Cheap & free web design software reviews - Friday, October 10, 2008

I like my web design software as cheap and reliable as a child's paintbrush.

Definitions.

Wyswyg.: "Wiss-wig." A 2-syllable word (or "spelling variation") to replace the 11-12 syllable acronyms WYSWYG and WYSIWYG. To retain eye recognition, I always capitalize the first "W" in Wyswyg.
WYSWYG.: "What You See is What You Get." An "automatic" editor for web pages based on "visual results," similar in use to a word processor such as Microsoft Word. Please note however that "what you see" is never exactly "what you get." Results should be checked in at least the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox.
WYSIWYG.: A variation of WYSWYG that has excellent eye recognition but is rather clumsy to speak aloud or to read properly.
Source editor.: Also called a
text editor: An HTML editor that works directly with the HTML source code. Source editing requires a knowledge of the HTML language.

Recommended web design software.

Please email me with any corrections or suggestions.

HTML Kit 292.

An excellent, free, full-featured source code editor: with color-coding, spell-checking, HTML Tidy, auto-complete, fully customizable and very reliable. With the "prototype pad" you can also do basic Wyswyg type editing. (You just can not "save" unless you close the Prototype Pad.) HTML Kit also has a drag-and-drop FTP that works nicely. Freezes occassionally during heavy use--but no data is lost, just shut down and restart. Tips:

I suggest activating shortcut buttons for "Workspace" (which has the FTP) and "Prototype Pad." Right-click on the top menu >Customize >Commands. Click the appropriate "category" and find the item you want in the scrolling list. Then drag-and-drop its icon to the menu bar. (You can also remove any unused icons by dragging them back the other way.)
A plug-in that automatically names your backup copies: hkSaveCopyAs. I suggest the "time stamp format": yy.mm.dd_hhnn. (Remove the hhnn if you do not need continuous backup.) After installing, assign a hot key as follows. Click Tools >Customize >Keyboard Shorcuts >Add >Pick a free key: pick "Ctrl+W" >Action >pick "hkSaveCopyAs" >Add >Menu Command >pick "MFileSave" >Add >OK >OK. Then, you only need to press "Ctrl+S" to save your master copy--and the next instant, move one finger for "Ctrl+W" and a time-stamped backup copy.
Using the FTP: open Window >Workspace. Then just drag-and-drop the little icon from the bottom of any open file into the FTP site's icon in the "Workspace." When the hourglass is gone, your page is uploaded. To add or edit any FTP site: right click in the Workspace. (If any problem, try the "passive mode" option.)
For better viewing: Edit >Preferences >General >Maximize documents on opening. Also activate "word wrap": Edit >Preferences >Editor >Wrap at Column.
If you are particular about how your code is written, use the Prototype Pad mainly for new documents. For existing documents, always make a back-up before experimenting with any new Wyswyg.
Configure hot keys to paste in custom code snippets instantly--alone or surrounding selected text--with a "quick snippet." (To delete a "quick snippet," go to Tools >Install >Uninstall Plugins.) My snippets:
Ctrl+D <div><h4> </h4></div>
Alt+D <div></div> [surrounds text if any is selected]
Alt+S <h4> </h4> [surrounds text]
Alt+L <li></li> [surrounds text]
The creators of HTML Kit also offer a free tool to create favicons from picture files.

BatchFTP.

In my experience, BatchFTP is "the" FTP uploader that flawlessly can send to and from numerous different files after one-time drag-and-drop programming. Perhaps there are others as good, but they just couldn't be better. BatchFTP also memorizes your work in "batches." For example you can label one as "general" and others for specific areas of the site. You can send the entire batch or just check the files you want. If you are used to a typical FTP, you might be slightly annoyed. This is only because BatchFTP is slightly different. Soon you will not be annoyed and eventually you will never want another FTP. For saving a single page, I use HTML Kit's built-in FTP. But BatchFTP is just as fast for single pages--and for multiple pages or images, there is simply no way to beat BatchFTP.

