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Custom Web-Page Design
By Daniel Will-Harris
Introduction | Home Pages in an Instant | Home-Page Fast Track | Custom
Web-Page Design | Set Your Sites on the Web | 200 Killer Web Tools
It's your company, so why let someone else
dictate how your Web site looks and works? Usability: Highlights and
With the latest design and management Lowlights of Web-Page
tools you can build a first-class site Publishing Tools
just the way you want it. And you don't Scenic View: Drawing on the
have to learn an encyclopedia full of HTML familiar Windows 95 Explorer,
tags to do it. FrontPage offers side-by-side
Web-site views: Outline and
Advanced HTML elements like tables, Link.
frames, and image maps set your page apart [Image] Behind the Scenes:
from the competition's, but these
high-tech features often stump even True to its name, Backstage
hard-core HTML hackers. The latest page Designer Plus's real power
editors hide the HTML under slick lies beneath its sometimes
drag-and-drop tools. Want to add an image? confusing interface.
Just click on the filename and drag it [Image] Nothing but Code:
into position on the page. Looking to make
a hyperlink? Double-click and add the name Designing a Web page with
of the appropriate Web address. When QuickSite is a job that's
you're building a large site, editing the best suited for HTML
code is just the beginning. Once your site programming veterans.
includes a dozen or more pages, the [Image]
realchallenge is keeping your links in
order and your content up to date. A
seemingly small change on one page could
create a domino-like chain of events that
will have users fuming over missing
information and broken links.
Simple Site Management
To handle numerous links and increasing
content, a new crop of enhanced Web-site
tools has emerged. More than just HTML
editors, these applications offer advanced
site-management features. These tools act
like "page databases" and offer outline
and graphical views that display your
site's underlying architecture, as well as
how pages and files are linked. The best
of these new site designers let you track
page links, find missing files, and even
move entire pages without creating a
frustrating string of broken links.
The best of the best of these new Web-site
tools is Microsoft's FrontPage 1.1. (We
reviewed a late beta version.) This
intelligent tool corrects multiple missing
links with a single update rather than a
page at a time, saving you hours of
tedious maintenance. To help shorten
development time, FrontPage provides
WebBots--prebuilt components that
instantly add features like discussion
groups and forms to a Web site without
requiring programming. FrontPage also
offers easy-to-comprehend graphical and
outline views of your entire site, so
management chores are less burdensome.
[Image] WYSIWYG Wonder: Microsoft's
cleverly designed FrontPage makes
it easy to create and manage a Web site.
But FrontPage has one major flaw, at least
for veteran developers: You can't edit
HTML code from within the program. Even
so, many users will want to avoid the code
anyhow.
Like Microsoft's FrontPage, GNN's GNNpress
provides graphical and outline site
overviews, though FrontPage's views are
less tangled and easier to manipulate. And
GNNpress makes it simple to post a file to
the Web by just assigning the file an
address.
Macromedia's Backstage Designer Plus (also
reviewed in late beta form) takes a
similar tack as FrontPage. Like the
WebBots in Microsoft's FrontPage,
Backstage Designer Plus's Macromedia
PowerApplets simplify advanced page
creation. This collection of Shockwave
multimedia applications and JavaSoft's
Java applets let you add features to your
Web page without writing any HTML code.
And Backstage Designer Plus includes tools
for remote management, so you can update
your site when you're away from the
server.
If you're a programmer, you'll especially
like the object-oriented style of
DeltaPoint's QuickSite. This editor makes
it easy to modify your site, and it
attempts to free you of HTML coding by
walking you through the design process
with helpful wizards. But unlike the other
products we tested--and Adobe's upcoming
PageMill and SiteMill for
Windows--QuickSite is far from WYSIWYG. So
beginners might first want to try one of
the easier products. But anyone who wants
to get behind the scenes and play with
some code will find QuickSite to their
liking.
Free Trial Downloads
One of the best features these products
share is page publishers. Best of all, you
can download free demo versions of all
these page publishers (please note that
Microsoft has recently released the
commercial version of FrontPage, version
1.1, and the beta is no longer available
for free download). All four of these
applications show that as the Web gets
more complex--and more
mature--site-management suites are
replacing stand-alone HTML editors. In
fact, HTML will soon move largely to the
background like today's PostScript code,
rarely seen by the typical user. And with
the help of friendly, point-and-click
WYSIWYG interfaces, Web-page creation and
site-management tools are now accessible
to everyone.
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Top Web-Page Publishing Tools
Converts
Text Converts
Product Price* WYSIWYG Files Graphics Pros Cons Verdict
Microsoft $149 Yes Yes Yes Good management Can't directly Rating: Good (4
FrontPage tools; WebBots edit HTML from of 5 stars)
1.1 make it easy to within the The easiest and
(800) add advanced program. most
426-9400 features. full-featured
PC page-creation
Computing and
BEST site-management
tool.
