|
 |
Web recipe: start with the best ingredients
The Web started out as an obscure medium for computer-obsessed types who enjoyed tweaking their code and fiddling with their connections. That was back in the Web's dim, dark prehistory, about 1993. These days, your Web site can look far better for far less pain. Some of the new Windows tools create Web pages without exposing you to any of the code. Others can provide professional-looking graphics to people who don't have clients and tax deductions to pay for their software. Still others are "FTP" (file transfer protocol) tools which simplify the job of sending - "uploading" - your files to someone else's computer, for viewing by the world.
Lighthouse tests these programs extensively: many of them are judged by the tough criteria of how well and easily they help to create these pages. At time of writing, Lighthouse's test 486 DX2-66 with 16Mb of RAM contained 25 Web publishing tools, with more on CDs nearby. The depth of these reviews is also bolstered by searches of product marketers' FAQs and independent discussion groups. As a result, you can read about flaws that many reviewers have missed in much-touted programs such as Microsoft FrontPage and CorelDraw.
But don't take one reviewer's word for it; Lighthouse also provides links to reviews from sites such as c|net and on-line magazines such as PC Magazine, PC/Computing and Windows Sources. If you've seen another site that does that, send Lighthouse an e-mail.
The no-code page-creation, graphics and uploading tools are summarized below. The first reviews are of the page creation tools.
|
Lighthouse spotlights ... no-code Website creators |
| |
|
AOLPress
Freeware downloadable from AOLPress.
Review
|
Ideal starter program for budding Web publishers could use an upgrade to incorporate more top-level features. But no-one beats its ease of use - or, especially, its price |
 |
| |
|
Microsoft FrontPage 97
$A149; details from Microsoft.
Full review
|
Extraordinary potential of this sophisticated tool is compromised by - whoops - overrated "Web bots" |
|
| |
|
Corel Web.Designer
Commercial software; $A155 standalone; included in $A285 Web.Graphics Suite.
Web.Graphics Suite review
|
Strong if pricey program - but can you stand the gaudy extras? |
|
| |
|
Claris Home Page 2.0
Commercial software $A99; details and trial download from Claris.
Full review
|
Simple but competent Windows 95 page-creator spoilt by interface flaws |
|
| |
|
Microsoft Publisher 97
Trialware, expires after 60 days, free from Microsoft Publisher download site. Full version around $A105
Full review
|
Unparalleled ease of use, excellent paper publishing, and great web-site authoring potential - but right now, it leaves unpleasant lashings of white space between blocks of text or images.
|
|
| |
|
Lighthouse spotlights ... Web graphics tools |
| |
|
Paint Shop Pro
Trialware beta version downloadable from JASC expires after 30 days; $A110 full version
Review
|
Best graphics bang for your Web page buck |
|
| |
|
Microsoft Image Composer
Trialware beta version downloadable from Microsoft or purchased on $A16 CD-ROM expires Jan 31
Review
|
Promising upstart worth a look. |
|
| |
|
Corel PhotoPaint
Commercial software bundled in CorelDraw! 6
Review
|
Despite the big name, don't look here for Web solutions |
|
| |
|
Lighthouse spotlights ... FTP |
| |
|
FTP Explorer
Freeware from its author's site
Review
|
Not the absolute best, but simple, cheap and effective |
|
| |
|
CuteFTP
Shareware downloadable from this site, $US30 if you like it
Review
|
Sophisticated, but is it worth the extra money over FTP Explorer? |
|
|