Nvu 1.0.

Pronounced "N-view." An open source free Wyswyg editor. The magic words "open source" are what, for me, make Nvu promising. For all other cheap-or-free Wyswyg editors, that I have found, the companies have serious difficulty maintaining the quality. Maybe the free TSW Webcoder will finally purge the bugs from its FrontPage clone. Maybe the $100 Namo will one day return to its original standards. I doubt it. Experience indicates that it just may not be viable commercially to maintain a good inexpensive Wyswyg. Meanwhile, Nvu is workable and hopefully can improve steadily, thanks to the "open source" status that encourages all programmers to contribute. Problems: if used for uploading, Nvu freezes occasionally, and may insist on changing your code, such as the CSS URL, the doctype heading, the <title> tag, and generally gathering the code into a "correct" but unreadable lump.

Nvu 1.0 is excellent so long as you do not use it to upload.

Nvu writes very correct code. (To assign the default code to HTML Strict or XHTML, go to: Tools > Preferences >Advanced.) So long as you do not use Nvu for uploading, and after you figure out how everything works, you are unlikely to have to put up with anything overly annoying. You can work with a separate FTP client also open, such as BatchFTP, for instant trouble-free uploading.

To link an Nvu document with your existing CSS style sheet.

Place your style sheet in the same relative subfolder location on your desktop as it will be on your website. Open the document with Nvu. So long as your CSS link is coded with the "relative reference" appropriate for the desktop (using ../) then Nvu should be reading it. (Click on the "Preview" tab below for a more accurate rendition. Also click on the drop-down list next to the "Body Text" drop-down in the menu bar. You should see all your styles listed.) If not, then go to Tools >CSS Editor. If your style sheet is already listed, click on it and then click "remove." Then click Link Elt >Choose File. Browse and select your style sheet. A desktop URL for the style sheet then should appear. For "Media List": put in "screen" or "all" or leave blank, as you prefer. Click "Create Stylesheet." Your style sheet then should appear in the box on the left. "Close." Now Nvu should be reading your style sheet. However, be sure to check the "source" tab and make sure the relative reference will be appropriate for the uploaded website version. If not, change it, then "save." Now you can "select" any text and assign styles to it using the drop-down lists. I also suggest working with the "HTML Tags" bottom tab selected. Then you can also click on any existing HTML tag and assign CSS styles to it.

Easy Thumbnails.

Essential for getting your images site-ready. Not just for thumbnails. This can "crunch" (reduce file size) one image or hundreds with a single click. (Inputs various formats but outputs only .JPG)

Banner Maker Pro.

An excellent and inexpensive banner-making program. Also very helpful for editing images and logos for any purpose.

Logitech QuickCam.

A simple image editor and video maker that came free with my computer, years ago. Includes horizontal flip, vertical flip, resizing, text adding, embossing, texturizing, makes lighter or darker, etc. Works so well that I have never bought an image editor. Input and output only in JPG and BMP. (For GIFs I use Icon Forge or Banner Maker Pro.)

Icon Forge.

Specialized program for making Favicons. Also good for producing small, top quality Gifs with invisible background. Trial period allows you to make at least one favicon free. (Somebody tell me if there is a free program that can replace Icon Forge, Quick Cam, or Banner Maker Pro? Or a program below $60 that replaces all three? I'd be interested to review it here.)

"Honorable mention" web design software.

Please email me with any corrections or suggestions.

SiteGenWiz 1.5.

The reviews say this free Wyswyg editor is easy for beginners and works well. However it seems to emphasize "templates" with serious limitations, such as limiting sites to 3 pages. Worth a try for those who just can't get the hang of anything else. However, I do suggest that you at least try to use Nvu and HTML Kit first. (Not tested.)

TopStyle Pro 3.1.

