I run a niche free webhosting service. Some users of my service aren't that familiar with making a website; they just want to put up a simple site with some information on it.

I'm wondering, what freeware software is good for making simple websites (HTML editors, text editors and FTP clients)? I want to setup a "Resources" section on my site telling my users about software that they can use.

For the PC, I've found the following resources:

HTML-Kit, a text editor geared towards writing HTML
http://www.chami.com/html-kit/

Arachnophilia, a WYSIWYG HTML editor
http://arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/

LeechFTP, an FTP client
http://stud.fh-heilbronn.de/~jdebis/leechftp/downloads.html

I haven't used the first two personally, although they seem to look good. As for LeechFTP, it works although it's no longer being developed and has a few bugs.

Can anyone offer me opinions of the above software, and suggestions of other freeware (no ads, no nag screens, fully functional) HTML editors, text editors and FTP clients, especially ones for the Macintosh? Thanks.

Hi!

You can try :

Evrsoft 1st Page HTML Editor
http://www.evrsoft.com
It's got different modes to handle from easy to expert groups.

CrystalFTP was also offering Free FTP software supported by ads.

Hope this helps.

Although not free but I think worth mentioning as I believe they are only 30.00 for full versions, and you do get a 30 day free trial.
www.editplus.com
and for FTP
www.cuteftp.com

Why do you need extra software? Notepad is fine ;)

> Why do you need extra software? Notepad is fine ;)

Notepad doesn't do FTP. It also doesn't have advanced features such as syntax hilighting, syntax checking, backwards Find, Find and Replace.

Anyone could use the DOS prompt FTP client, but that's somewhat confusing for non-techies.

Also, this software is intended for inexperienced users who may not have much experience with creating a webpage and just want to get a simple page up; WYSIWYG software may work better for them (not that I use WYSIWYG software myself).

Originally posted by pmak0
Arachnophilia, a WYSIWYG HTML editor
http://arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/
This is not WYSIWYG. I use it, and would recommend it. If you saw the "New internal browser "Instant View" mode shows your HTML changes as you make them -- on each keystroke!" and thought that was WYSIWYG, then it is close, but more of a, 'as you make changes you can see them' thing, -something that I don't use, and doubt you would either.

It is very similar to notepad, though it has added functions (such as upload and syntax, and quick HTML insertion), that make it better than using notepad. I mean, you could type in & nbsp; or you can hit CTRL+SpaceBAR and you get the same thing.

While I have nothing against notepad, the people who use it for HTML are somewhat like the people who still wash their clothes down at the creek. We now have washing machines, grab some Tide.

We now have washing machines, grab some Tide.

Well, I guess, clothes and web-pages are different in nature. :D

WYSISYG HTML editors put quite a lot of additional tags and comments. That necessarily increases the weight of an HTML file by atleast 10%. Well, this may look very little as a standard view (2-3 page scrolls) HTML doesn't weigh more than 50K. But, if you consider the number of webpages on the net, and if everybody uses WYSIWYG HTML editors, the additional traffic generated by each site for this small 10% increasement in byte size of an HTML, is a serious considerable factor.

Only a person, who understands HTML codes, can say how tough it is to edit an HTML page manually (sometimes it's required) which was earlier done by a WYSIWYG editor.

I've clients, who designed their pages in FP, have put the entire themes on the server, just to have simple backgrounds/buttons.

A Notepad is good, but it's better to use HTML editors like WebEdit PRO, which have automated the insertion of few HTML tags. 1st Page also does the same in expert mode.

pmak0, if you have a few standard design formats, you may look for a free (or paid) cgi scripts for your clients, who will chose the design, and put their details over there, and publish their pages on their own folder.

:beer:

Originally posted by pmak0
> Why do you need extra software? Notepad is fine ;)

Notepad doesn't do FTP. It also doesn't have advanced features such as syntax hilighting, syntax checking, backwards Find, Find and Replace.

Anyone could use the DOS prompt FTP client, but that's somewhat confusing for non-techies.

Also, this software is intended for inexperienced users who may not have much experience with creating a webpage and just want to get a simple page up; WYSIWYG software may work better for them (not that I use WYSIWYG software myself).

I never stated Notepad could FTP - the original post was requiring web page creation software - and Notepad can be used as this.
If you are looking at the free option, Explorer can be used as an FTP client too.

Regards
Matt

Originally posted by EssEss
WYSISYG HTML editors put quite a lot of additional tags and comments. That necessarily increases the weight of an HTML file by atleast 10%. Well, this may look very little as a standard view (2-3 page scrolls) HTML doesn't weigh more than 50K. But, if you consider the number of webpages on the net, and if everybody uses WYSIWYG HTML editors, the additional traffic generated by each site for this small 10% increasement in byte size of an HTML, is a serious considerable factor.

Only a person, who understands HTML codes, can say how tough it is to edit an HTML page manually (sometimes it's required) which was earlier done by a WYSIWYG editor.

I've clients, who designed their pages in FP, have put the entire themes on the server, just to have simple backgrounds/buttons.

A Notepad is good, but it's better to use HTML editors like WebEdit PRO, which have automated the insertion of few HTML tags. 1st Page also does the same in expert mode.
Completely agree! I can't stand all the added stuff of FP, and similar, but I assure you that Arach does not do this, and you do have to be careful NOT to choose one that does.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with a true WYSIWYG HTML editor, you probably wouldn't know that it is doing that, as you wouldn't see the code (eh?). I know what you mean though, a friend did his in FP and asked me to make some changes once. The page *looked* simple, all centered, but the code was out of control.

Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver

Originally posted by netsolutions
Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver, Dreamweaver

I second that, but (unfortunately) DW is not freeware.

im baised to html-kit :) its got an in-built FTP proggy... good syntax highlight... what esle does one need? :)