An HTML editor is software that you use to create web pages. When you create web pages, you are writing HTML. Instead of having to memorize and learn HTML, and HTML editor gives you an interface with which to write text and place graphics without having to actually know any codes or tags. Before HTML editors, web page creators wrote the code in text editors (like Notepad, Simpletext, and more often than not, using a text editor on a Unix computer). They had to know HTML pretty well, and were often creating new tags all the time. When HTML editors became available (starting in 1995/1996), many more people could start to create web pages.
Examples of HTML Editors
My favorite HTML editor is called Netscape Composer. Beginning with Netscape 3.0 Gold, Composer is included in the Netscape package that you download from Netscape , including Netscape Composer 4.04 which is included on this CD. Here's an example of the Composer interface:
You will notice that the menubar across the top of the screen has different icons than the Netscape Navigator you use to browse web pages. These tools can be used to change the text style, add images, change justification, insert targets, add hard returns, and so on. When you are using Composer, you can drag your mouse to the icon and a text window will pop up to tell you what this icon does. Are you ready to try? Go to the practice page, then go to the File menu and select Edit Page. Have Fun!!!
There ARE other HTML editors. In fact, there are lots! Below you will find a list of HTML editors, some that you can download for free, others that you can read about. It doesn't matter what HTML editor you use to make a web page, they are all standard in the type of files that are the final product: .html and graphics files in .gif or .jpg.
Other popular HTML editors include:
AOL: America On-Line Press
AOL Press is a nice program to use if you want a STEP BY STEP manual,
workbook, and HTML editor all in one. I like that it is SOO easy
to use, but I don't like that you don't have a lot of options to be real
creative, and I also don't like how you can turn your web page into one
HUGE graphic file in one step. However, it is a nice program to check
out. To download AOL Press, go to the AOL
Press Download page and select the 'web download' option.
Adobe PageMill
Another great product from the Adobe Company. Lots of options, and
like other Adobe products, might take you the rest of your life to learn.
However, a must have for professional web designers. American University
owns a site license for Adobe PageMill, so you won't have to spend the
$895 to try it out.
HotDog
A great HTML editor, easy to use, and allows one to be creative.
Windows95 only.
Microsoft Internet Explorer:
FrontPage Express
Microsoft FrontPage Express is included when you download the Full
version of Internet Explorer. The interface in FrontPage is similar
to that of Microsoft Word. The full
version of Microsoft FrontPage is also available, you can buy it for
$149.00 (for Windows95 only).
If you have Microsoft Word or WordPerfect, you can make web pages.
The newest versions of both word processing program come with "add-ons"
so you can export you text files as .html files, and the add-on will also
change your images into .gif format for you. However, when using
WordPerfect, I found it makes lots and lots of directories for the graphics,
and the grpahics files sometimes can get lost in the mess. You might want
to use these add-ons to get started, and then move into a true HTML editor.
Find out more about the add-ons by visiting: Microsoft
or WordPerfect.
Now that you know how to make the .html files for your web pages, lets
talk about graphic files.
On to 
How do I add Graphics to my Web Pages? or go back 
Home.
icon or send email to sirvine@american.edu.