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Choosing an off-the-shelf software package to develop your Web site If you really want to do more with your Web site than simply setting up a home page or publishing a brochure, then you seriously need to explore some of the off-the-shelf software packages that are available on the market today. You will find that these packages are easy to use and give you many Web site development capabilities that are required by professionals.
In an ideal world, you would buy all of the software packages listed below, build your Web site with each different package, and then decide which one works best for your application. Unfortunately, very few people and organizations have that luxury. Therefore you will have to rely on some product descriptions and software reviews before making your decision. One thing you can definitely do before deciding on a software package is to make a list of all of the capabilities you will need for your Web site. For instance, ask yourself some of the following questions:
Once you have made your list, then you can begin to match up your requirements with the individual off-the-shelf software packages. Finally, you should consider price only after you have made a list of your requirements. If the least expensive software package does everything you want it to do, then make your decision based on price. Go with the least expensive package. However, if a more expensive package provides features or functions that you need, then don't buy a cheaper package. The software titles shown below range in price from $79 for Adobe PageMill 3.0 to $312.50 for NetObjects Fusion V3.0. According to Edward Mendelson, in "Microsoft simplifies and strengthens its powerful Web site editor," an article published in the June 1, 1999 issue of PC Magazine, "For beginning Webmasters and educational or small business users, Microsoft FrontPage 2000 ($150 street; $60 upgrade) is the simplest way to build complex Web sites, complete with discussion forums and database features." Adobe's latest revision of its Web publishing application continues to mature into a powerful and sophisticated tool. Packed with new features, Adobe GoLive 5.0 offers enhanced source-code control to help Web teams edit and maintain large sites; improved linking of Photoshop, Illustrator, and LiveMotion files; and a new interface that's designed to increase efficiency. Macromedia describes Dreamweaver as "the solution for professional Web site design and production. It is the only tool to offer Roundtrip HTML between visual and source editing for fast creation of great looking, cross browser Web sites." In an article titled "Build Your Dream Site," written by Rich Schwerin for PC Computing on June 14, 1999, a review for Macromedia Dreamweaver v2.0 begins "Looks aren't everything -- unless you're talking about the Web. At least for the first few seconds it takes to lure visitors onto your site and keep them there, looks are all that matter. So how do you design a knockout business online? You can go for broke and hire a consultant, or do it yourself with Macromedia Dreamweaver 2." To read this and other articles about Macromedia Dreamweaver, go to the ZDNet Web site and search for "Macromedia Dreamweaver." Those who want to design, manage, and publish one or more Web sites without learning to program (or hiring an HTML pro) should check out NetObjects Fusion MX. Installation is quick and soon beautiful, seamless sites flow from desktop to the Web. All that's needed is a little visual design experience or at least a good eye; the Site Wizard handles all the organizational and content details. After selecting an architecture and preliminary page structure, the user imports or enters text, pictures, design elements, and Web objects like JavaScript or Flash animation. All selections can be checked for browser and platform compatibility, and adding features such as counters and guest books is painless. Users who want to modify their sites using other software might have problems with the idiosyncrasies of Fusion's output code, though these problems are far from unsolvable. Monkeying around with the low-level site controls is also off-limits unless the code is ported into a more versatile Web design package (or a text editor, for that matter).
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