Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of software we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Website Creation Software.

Ratings

Ease of Use

Website creation software features and instructions should be easy to find and simple enough for computer beginners to use and understand.

Feature Set

Website creation software should allow the user to create and edit HTML code, add keywords, and incorporate scripting languages. Website creation software should also include ecommerce capabilities, FTP capabilities, and should allow the user to incorporate Flash animations, videos, and sound into their website.

Templates

Website creation software should come packaged with a variety of templates so that you can get started quickly. These pre-designed templates should be attractive, versatile and professional in design.

Graphic Imaging Tools

Website creation software should come with graphic and imaging tools necessary for creating professional-quality websites. The software’s graphic and imaging tools should allow the user to create, resize and compress images. The tools should allow for simple creation of thumbnails and animated images. The website creation software should also come packaged with a large library of images and clipart.

Help/Support

Website creation software should come with both a built-in help system and good online support, including resources like FAQs, email support and updates.

Features

Drag and Drop Anything

Use your mouse to drag an object and drop it onto the page you’re creating; the website creation software will do the rest.

Automatic File Backup

Website creation software should automatically back up your work every so often. This will minimize data loss and frustration in case of power interruption or a computer crash.

Search and Replace Functions

Allows you to search for a word or string quickly and replace all instances of it within a webpage.

Rollover Creation

A rollover button is a graphical effect that takes place when a mouse pointer is moved (rolled) over the button and the button changes shape, color or text.

Scripting Languages

When website creation software allows you to add scripts to your page instantly using scripting languages such as JavaScript, VBScript and more. Some programs come with libraries of prewritten scripts, while others allow you to write and add your own scripts.

Page Transition Effects

Allows you to add special effects to your webpages when they change from one page to another.

Spell Checker

Helps you to verify that your spelling is correct.

Automatic Page Naming

The website creation software has built-in file-naming rules (based on important keywords) to help your webpage achieve greater search engine rankings.

Meta Tag Features

You can customize the meta tags for each page instead of using the same meta tag for each.

FTP

FTP (file transfer protocol) is the ability to send files from one computer to another over the Internet using a protocol called TCP/IP. This feature allows you to FTP directly from the website creation software.

Mutimedia Support

Flash

Macromedia Flash is a technology that allows the user to build animated sequences using animations and vector-based images. If the website creation software supports Flash, you will be able to insert Flash images into your webpage.

Video

Video support allows you to insert streaming video files into your website for visitors to watch.

Audio/Sound

Allows you to insert a variety of different audio formats into your webpage. These audio formats might include wav, midi, mp3, real, mpeg, wma, aif and au.

eCommerce Capabilities

Shopping Cart

Allows you to turn your webpage into an online store by adding a shopping cart. Some shopping carts might include product catalogs, customer registration forms, credit card transactions and online purchasing tools.

If the website creation software program doesn’t provide ecommerce tools, visit our ecommerce review site to see if any of the products we reviewed can help you.

Photo Imaging Tools

Image Library

A library of different images you can use on your webpages. Images can range from pictures to clipart to VRML (Video Reality Modeling Language) to 3-D images.

Image Cropping

Allows you to trim any photo or graphic precisely, without photo editing software.

Adjustable Compressions

Allows you to adjust the compression (file size) of the graphic or photo. Some of the types of graphic compressions you can perform on an image are "perfect quality of the image", "perfect quality with a smaller size", "size more important than quality" and "maximum compression".

Automatic Resampling

Changes the size of an image to fit your webpage correctly before you insert it, saving you time and space.

Animated GIFs

Animated GIFs are frames of graphics which are displayed one after another quickly to give the appearance of motion or movement (similar to a cartoon).

Resize Without Distortion

Allows you to resize am image without it distorting.

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