A $100 source-only HTML editor that has become the baby of the original inventor of Homesite. Extremely well maintained and well supported, by all accounts. TopStyle has replaced Homesite as the ultimate source editor for the serious professional. However, for most amateurs, HTML Kit is free and probably sufficient.

Non-recommended web design software.

Please email me with any corrections or suggestions.

These are not necessarily "bad" programs. They just do not fit my standards of (a) good for part-time webmasters and (b) good for rank beginners. Or based on user reviews it did not seem worth my time to download them.

TSW Webcoder 5.

I built several sites with version 4. However it became intolerable. I downloaded version 5 and had even worse problems. The TSW source editor has good features, but HTML Kit is more reliable. For me, the value of TSW is in its added Wyswyg--but even for freeware this has several bugs too many. Firstly it is difficult to be certain it is "saving" your document and you can lose a day's work. Secondly hahaha you must not open 2 index files. If (like any webmaster) you have several "indexes" from different subfolders--TSW can get confused. Saving one can erase another. Thirdly, the Wyswyg frequently adds   instead of normal white spaces. Also suddenly, even in the middle of code tags, huge multi-line white spaces. TSW is nice in concept, and I did use it successfully. However, due to the bugs I can not recommend it. (Their Beta 2005 model might be better.)

Homesite 5.5.

This $100 program "used to be" the Mercedes of professional-level source editors. I thought it also was an ideal choice for serious beginners, because it also had a basic, no-nonsense Wyswyg. "Maybe" Homesite still is just as good as when I tested it in 2003. However, about the same time, Homesite was purchased by the company that makes Dreamweaver. According to current reviews, quality and customer service for Homesite has slid irrevocably downhill. The emergence of TypeStyle Pro is likely to seal the doom on whatever small incentive may be left to maintain Homesite.

Namo 5.5.

A $100 full-featured, award-winning Wyswyg editor that "was" as good as any for under $300. Maybe it still is. However, current user reviews say that Namo 6.0 has problems. It is safer to get Namo 5.5. Another alternative is a year-old edition of FrontPage from Amazon or The Software Guy for about the same cost. Or of course, the free Nvu Wyswyg listed in my "recommended" software products.

Portello 1.05.

Portello allows you simply to go to your website using Internet Explorer, then "edit" and "save"! Works nicely and Portello seems remarkably stable. However, whenever it updates the webpage, Portello also should update a backup file on your home computer. Or else perhaps Portello could be installed on the website for on-the-road Wyswyg editing from an internet cafe. Until then, it is just as well to use Nvu or some other, more complete Wyswyg editor.

BlueVoda Website Builder.

Reportedly this is a good free Wyswyg editor. However, the FTP does not work unless you buy over-priced BlueVoda webhosting. (Not tested.)

Coffee Cup Free HTML Editor 7.2.

Many complaints in the user reviews. Coffee Cup also offers a $50 Wyswyg editor which might or might not be alright. (Not tested.)

PageBreeze Free HTML Editor 3.0.

Some user reviews say this has bugs, others say it has a good Wyswyg. Apparently, however, in spite its claim to be "free," after a trial period, annoying advertising is activated unless you pay $30. (Not tested.)

NoteTab Light 4.95.

The only outstanding feature about NotePad was its reliability. Now in my experience, since the Windows XP version, Notepad is no longer reliable. NoteTab Light is a famous free replacement. NoteTab Light is not bad. However, it freezes occasionally, and I dislike that it creates extra "bak" files for anything I work with. HTML Kit can do pretty much everything that NoteTab can do--without the "baks." Therefore I have moved NoteTab down here to the non-recommended list. NoteTab Standard may be better. It costs only $10 and adds a spell-checker. (NoteTab Pro costs $20 and adds advanced complications that you may or may not ever need.)

