HTML editors

Because webpages are written in plain text, you can use just about any word processor to produce your web pages. Just make sure to save your files according to some simple rules:

• use only lowercase in your filenames
• don't use any symbols or spaces
• keep the names resonably short - and for your own sake make the names meaningful
• decide early whether you want to put a htm or html extension on your filenames. Once you have decided, don't switch back and forth.
• there should one file in every folder called 'index.htm' If you do this, then visitors are less likely to be able to view your folder contents.

I use the Windows operating system. So, you can expect some bias in the way I describe what to do. The simplest, and some would say the best html editor is Notepad which comes bundled with Windows. But any text editor will work just fine.

There are several text editors with added features to make the writing of webpages a bit easier. I'm using a free editor '1st Page 2000' to write this. There are many others, including 'HTML Kit', 'Hypertext Studio', 'AceHTML Pro' (which used to be free).

And then there are the 'WYSIWYG' (what you see is what you get) HTML editors. From the very expensive and elaborate Macromedia 'Dreamweaver' and Microsoft 'Frontpage' to the inexpensive 'HoTMetaL'. If you keep your eyes open you might find older versions (quite respectable) being given away on magazine covers.