How To Choose Which Web Development Package Is Right For You
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Andrew Smith October 04, 2006
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There are plenty of options when it comes to web site creation
software and a wannabe web designer might have a hard time deciding
which to choose. We will have a look at the most popular web creation
programs: Front Page, Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive. All three offer a
user-friendly interface and plenty of beginner and advanced options
that will allow you to create the website of your dreams. A large
majority of website hosting companies accept the final outputs of the
three programs, but you will still need to check your web page for
compatibility with different web browsers. Front Page
comes as a natural option to many web designers, partly because
being part of the Microsoft Office family this software offers a
familiar workspace. The interface is similar to the ones you find in
Word or Excel, with many identical buttons, keyboard shortcuts and
actions. Text formatting is piece of cake in Front Page as it almost
feels like you are using Word to do it. The Insert/Picture command is
also available here, allowing the user to easily integrate images into
the web page. Although many experienced web designers see Front Page as
a basic software, you can still tweak your page to higher standards by
using the HTML view. Dreamweaver
offers a lot more high-end features and is preferred by a large
community of web designers. You have more freedom using HTML features
and taking your web site closer to perfection. A very useful option is
the design and code split view – you see the effects of the changes you
make in the source code affect the design in real time. Macromedia
Dreamweaver allows you to create from the simplest of web sites to very
complex pages that integrate Java applications and Flash elements. You
may also check the final result in different browsers, a very important
step that allows you to calibrate the web site for maximum
compatibility. It is also an excellent programme for beginners because
of its WYSIWIG (what you see is what you get) interface, this allows
the user to create web sites without having knowledge of HTML coding.
Some HTML coding knowledge will, however, allow you to create better
looking sites. Adobe GoLive
is a favorite web creation software of designers that are used to
working with other Adobe products such as Photoshop or Illustrator. The
familiar Adobe workspace reduces the learning curve for this program
and allows easy integration of cross-software elements. The graphic
elements for the web site, which are usually created in Photoshop, are
effortlessly placed into GoLive's workspace by a simple drag and drop
move. The excellent compatibility with other graphic design Adobe
products recommends GoLive as a great option when you want to create a
great looking website.
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