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Tools for Web Site Design on Windows
Some people make fun of me around here, and it’s not just because of my hair, my hygiene or the myriads of action figures I have on my desk. You see, I’m the only one in the shop with a PC back home. I know, I know; I constantly hang my head in shame. But have no fear, my fiancee and I also have an Ubuntu Linux box and a MacBook, but I do most of my freelance web work on a two year-old XP laptop. So when Jon wrote his article last month on the tools we use to maintain BIG Images’ web site, naturally it was all Mac software, and I thought I’d do a little representing and show the Windows world some love.
As with the previous month's article, I've tried to find solutions within the shareware and the free and open-source community.
Web Development Applications:
- Stylizer
- $69.95
- Live preview of sites, view changes to the page as you make them
- Amazingly attractive UI
- CSSVista
- Free
- Extract and edit the CSS from any page on the internet
- See your changes applied live in both IE and Firefox at the same time
- Doesn't save files from within the program, you have to copy and paste it into your editor
- Aptana Studio Community Edition
- Free
- Although initially meant to be a Javascript coding program, it has great support for HTML, CSS and PHP
- Syntax hilighting
- Relatively attractive interface
- Their code assist feature shows helpful hints about code as you type it
- PSPad
- Free
- Very bare bones, but easy to use because of it
- Syntax hilighting
- Filezilla Client
- Free
- Simple, easy to use FTP application
- Powerful site manager
- Drag and drop support
- Firebug
- Free
- An extension to the popular Firefox browser
- Edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page
- NVU
- Free
- Although WYSIWYG editors aren't my cup of tea (I prefer to hand-code everything I work on, eliminating unnecessary cruft) I've heard this is a decent replacement for Dreamweaver or Frontpage
Web-based software:
All of these will work on any platform because they're frameworks for building websites.
- Wordpress
- Free
- Full-featured blogging engine
- Extensive Plugin and Theme Selections available, or build your own
- Well-written documentation and very helpful forums to help you out of any snag
- Zenphoto
- Free
- Simple and useful photo gallery
- Many themes available, or build your own
- WebYep
- Free to try, $43.27 for single license, applicable to one domain
- Web Content Management System
- Allows for users to update text and images on pages without having to switch to an administrative interface
Graphics Tools:
The previously mentioned GIMP and InkScape are also decent solutions for Windows users.
- Paint.NET
- Free
- Photo editing with layers and other effects
- Requires .NET Framework 2
Other random applications or resources that are useful:
- Open Source Templates
- Free css and xhtml templates
- Some projects are too small to hire a designer or build a site yourself, and these templates provide a good jumping point to your design
- The Font Thing
- Free
- Manage your fonts
- Hasn't been developed since 1999, but still very usable
- Typograf
- $35
- Haven't personally used this software, but it looks like a very powerful font management application