GNN Free Partial No No Easy to use; Editor and Rating: Good (4
GNNpress easy to post browser display of 5 stars)
(800) files on the pages Basic management
819-6112 Web. differently; features, but
limited site you can't beat
management. the price.
Macromedia $79 Yes No No Built-in Editor doesn't Rating: Good (4
Backstage database query support table of 5 stars)
Designer support; design or import A serious
Plus PowerApplets word-processor contender for
(beta) quickly add files. heavy-duty site
(800) high-end management.
326-2128 features.
DeltaPoint $80 No No No Flexible Interface is Rating:
QuickSite object-oriented difficult for Acceptable (3 of
(800) approach saves users who aren't 5 stars)
446-6955 time. familiar with an A promising tool
object-oriented for HTML vets,
model. but others might
find it
confusing.
*Direct price.
Service or Server? The Connection Question Hired Help: Bringing In
By Daniel Will-Harris an Expert
By Daniel Will-Harris
You have your site, so now it's time to post
it for the world to see. But do you rent space Sometimes it just doesn't
from a Web host or set up your own server? pay to do things
yourself. Creating a
It's usually much easier--and less professional-quality Web
expensive--to rent space. In general $20 to site requires more time,
$50 a month will buy you 5MB of disk storage technical skill, and
and 500MB of data transmission (the data sent artistic talent than many
to users' browsers when they look at your businesses have to spare.
pages). Once you establish an account, you If that's your situation,
send your files via FTP to a directory on the it's time to turn to a
host's Web server. Within moments, anyone on Web designer or
the Web can see your pages. consultant.
You don't need your own Web server to get a Web designers cover the
domain name (such as Ziff-Davis Publishing's artistic side of Web-site
www.zd.com). Many hosts provide "virtual" creation, such as page
domains for anyone renting space from them. A layout, typographic
domain name costs $50 from the Internet-naming design, and graphics
service InterNic, and most Web hosts charge production. Some
only a small service fee to request a name for designers produce the
you. HTML code to create the
actual pages, while
But if you want complete control over your others don't.
page content and security, running your own
server offers some advantages. For example, Web consultants, on the
you don't need to worry about whether your other hand, are more
host is doing everything possible to protect likely to have the
your valuable information. You also get to technical skills
decide how your site connects to other necessary to take charge
applications, such as corporate databases or of your site's complete
customer-service programs. Such connections, development and
when properly done, turn a simple Web-based ad maintenance. Some
into a revenue-generating machine. You can consultants have staff
also test and add new files and features more designers and programmers
quickly and with fewer restrictions because to create your pages. At
you don't have to go through a host's the very least, a good
Webmaster. And unlike renting from a host, you consultant should be able
don't have to share connection bandwidth with to lead you to competent
a host of other "virtual tenants." designers and HTML
coders.
But be warned: Running a server requires
considerable financial and technical Whichever way you go, be
investments. Fast hardware and high-speed sure to take a long look
Internet connections don't come cheap. You at a potential designer's
also need a well-trained, dedicated staff to or consultant's online
keep the system up and running. portfolio. And use your
own computer and modem to
If that sounds daunting, consider renting view the sites: Pretty
space at first. pages cached on a
consultant's laptop might
If it doesn't work out, you can always take look great in the demo,
your pages and post them on your own site but they won't tell you a
later. thing about the site's
actual performance. For
Best Way to the Web example, large graphics
appear enticing, but they
can slow page access to a
Pros Cons pace guaranteed to drive
Service * Inexpensive * Dependent away customers. Also
* No on quality consider how well the
responsibility of host sample sites work. Can
for hardware * Little you navigate through the
or control site efficiently? Are the
connections over graphics attractive and
* Hosts offer configuration pertinent? Do the images
technical and load quickly? Is the
support security site's look appropriate
* Per-download to a client's products
charges add and services? If so, take
up over the final step: Contact
time the clients whose sites
are in the portfolio, and
ask whether the designer
Service * More control * Expensive or consultant came in on
over * Can be time and within budget.
configuration difficult
and security to maintain Don't settle for the
* No need to * Requires a first hot designer or
share dedicated consultant who catches
bandwidth staff your eye. Shop around.
* Can connect Extensive lists of
to local designers and consultants
corporate are available on Yahoo at
databases www.yahoo.com or at
DesignSphere at
www.dsphere.net. Your Web
site might be the only
thing Net-cruising
potential customers ever
see about your company,
so it pays to do things
right the first time.
Questions to Ask a Pro
* What sites have you
designed or
produced, and where
can I see them?
(They should provide
more than one
example, and the
examples shouldn't
look similar. Make
sure the sites
represent the client
more than the
designer or
consultant.)
* Do you have any
experience in my
field? (It's useful
for the designer or
consultant to
understand your
business so they
create a site that's
appropriate for what
you do.)
* Will you arrange for
a host to get a
domain name and host
the site?
* How long will the
whole process take?
* How do you charge
for the site design
and production work?
Hourly? On a project
basis?
* May I speak with one
of your previous
clients?
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