Behind every web page there is the HTML code.  This "Hyper Text Mark- up Language" is the code that is interpreted and displayed by your web browser.  HTML coding can be done in any word processing program (even Notepad).  However, very few people do it that way.  Most people use an HTML editor.

There are two basic types of HTML editors, there are standard HTML editors that require you to work directly with the HTML code (HotMetal, CoffeeCup and many others) and there are WYSIWYG Editors (What you see is what you get) which are more like working with a typical "Word Processing Program" like Word or Wordperfect.  Of course, "What You see is not always what you get", so it is good to check your page in at least the current versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator...and it wouldn't hurt to look at it through an old version to see how it comes it for those still using the 3.0 browsers.  Examples of WYSIWG editors would include Netscape Composer and Microsoft FrontPage. 

To begin with you would be wise to get a WYSIWYG editor.  It takes care of most of the html coding for you and is much simpler for a beginner.  Later on, you may find a standard editor to be a helpful tool as your page gets more complicated and you want to do things that your WYSIWYG editor isn't programmed to handle.

I use Netscape Composer for most of my basic web pages.  It is a relatively simple program to use...and best of all... it's free  (it's a standard part of Netscape Communicator), Download the current version at www.netscape.com.   You may prefer another editor but the instructions that I give you from now on will assume that you are working with Netscape Composer (4.5).  As I have time I'll try to add instructions for some of the other editors. 

I like Netscape Composer for a number of reasons, but mostly because it's the first one I used...so I'm used to it and therefore I find it easiest and generally fastest.  It's also fairly simple to use and a good starting place.  There are better editors out there...but for the price (free) you can't beat it.

Graphics Editor:

You are going to want to spice your website up with graphics (pictures, clip-art, etc).  While you can find lots of stuff out on the net, you will find it necessary to buy a graphics editor.  I'm assuming you want to go cheap....There are two programs in the $70-100 range that I recommend.  Paint Shop Pro is an excellent shareware program (they let you try it before you buy it) that does a great job.  Another that I use that I like a lot is ULead's PhotoImpact.  It has some nice features for creating animated gif's  (pictures that move, you see them all the 
time on the web) and buttons like this:
The thing I find really helpful though is the "smart saver" that allows you to compress your images -- shrinking their size and the amount of time it takes to load them.  Incidently, I also use Adobe's PhotoDeluxe for working with my scanner.  It's also an excellent program.

Of course, If money isn't a problem: get Adobe's PhotoShop and maybe CorelDraw or something like that.

There are some other programs that I'll recommend later, but with a basic WYSIWYG editor and a basic Graphics Editor, you can get started. So, let do it!

Download Netscape Communicator
Download Paint Shop Pro

Creating Your Index Page
 

Introduction:  Do You have a Ministry Website yet?
Step One: Defining Your Purpose: The Key to a meaningful website.
Step Two: Smooth Sailing: Designing Your Site for Easy Navigation
Step Three: Tool Time:  HTML Editors and other software to get you started.
Step Four: Creating Your Index Page.
 

Pastor Jeff's Neighborhood
Faith Alliance Church
New Hope Ministries

Created with the CoffeeCup HTML Editor++