time and using less money. CoffeCup 2006 is perfectly suitable for designing a simple but effective web site. If you are new to web design or just looking to start out with a basic web site, CoffeeCup 2006 might be the best way to get your foot in the door.
Homestead SiteBuilder
This is a somewhat different approach to web design. Homestead is a web site hosting service that also provides some web site design tools for an additional fee. Their award winning software is very simple to use and most first time web designers will have no problems creating a good looking web site. It is another inexpensive option costing a $20 set up fee and then a $10 to $20 monthly fee which includes use of this software and hosting your web site. If you are looking to just do one site pretty quickly, Homestead SiteBuilder is a great option. Advantages include simple to use software, low cost and it’s sort of a one stop shop. You can handle all your web designing and hosting in the same place. Some disadvantages are limited web site features, add-ons like email accounts or the ability to accept PayPal payments cost extra and you are also limited to using them as your hosting provider. If you are planning on creating more than one web site and possible creating a more advanced, complicated web site, one of the stand alone software packages may be a better bet.
Nvu 1.0
The most interesting feature of Nvu 1.0 is that it is a free download available to anyone. It is a freeware web design program that will accomplish your basic tasks fairly easily. The biggest weakness of Nvu 1.0 is tech support. If you are completely new to web design, you may have a hard time creating your first web site. If you are somewhat familiar with web design and HTML, Nvu 1.0 may be a great option due to its extremely low cost.
WordPress 2.0
If you are interested in publishing a personal blog, Wordpress 2.0 is a very popular option. WordPress is also a free program but there are a lot of support forums available on the web if you run into any issues. There are other free blog software packages out there but WordPress 2.0 is by far the best and gives you the most options to personalize your blog. If you are familiar with HTML, you have the option to use that code. If you don’t know HTML, you will still easily be able to create a blog. WordPress is famous as blog software but it’s a complete content system that allows you to publish regular web pages as well. WordPress is very common for beginners as well as experts.
Creating your first web site may seem like a whole lot to take on. With the use of some of these programs, it can be very easy. More and more people are creating their own space on the web. Finding the right program to help you with this will make your web site stand out from the pack.
You should check out http://www.sitekreator.com It’s really easy to use, inexpensive, doesn’t require HTML knowedge and creates really nice looking sites.
Comment by Alison McNeill — May 10, 2007 @ 3:39 pm