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Law Technology Product News (Volume 6, Issue 1, p. 21, col. 1)
January 1999

How to Create Your Web Page, Painlessly

by Wayne Spivak

DON'T WORRY -- even if you don't know (or care) about the difference between HTML and DHTML you really can make your own Web page! All you need is a basic HTML editor (a software package) and access to the Internet.

HTML editors make the process of creating a Web page as easy as typing (assuming you know how to type). In essence, they function like a word processor -- offering WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) "translation" of your words to HTML.

First, an important definition: HTML (hyper text markup language) is how your plain text message gets transformed and displays as a Web page on a Web browser. All HTML commands come in paired sets. This means that if you are building a page, and want something to be bold, you need a "start bold here" command and an "end bold here" command.

In HTML we use the notation <b> and </b> with the slash denoting the "end bold here" command.

But with the HTML editors, you don't even need to know HTML -- they will automatically translate for you. Your Web page can have graphics, links to other sites, different fonts, colors and paragraph alignments. You can put tables into the page, and even have multiple pages presented on the screen in frames. What HTML editors provide is the ability to make your Web page without having to know these HTML commands.

Web editors come in several varieties, each with advantages and disadvantages.

One group is offered by both Microsoft and Netscape and built into their Web Browsers. These are basic HTML editors which are scaled down versions of high end editors.

The second group is HTML converters. Both Microsoft and Corel have them in their Windows based word processors, spreadsheets and presentation software. These software packages allow users to save their work in HTML format.

All of the HTML editors mentioned so far come with publishing programs, which make re-locating HTML files stored on your desktop a snap. Click a few buttons and those files find their way to your directory at your Internet Service Provider.

The last major group of HTML editors is standalone software packages that usually offer larger feature sets. Some of these Web editors are so complex, and feature rich, that they are no longer basic Web editors.

Publisher Product Name Offer Lite/Free Version Windows 95/98/NT Mac Unix
Adobe
Enter no. 247.		 Adobe Pagemill   * *  
AdvaSoft
Enter no. 248.		 ASWedit *     *
Allaire
Enter no. 249.		 HomeSite   *    
America Online
Enter no. 250.		 AOLPress * * *  
Brooklyn North Software Works
Enter no. 251.		 HTML Assistant * *    
CoffeeCup Software
Enter no. 252.		 HTML Editor ++ * *    
Compware
Enter no. 253.		 Agile HTML Editor   *    
David Erickson
Enter no. 254.		 Quantum Web Editor * *    
Dipl. Ing. Bernd Peter Seeberger
Enter no. 255.		 SiteWriter   *    
EON Software
Enter no. 256.		 EasyHelp/Web   *    
Faico Information Systems
Enter no. 257.		 DiDA * *    
FLFSoft, Inc.
Enter no. 258.		 HTML Builder * *    
GME Systems
Enter no. 259.		 Frame-It * *    
HREF Tools, Inc.
Enter no. 260.		 WebHub * *    
HTML Edit
Enter no. 261.		 Html Edit * *    
Infoflex Pty Ltd.
Enter no. 262.		 FlexED   *    
Intermania Software
Enter no. 263.		 HTMLpad * *    
Internet Software Technologies
Enter no. 264.		 HTMLed * *    
Jon H Hibbins
Enter no. 265.		 Enhance HTML98   *    
Lincoln Beach Software, Inc.
Enter no. 266.		 Flex Site 32   *    
Lost Software
Enter no. 267.		 HTML Edit   *    
Matterform Media
Enter no. 268.		 HTML Grinder *   *  
McWeb Software
Enter no. 269.		 Web Weaver *   *  
Microsoft
Enter no. 270.		 FrontPage98 * * *  
MMSoftware
Enter no. 271.		 1-4-All   *    
Namo Interactive
Enter no. 272.		 WebEditor   *    
Nesbitt Software
Enter no. 273.		 Web Edit   *    
Net-it Software
Enter no. 274.		 Net-it Central * *    
Netscape
Enter no. 275.		 Composer * * * *
Network TMG
Enter no. 276.		 Aardvark Pro *      
New Wave Software
Enter no. 277.		 PowerWeb   *    
NOTHING BUT NET
Enter no. 278.		 N.A.C.H.O.S. *      
Proma Soft
Enter no. 279.		 Newbel * *    
Psylon
Enter no. 280.		 Liquid FX * *    
ReVol Design Systems
Enter no. 281.		 Web Worker * *    
Robinson Wizard, Inc.
Enter no. 282.		 Gypsy   *    
Saber Quest
Enter no. 283.		 Page Burner * *    
Sausage Software
Enter no. 284.		 Hot Dog * *    
Sixlegged Software
Enter no. 285.		 SpiderPad   *    
SoftQuad
Enter no. 286.		 HoTMeTaL pro   *    
SoftSeek
Enter no. 287.		 Black Swan HTML Editor * *    
Spider Writer
Enter no. 288.		 Spider Writer HTML Editor   *    
Stoopid Software
Enter no. 289.		 Gomer HTML Editor   *    
TashCom
Enter no. 290.		 T C-Director   *    
Trout Software
Enter no. 291.		 Hippie98   *    
Web Media Inc.
Enter no. 292.		 Web Media publisher * *    

Wayne Spivak is president of Bellmore, N.Y.'s SBA*Consulting.

Note: The information in the chart was obtained from manufacturers' Web sites and/or press releases. For more complete details please use the Reader Response card in this issue.