Best Free Tools for Creating Websites

http://www.netobjects.com/html/essentials.html

NetObjects Fusion Essentials.

When I started learning HTML and web pages back in 2000 NetObjects offered a low cost web page designer. NetObjects by far is the most non-technical web designer for new comers to HTML and web page design. When I started in 2000 I had no idea what HTML was, how it was used or why it was important. If you can use Microsoft Word 2003, XP, or 2007 or Excel you have enough knowledge to begin your foray into the web world with NetObjets. NetObjects now has a free tool called Essentials that I recommend for newbies (people new to web page programming). If you can afford it go for their full product.

Why do I think it's the best for newbies?

This tool is very well organized from a visual perspective. Pages are easy to add and there is a large style library that is like a magic mouse click. Ooops, did I say magic, more like automagic! Meaning, hundreds of styles applied to your pages with just one click. True WSWIG (what you see is what you get) and if you can drag and drop in MS Word, MS Publisher, or Excel you can handle this tool. Newly added web pages automatically place navigation buttons on your home page making this tool the easiest to build a fully functional navigational website. This free tool also includes all the essentials for finding a home for your web pages. (Web Hosting) and publishing (FTP / HTTP). The online design features allow you to avoid the "cookie-cutter" blues found with other products. The free tool is about 300% better than the fully paid product NetObjects produced in the year 2000.

What about the semi-pro and pro?

NetObjects offers advanced features in their free and paid product giving the knowledgeable person freedom found in more expensive competitive products. The fully paid version is also considerably lower than the competitors.

What are the limitations?

I found the first time startup to be a bit confusing. I didn't know where to start because every toolbar button icon directed me to the "Online" setting. The reason was that I had not yet created a website and needed to use the FILE >> Create New menu item to get started. NetObjects could have made the starting point more obvious and less obscured by advertising. Also, not all of the guides are included and must be separately downloaded slowing down a quick start. Links in the application open up in a "Custom browser" instead of your favorite default browser which was okay with good quality but somewhat annoying.

Other limitations include scripting support for the newbie. Meaning javascript is 100% supported but you need to know something about scripting if you expect to do something other than use built in scripts. To clarify for newbies, javascript is a programming language you attach to objects on your web page that enables actions such as a button click or YouTube video to play. Finally, this product's help files do not work in Vista Home Premium 64Bit.

Microsoft Visual Studio Express

http://www.microsoft.com/express/vwd/

This product is the best free tool on the market today for windows based web page development if you are not a newbie. The reason is simple; Microsoft included everything in its set of free tools that far exceeds what you can get in other free tools. Visual design, data base, security, and starter kits that allow you to dig in and create robust user experiences lack the extensive style and template librarys found in the NetObjects product. This means you have know more about creating your design from scratch.

What are the limitations?

This product lacks many of the professional tools you get with the fully paid product that make developing web sites easy. People that know coding can get around many of the limitations with manual work but if you can afford the full version your web page creation days are much easier.

Also, this product requires staging on Microsoft only based hosting platform if you are doing more than simple HTML.

What are the strengths?

Basic HTML sites can be created easily with WSWIG editing. Extreme dynamic websites are easy to create for the semi-pro to pro people with some work. As an example, my blog website at http://www.adamyork.com/ was created with this free product and is about 40,415 words and about 409837 characters.

Amaya

Amaya is a design tool created by the W3C organization. The W3C is the "standards body" that promote and develop web based standards. All major web browsers support a large percentage of the standards promoted by W3C. This makes it easy for web page designers to create web pages that look nearly the same in most major web browsers.

Aamay includes support for web pages that need mathematical formulas but is also a fairly easy to use WSWIG for newbies stretching for the next level. This product is not for users unfamiliar with web technologies.

This product can be used on Windows, Mac and Linux making it the best for cross computing needs.

http://www.w3.org/Amaya/

What are the limitations?

This is an open source product and in the open source world you are expected to help you self. Meaning, if you need help you are most likely going to spend considerable time searching for the answers if you cannot find supporting documentation. Also, this product does not yet support Windows Vista.

Why are these products the best?

These products stretch from the new user to the experienced and are free with tons of free extras. These products also make obtaining paid extras easy.