The Birth of a
Professional Web Site Part Five Essential Web Development Tools
Developing a successful web site takes a great deal of
planning and preparation. An important part of your preparation is obtaining
the essential tools of the trade.
HTML Editors
An HTML editor is a software program used to create and
edit HTML documents.
Although some Internet marketers prefer to write their own HTML code, most
prefer to use an HTML editor, as it can greatly simplify a somewhat difficult
process. However, using an HTML editor has its disadvantages, as some editors
have a tendency to add a lot of unnecessary coding and may not support the
latest technologies.
Whether you will be writing your own HTML or using an editor, taking the
time to learn HTML is very important. Not only will you gain your independence,
but you'll also have the ability to add special effects that many HTML editors
don't support.
Here are some popular HTML editors:
Macromedia Dreamweaver
http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/
A popular WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) HTML editor. Great for beginners
and advanced users alike.
Coffee Cup
http://www.coffeecup.com/html-editor/
A popular HTML editor that's great for beginners as well as advanced users.
Includes a built in browser that will enable you to instantly preview your
HTML as you go.
Hot Dog Professional
http://sausage.com/products/index.html
Three HTML editors, including HotDog Junior for children, PageWiz for the
novice user and Professional for advanced and budding webmasters.
Text Editors
A text editor is a software program used for editing
plain text that doesn't add any special formatting.
If you're considering writing your own HTML code, you'll need a good text
editor. Although it will certainly be more time consuming, your code will
be much cleaner and can reduce your file size considerably.
In addition to using a text editor to write HTML, it
can also be used to edit scripts and write articles.
If you have a Windows operating system, Note Pad is the preferred text editor.
It should already be installed on your computer.
Although Note Pad is a great little text editor, it can't handle large files
and is much better suited for smaller jobs. You may find that you'd like
an editor that is more powerful, such as:
NoteTab Pro
http://www.notetab.com/
TextPad
http://www.textpad.com/
FTP
File Transfer Protocol, better known as FTP, is a procedure
used to upload and download files to and from your web server.
Although many HTML editors will enable you to edit and transfer pages to
your server, an FTP program is still an essential tool, as you must have
complete control over the files on your server.
An FTP program will enable you to upload scripts, set file permissions, create
folders and transfer files to and from your server.
In order to use FTP, you'll need to download and install a software program
on your computer. The most widely used FTP program is WS FTP Pro
http://www.wsftp.com
Graphics Editor
A graphics editor is a software program that will enable
you to design and edit graphics.
Graphic design is an intimidating subject for many Internet entrepreneurs.
However, most of us must learn some basic design techniques in order to avoid
the high costs of hiring a professional designer.
The most popular program used by Internet marketers is Paint Shop Pro. This
powerful program is the only program you'll need to design professional looking
graphics.
http://www.jasc.com/
Zip/Unzip Software
A Zip file is an "archive" of one or more files compressed
into one file for easy distribution.
Zip files are used to compress and transport file archives over the Internet.
It is the preferred method used for electronic file distribution, as rather
than downloading several different files, you can simply download one Zip
file. In addition, the download time will be minimized, as the files within
the Zip archive are compressed.
Once a Zip file is downloaded, it can be easily opened and extracted (unzipped)
with a Zip/Unzip software program.
Although there are many Zip software programs available on the Internet,
WinZip is the most popular. WinZip makes working with file archives simple.
It features an easy point-and-click, drag-and-drop interface for viewing,
extracting, adding, deleting and testing archived files.
You can download a fully functional evaluation version here:
http://www.winzip.com/download.htm
Email
Although most Internet Service Providers include email
accounts for their customers, these accounts aren't adequate for an Internet
business -- especially if you get a large amount of email. Not only do the
email addresses contain your ISP's name, but they are also very limited on
features and options.
The two most popular email clients used online are Outlook and Eudora. These
programs will enable you to download email from your server and offer features,
such as sorting and
filtering, and will enable you to easily organize your email messages. What's
more, your email address will be your own domain -- not someone else's.
Eudora
http://www.eudora.com
Outlook
http://www.microsoft.com/
Your webmaster toolbox will play an important part in your success. Take
the time to ensure your toolbox contains these essential tools and you'll
be well on your way to designing a professional web site.
(Continued in part
six)
Copyright © Shelley Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design
Mastery.
http://www.webdesignmastery.com
And, Ebook Starter - Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book.
http://www.ebookstarter.com
Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips
and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing
Strategies."
http://www.web-source.net
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print,
in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author
bylines are included.
Part Four
Part Six
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