Summary

Quite a few Web authoring applications are available for you to try out. Although a well-trained Web author will know XHTML and related technologies at the code level, a graphical editor can be an immense help in quickly prototyping sites, as well as managing large projects and collaborating with others.

Each Web authoring package has its strengths, its weaknesses, and its affiliations. Adobe's GoLive works well with other Adobe products, Macromedia's Dreamweaver integrates with other Macromedia products, and Microsoft's FrontPage looks and acts very much like other Microsoft Office applications. Netscape's Composer may be the odd one out. But then again, it's free, and it's designed primarily for editing individual pages.

Most high-end Web authoring tools have demo versions, so you should download them and test them to see which one works best for you. After all, these tools can get a little expensive at the pro level, and having the wrong one won't help much.