How To Choose Which Web Development Package Is Right For You
How To Choose Which Web Development Package Is Right For You
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.
About the Author Andrew Smith is a co-webmaster
of HowToAll, a site providing well researched information on accomplishing
tasks on various topics. http://www.howtoall.com.
|
