It seems that we all know someone who is an HTML whiz. He/she can sit down with a simple text editor and write the necessary code for a web page, all the while making it look easy. While coding with HTML may not approach the difficulty of software programming, it still requires some considerable time and patience to learn and implement.
That's where WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) web creation software comes in. On a side note, I must say that I have the utmost respect for anyone who can produce a program of this complexity. Not only does there have to be a complete understanding of HTML, but the author(s) must also be expertly versed in the programming language used to produce the software. The result is a program that will produce a properly coded HTML web page that conforms to the standards set forth by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).
The knock on these programs in the past was that they produced bloated code, i.e., code with unnecessary characters that increased the size of the finished HTML file. This problem has been addressed over time, and in most cases, is no longer an issue to be considered. The code produced by the programs I've personally tried, including the one used to produce this website, has been shown to be quite "clean".
Some beginners have concerns as to the quality of the software. Why do programs such as those on this site cost so much less than Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver, NetObjects Fusion, and others. Obviously, some of those programs have sophisticated features and effects that are missing in the lower priced software. Whether or not the average website creator would even use most of those features is debatable, and unfortunately, they are often complicated to implement and involve a significant learning curve as well as adding considerable size to the finished code. Marketing obviously plays a large role in the cost as well. "High end" packaging and advertising really add up. It's much less expensive to produce a product that's only available for download from the web.
So, why spend weeks or months learning complicated, high priced, software? You may as well be learning HTML instead or, better yet, be producing web pages with easier-to-use software. Naturally, any website creation software program has an amount of familiarization required, some more than others, but you can start playing with this software immediately and see some results. As you become more familiar with the tools and commands you'll more clearly see the possibilities and get a better idea of the end result.
Obviously, the most important thing that WYSIWYG web creation software provides is the ability to see the web page take shape in real time. Whether dragging and dropping or importing images and text, or drawing object shapes, re-sizing and moving things until the page looks just right, the entire design process is interesting and enjoyable.
The products featured on this site encompass the quite simple to the mildly complex. The simplest ones let you choose from pre-made templates and objects and allow little, if any, customization, other than your own text. The more advanced programs offer much greater design flexibility and allow you to start from scratch. They tend to have fairly extensive help, including online Q & A and forums where you can find all the information you might need.
Once you have gained more experience with the design process, and depending upon the software you're using and the kind of website you're deploying, you might want to add a special tool or feature to the site that isn't available in your chosen software. No problem! There are literally hundreds of free pieces of javascript you can find and download from the web that will add some specific function to your site (check our Webmaster Freeware page). In the more advanced WYSIWYG programs you can simply copy the javascript code and paste it into a code box, which can then be re-sized and moved to any position you want on the web page.
Now it's decision time. Which WYSIWYG website builder software should you choose? To help you determine which program best meets your needs we've included a chart so you can compare the major features each one offers.
That's where WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) web creation software comes in. On a side note, I must say that I have the utmost respect for anyone who can produce a program of this complexity. Not only does there have to be a complete understanding of HTML, but the author(s) must also be expertly versed in the programming language used to produce the software. The result is a program that will produce a properly coded HTML web page that conforms to the standards set forth by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).
The knock on these programs in the past was that they produced bloated code, i.e., code with unnecessary characters that increased the size of the finished HTML file. This problem has been addressed over time, and in most cases, is no longer an issue to be considered. The code produced by the programs I've personally tried, including the one used to produce this website, has been shown to be quite "clean".
Some beginners have concerns as to the quality of the software. Why do programs such as those on this site cost so much less than Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver, NetObjects Fusion, and others. Obviously, some of those programs have sophisticated features and effects that are missing in the lower priced software. Whether or not the average website creator would even use most of those features is debatable, and unfortunately, they are often complicated to implement and involve a significant learning curve as well as adding considerable size to the finished code. Marketing obviously plays a large role in the cost as well. "High end" packaging and advertising really add up. It's much less expensive to produce a product that's only available for download from the web.
So, why spend weeks or months learning complicated, high priced, software? You may as well be learning HTML instead or, better yet, be producing web pages with easier-to-use software. Naturally, any website creation software program has an amount of familiarization required, some more than others, but you can start playing with this software immediately and see some results. As you become more familiar with the tools and commands you'll more clearly see the possibilities and get a better idea of the end result.
Obviously, the most important thing that WYSIWYG web creation software provides is the ability to see the web page take shape in real time. Whether dragging and dropping or importing images and text, or drawing object shapes, re-sizing and moving things until the page looks just right, the entire design process is interesting and enjoyable.
The products featured on this site encompass the quite simple to the mildly complex. The simplest ones let you choose from pre-made templates and objects and allow little, if any, customization, other than your own text. The more advanced programs offer much greater design flexibility and allow you to start from scratch. They tend to have fairly extensive help, including online Q & A and forums where you can find all the information you might need.
Once you have gained more experience with the design process, and depending upon the software you're using and the kind of website you're deploying, you might want to add a special tool or feature to the site that isn't available in your chosen software. No problem! There are literally hundreds of free pieces of javascript you can find and download from the web that will add some specific function to your site (check our Webmaster Freeware page). In the more advanced WYSIWYG programs you can simply copy the javascript code and paste it into a code box, which can then be re-sized and moved to any position you want on the web page.
Now it's decision time. Which WYSIWYG website builder software should you choose? To help you determine which program best meets your needs we've included a chart so you can compare the major features each one offers.
WYSIWYG Website Software
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