Cheap & free web design software reviews Reviews of cheap and free versions of software needed for web design tasks. Friday, October 10. Last edited: 2008.01.12
Kwik-n-free tips & information ~Home~ wik-n-free web site design & construction help - Main Page - wik-n-free interactive web page template wik-n-free HTML, PHP & CSS tutorials wik-n-free web design software reviews wik-n-free advanced tips for web page construction web design links directory contact me: Related Pages Cheap & free web design software reviews: main page Nvu free Wyswyg HTML editor tutorial Definitions. Wyswyg. "Wiss-wig." A 2-syllable word (or "spelling variation") to replace the 11-12 syllable acronyms WYSWYG and WYSIWYG. To retain eye recognition, I always capitalize the first "W" in Wyswyg. WYSWYG. "What You See is What You Get." An "automatic" editor for web pages based on "visual results," similar in use to a word processor such as Microsoft Word. Please note however that "what you see" is never exactly "what you get." Results should be checked in at least the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox. WYSIWYG. A variation of WYSWYG that has excellent eye recognition but is rather clumsy to speak aloud or to read properly. Source editor. Also called a text editor . An HTML editor that works directly with the HTML source code. Source editing requires a knowledge of the HTML language. Recommended web design software. Please email me with any corrections or suggestions. HTML Kit 292. An excellent, free, full-featured source code editor: with color-coding, spell-checking, HTML Tidy, auto-complete, fully customizable and very reliable. With the "prototype pad" you can also do basic Wyswyg type editing. (You just can not "save" unless you close the Prototype Pad.) HTML Kit also has a drag-and-drop FTP that works nicely. Freezes occassionally during heavy use--but no data is lost, just shut down and restart. Tips: I suggest activating shortcut buttons for "Workspace" (which has the FTP) and "Prototype Pad." Right-click on the top menu >Customize >Commands. Click the appropriate "category" and find the item you want in the scrolling list. Then drag-and-drop its icon to the menu bar. (You can also remove any unused icons by dragging them back the other way.) A plug-in that automatically names your backup copies: hkSaveCopyAs. I suggest the "time stamp format": yy.mm.dd_hhnn. (Remove the hhnn if you do not need continuous backup.) After installing, assign a hot key as follows. Click Tools >Customize >Keyboard Shorcuts >Add >Pick a free key: pick "Ctrl+W" >Action >pick "hkSaveCopyAs" >Add >Menu Command >pick "MFileSave" >Add >OK >OK. Then, you only need to press "Ctrl+S" to save your master copy--and the next instant, move one finger for "Ctrl+W" and a time-stamped backup copy. Using the FTP: open Window >Workspace. Then just drag-and-drop the little icon from the bottom of any open file into the FTP site's icon in the "Workspace." When the hourglass is gone, your page is uploaded. To add or edit any FTP site: right click in the Workspace. (If any problem, try the "passive mode" option.) For better viewing: Edit >Preferences >General >Maximize documents on opening. Also activate "word wrap": Edit >Preferences >Editor >Wrap at Column. If you are particular about how your code is written, use the Prototype Pad mainly for new documents. For existing documents, always make a back-up before experimenting with any new Wyswyg. Configure hot keys to paste in custom code snippets instantly--alone or surrounding selected text--with a "quick snippet." (To delete a "quick snippet," go to Tools >Install >Uninstall Plugins.) My snippets: Ctrl+D <div><h4> </h4></div> Alt+D <div></div> [surrounds text if any is selected] Alt+S <h4> </h4> [surrounds text] Alt+L <li></li> [surrounds text] The creators of HTML Kit also offer a free tool to create favicons from picture files. BatchFTP. In my experience, BatchFTP is "the" FTP uploader that flawlessly can send to and from numerous different files after one-time drag-and-drop programming. Perhaps there are others as good, but they just couldn't be better. BatchFTP also memorizes your work in "batches." For example you can label one as "general" and others for specific areas of the site. You can send the entire batch or just check the files you want. If you are used to a typical FTP, you might be slightly annoyed. This is only because BatchFTP is slightly different. Soon you will