Tools to Use

Tools to Use is a page I made to give some young webmasters a little help with what they may need to use to make websites. This section is still in its beta stages, but it should still be useful. Keep reading to find out the tools of the trade.

Keep in mind, this is for slightly more advanced users, meaning not some one who wants to know what HTML is. That should already be known. And, if none of the Shareware Progz suit you, go to Web Tools. Its a section dedicated to freeware web programs and a few tuturial downloads, including css, dhtml, beginning websites, and some other stuff. That page should get a kid (LIKE ME) Started with this website junk. Trust me, paying for something isn't in my agenda all the time :-) :-)

Lets get started.

Lets take a look at this picture below.

What do you notice? Many programs in the quick launch maybe? Yep.

If you take a closer look, you will see I have 5 browsers, many programs for website editing, and a few other odd's and end tools. I'd rec. just about all of them. Lets take a look at the main ones.

From the top of the list, you will see Internet Explorer. This is probably the most common browser out there. It supports CSS1 almost perfectly, which I like. And its not to shabby in my opinion. So, since most people use this, make sure your website works in this! This is a must. To get the latest version, go to Microsoft.com or Msn.com, type Internet explorer in the search, and you should see a direct link to the download page.

Then you see what? Mozilla and Phoenix? Correct you are. Mozilla is a newish Open Source Gecko powered supreme browser. I'd use this if I weren't accustomed to Internet Explorer so much. And what about Phoenix you say? Well, thats just a 'test' browser I saw on the Mozilla site. Its Mozilla but it allows a few beta options that Mozilla Browser doesn't offer. Mainly just GUI things. Later, I will give a few deep details about each and every browser, what it offers and so on and so forth. Go to Mozilla.org to get this browser. Search for Phoenix, but I'd stick with Mozilla. Download skins when your done.

Next thing you see? Yup. Opera. Thats a decent, speedy browser. It has ads, but if you want speed, this one is pretty good. A good amount of users prefer this browser. Its also good for hand helds. Go to Opera.com to get this browser.

Now! After all these browsers, you see Lynx. A text only browser. How do you think it would handle images? It doens't. It ignores them, along with pop ups. Because of this, Lynx has become fairly popular over the years. It actually handles well, but to install it, I'd advise a Precompiled version. I will post a link later for it. Go to Download.com search for lynx browser. When you find it, view the user reviews, it has a link to a precompiled version.

Well, since my browsers are summed up, whats next? Macromedia Dreamweaver. If you got money, you could buy this. But I say nay. Its full of crap. It does what it says, makes your websites. But its not worth however much money it says, something like 500 bucks. It can display WYSIWYG and text editing. You can dual edit like this, or one or the other. But if you really are new to the website making, I'd advise FrontPage Express. Again I will post a link later. Its a WYSIWYG editor, not to bad. Another one is in the Netscape/Mozilla browser. Its called composer, its free and easy to use, you might want to try it. To get Dreamweaver, go to Macromedia.com

After Dreamweaver, theres Paint Shop Pro. I have version 7. Its good for people who are poor and can't afford Adobe Photoshop, which is the best out there. This is just as good for minor graphics. I use this and paint to make any pictures you may see on the site. Fiddle with the options in this and you will be amazed at how well it works. Another good one is irfanview. Its free, but its not as good as psp. Still allows basic conversion, minor graphic effects. Its located at Irfanview.com if that sites down, go to download.com, and search for irfanview. To get Psp, go to Jasc.com. Costs around a hundred dollars.

Since we are done with html editing, what about CSS? Well Topstyle 2.5 is very good. Version 2 is free, its the lite version. It works pretty well, but I prefer the pro version. It can edit css files, preview the script in different browsers, and you can automatically select values in the menu list. The main difference between versions is the options and the way things are included, such as the menu list, its different in free. Its located at Bradsoft.com

Since the CSS editing it outta the way, lets go to file replacing. Handy File Find and Replace is a very very good program. Get it from download.com. It can search multiple files and replace the found text with anything you want. If your a webmaster, you know how good this can be. You can replace menu items, old links, paragraphs of text, and anything else with this. You need this. A must! To get it, go to Download.com and search for Handy File Find and Replace or try hffr.

Then there is the question of uploading your Files. I say use WS_FTP! If you are a student, with a non commercial site, its free. Its perfect I prefer this over many other FTP devices. Since I dislike Command line ftp, I need my GUI baby. So if you want to FTP your files, and its available, I rec. this. To get it, go to Ipswitch.com.

After transferring files, you will need to be able to take snapshots of the screen! Thats where Screen hunter comes in. A very handy program. I used it to put the above pictures on the site. Optionated and everything. Well worth the download. Go to download.com to get it, search for screen hunter. Or try webattack.com, another good source for software.

Then you see a program called speed up. Well its included in Kazaa Lite located at "Kazaalite.com", and "K-lite.tk." Download it. It can get ya MP3's, software, pictures, and other things. Best out there in my opinion. Try K-Lite. I found its a little better.

After Kazaa Lite, what do you see? WINAMP OF COURSE! How does this involve web editing? Well... it doesn't! But the music it plays for ya can keep you sane when you find out a link is bad and the HFFR doesn't work for it... AYYEEE. This is the worldssss best fast music player I'd say. Its free, fast, plays mp3's, wma's and various other formats. Get it! I have 2.81 Plus the new one of 2.91, and an old version of 2.71, and 1.50. All for their own purposes :-D. Go to "Winamp.com" to get the latest version. So download it and keep the web editing going!

Check back later for some more things on websites and anything related to the web!

When I have more time on my hands I will update this section with programs like:
HTML Kit, 1st Page, and others.