PC Tools for Do-It-Yourselfers
1. Your Wordprocessor
(a) Any (even Wordpad) may be used to write HTML code.
(b) Windows 95 Wordprocessors (The current release and next year's product).
#1 Corel WordPerfect7 -- gets an A-; Corel WordPerfect97 -- still has an A -- for a Word processor used as an HTML tool. (That puts it at a C- compared to a product like AOLPress 2.0 -- which is freeware).
#2 Microsoft Word with IA -- gets a C+; Microsoft Word 97 -- gets a B-. According to Microsoft, Word97 will not be file compatible with Word96 (Infoworld Oct. 28, 1996, page 29; borne out in many instances).
Note, Word 2000 will have HTML as its native file format. That should make it an excellent tool.
#3 Lotus WordPro -- gets a D; Lotus WordPro97 -- gets a B (if you use AmiPro or WordPro this is a "must purchase" upgrade -- faster, cleaner and much, much better, not to mention a much better Web Page editor. If you don't use WordPerfect7 and have decided not to consider it, seriously consider WordPro97 -- especially if your office has more than one person work on the same document).
2. Alternate Tools
(a) Presentation or Slide Show software e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance, Corel Presentations. This is fine for advertising karate classes held at an Aerobics studio.
(b) Windows 95 Databases or Spreadsheets. It can be done, I just don't recommend it for a law office. (Note that DeltaPoint's excellent Quicksite is basically a spreadsheet/database used to write web pages and to manage them and it works very, very well. It is possible to do an excellent job with one of these tools, just much too much work).
(c) Your World Wide Web or Internet Browser. This approach is fine if you are advertising an Aerobics studio or vitamins, but it is a lot of work.
3. Package Tools designed for the World Wide Web
Each of the programs has a serious hole in it. E.g. without WS_FTP (a free program) 'press is not complete and will make you go bald (so to speak). Note that excellent, free software serves as advertising respectively for AOL and WS_FTP Pro which is why both programs (WS_FTP and 'press) are provided for free.
4. High Level Tools.
There are lots of these. I currently recommend Fusion if you have to try one, though Hot Dog is interesting for small sites. Adobe .pdf formats are especially useful for document heavy intranets -- a topic beyond the scope of this essay, but the solution Texas Instruments and others have gone with.
5. Soon to Come.
For more on this topic, see the [Updates] or [Index] locations.
Article #6 on the main list, The Right Tools, contains my personal recommendations (and shorten's this list considerably). This area is always changing.
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