not be annoyed and eventually you will never want another FTP. For saving a single page, I use HTML Kit's built-in FTP. But BatchFTP is just as fast for single pages--and for multiple pages or images, there is simply no way to beat BatchFTP. Nvu 1.0. Pronounced "N-view." An open source free Wyswyg editor. The magic words "open source" are what, for me, make Nvu promising. For all other cheap-or-free Wyswyg editors, that I have found, the companies have serious difficulty maintaining the quality. Maybe the free TSW Webcoder will finally purge the bugs from its FrontPage clone. Maybe the $100 Namo will one day return to its original standards. I doubt it. Experience indicates that it just may not be viable commercially to maintain a good inexpensive Wyswyg. Meanwhile, Nvu is workable and hopefully can improve steadily, thanks to the "open source" status that encourages all programmers to contribute. Problems: if used for uploading, Nvu freezes occasionally, and may insist on changing your code, such as the CSS URL, the doctype heading, the <title> tag, and generally gathering the code into a "correct" but unreadable lump. Nvu 1.0 is excellent so long as you do not use it to upload. Nvu writes very correct code. (To assign the default code to HTML Strict or XHTML, go to: Tools > Preferences >Advanced.) So long as you do not use Nvu for uploading, and after you figure out how everything works, you are unlikely to have to put up with anything overly annoying. You can work with a separate FTP client also open, such as BatchFTP, for instant trouble-free uploading. To link an Nvu document with your existing CSS style sheet. Place your style sheet in the same relative subfolder location on your desktop as it will be on your website. Open the document with Nvu. So long as your CSS link is coded with the "relative reference" appropriate for the desktop (using ../) then Nvu should be reading it. (Click on the "Preview" tab below for a more accurate rendition. Also click on the drop-down list next to the "Body Text" drop-down in the menu bar. You should see all your styles listed.) If not, then go to Tools >CSS Editor. If your style sheet is already listed, click on it and then click "remove." Then click Link Elt >Choose File. Browse and select your style sheet. A desktop URL for the style sheet then should appear. For "Media List": put in "screen" or "all" or leave blank, as you prefer. Click "Create Stylesheet." Your style sheet then should appear in the box on the left. "Close." Now Nvu should be reading your style sheet. However, be sure to check the "source" tab and make sure the relative reference will be appropriate for the uploaded website version. If not, change it, then "save." Now you can "select" any text and assign styles to it using the drop-down lists. I also suggest working with the "HTML Tags" bottom tab selected. Then you can also click on any existing HTML tag and assign CSS styles to it. Easy Thumbnails. Essential for getting your images site-ready. Not just for thumbnails. This can "crunch" (reduce file size) one image or hundreds with a single click. (Inputs various formats but outputs only .JPG) Banner Maker Pro. An excellent and inexpensive banner-making program. Also very helpful for editing images and logos for any purpose. Logitech QuickCam. A simple image editor and video maker that came free with my computer, years ago. Includes horizontal flip, vertical flip, resizing, text adding, embossing, texturizing, makes lighter or darker, etc. Works so well that I have never bought an image editor. Input and output only in JPG and BMP. (For GIFs I use Icon Forge or Banner Maker Pro.) Icon Forge. Specialized program for making Favicons. Also good for producing small, top quality Gifs with invisible background. Trial period allows you to make at least one favicon free. (Somebody tell me if there is a free program that can replace Icon Forge, Quick Cam, or Banner Maker Pro? Or a program below $60 that replaces all three? I'd be interested to review it here.) "Honorable mention" web design software. Please email me with any corrections or suggestions. SiteGenWiz 1.5. The reviews say this free Wyswyg editor is easy for beginners and works well. However it seems to emphasize "templates" with serious limitations, such as limiting sites to 3 pages. Worth a try for those who just can't get the hang of anything else. However, I do suggest that you at least try to use Nvu and HTML Kit first. (Not tested.) TopStyle Pro 3.1. A $100 source-only HTML editor that has become the baby of the original inventor of Homesite. Extremely well maintained and well supported, by all accounts. TopStyle has replaced Homesite as the ultimate source editor for the serious professional. However, for most amateurs, HTML Kit is free and probably sufficient. Non-recommended web design software. Please email me with any corrections or suggestions. These are not necessarily "bad" programs. They just do not fit my standards of (a) good for part-time webmasters and (b) good for rank beginners. Or based on user reviews it did not seem worth my time to download them. TSW Webcoder 5. I built several sites with version 4. However it became intolerable. I downloaded version 5 and had even worse problems. The TSW source editor has good features, but HTML Kit is more reliable. For me, the value of TSW is in its added Wyswyg--but even for freeware this has several bugs too many. Firstly it is difficult to be certain it is "saving" your document and you can lose a day's work. Secondly hahaha you must not open 2 index files. If (like any webmaster) you have several "indexes" from different subfolders--TSW can get confused. Saving one can erase another. Thirdly, the Wyswyg frequently adds ` ` instead of normal white spaces. Also suddenly, even in the middle of code tags, huge multi-line white spaces. TSW is nice in concept, and I did use it successfully. However, due to the bugs I can not recommend it. (Their Beta 2005 model might be better.) Homesite 5.5. This $100 program "used to be" the Mercedes of professional-level source editors. I thought it also was an ideal choice for serious beginners, because it also had a basic, no-nonsense Wyswyg. "Maybe" Homesite still is just as good as when I tested it in 2003. However, about the same time, Homesite was purchased by the company that makes Dreamweaver. According to current reviews, quality and customer service for Homesite has slid irrevocably downhill. The emergence of TypeStyle Pro is likely to seal the doom on whatever small incentive may be left to maintain Homesite. Namo 5.5. A $100 full-featured, award-winning Wyswyg editor that "was" as good as any for under $300. Maybe it still is. However, current user reviews say that Namo 6.0 has problems. It is safer to get Namo 5.5. Another alternative is a year-old edition of FrontPage from Amazon or The Software Guy for about the same cost. Or of course, the free Nvu Wyswyg listed in my "recommended" software products. Portello 1.05. Portello allows you simply to go to your website using Internet Explorer, then "edit" and "save"! Works nicely and Portello seems remarkably stable. However, whenever it updates the webpage, Portello also should update a backup file on your home computer. Or else perhaps Portello could be installed on the website for on-the-road Wyswyg editing from an internet cafe. Until then, it is just as well to use Nvu or some other, more complete Wyswyg editor. BlueVoda Website Builder. Reportedly this is a good free Wyswyg editor. However, the FTP does not work unless you buy over-priced BlueVoda webhosting. (Not tested.) Coffee Cup Free HTML Editor 7.2. Many complaints in the user reviews. Coffee Cup also offers a $50 Wyswyg editor which might or might not be alright. (Not tested.) PageBreeze Free HTML Editor 3.0. Some user reviews say this has bugs, others say it has a good Wyswyg. Apparently, however, in spite its claim to be "free," after a trial period, annoying advertising is activated unless you pay $30. (Not tested.) NoteTab Light 4.95. The only outstanding feature about NotePad was its reliability. Now in my experience, since the Windows XP version, Notepad is no longer reliable. NoteTab Light is a famous free replacement. NoteTab Light is not bad. However, it freezes occasionally, and I dislike that it creates extra "bak" files for anything I work with. HTML Kit can do pretty much everything that NoteTab can do--without the "baks." Therefore I have moved NoteTab down here to the non-recommended list. NoteTab Standard may be better. It costs only $10 and adds a spell-checker. (NoteTab Pro costs $20 and adds advanced complications that you may or may not ever need.) Related Pages Cheap & free web design software reviews: main page Nvu free Wyswyg HTML editor tutorial	New windows for offsite links Apache.org web server Aprelium.com web server PHP.net Kwik-n-Free Web Design W3.org CSS Reference