Have Your own web site? Here are some tools I've reviewed
Today, it seems like everyone has a web site. I've been working on the Internet since 1997, which makes me an old-timer. Over the years, I've used hundreds of scripts or programs and found many of them useless or at best, failed to deliver on their promises. Here are some tools I either use, or have installed on web sites I've built. On some of them I make a commission if you buy, on some of them I don't, but recommend them because I like them. I reviewed and tried at least three of the competitors in each category before spending my own money. Mostly these are relatively inexpensive, but are seldom freeware or the cheapest in their categories. To me, they are the best values.
Web site design -- Dreamweaver (now an Adobe product) is still the best web design program. FrontPage is an affront to many designers. I used it to start and graduated. Namo WebEditor is another I used to use until I wised up. If you are on a budget, it will do. But if you can spring for Dreamweaver. It costs, but is worth it. If you can swing it, get the CS3 bundle.
I've used a dozen web hosters over the years and some of them went out of business or were hacked. One I used for years suddenly developed poor customer service. After checking out a dozen or more hosting companies, I've personally swiched to HostGator. So far the customer service has been outstanding.
Live chat software -- If you really want to engage your visitors, you should install chat software. But don't do it unless you are usually available. If you aren't there to answer the chat requests, people get upset. I use Live Agent below. I chose it because there's only a one-time fee, opposed to the monthly fees many charge. Plus, it is reasonably-priced. I've recommended it to my clients. There are others that cost $300-$500, but unless you have a huge staff of operators hanging around, they aren't worth it. They also have an affiliate manager program if you want to sign up people to sell your stuff that is pretty good.
Web statistics -- If you are happy with Goggle Analytics stats, you can get that free. Your hosting program also probably has free AWStats or something similar. For many, that is enough. It was for me for years. If, however, you want to do deep analysis (and be able to track live web site visitors), this program is ideal and inexpensive. They have a free trial.
I no longer use the menu creator, but if you want DHTL menus that are truly search friendly, the menu creator here worked fine for me.
DHTML menu creator Menu Creator with site map Complete Web Site tools Mail Expert Follow up tools
Another affiliate manager program that I have installed on clients' sites. It works well and is around a hundred bucks.
FTP programs.
Why is something so simple so complicated? I was happy with CuteFtp until they couldn't find my registration after my house fire and would not validate that I had a paid version. So I bought WS_ftp. This worked just fine for 13 months, then kept crashing. Customer support would not support it after 1 year, nor would they answer a simple email. I was not about to spend more money with them.
Got FileZilla (free). Could not get it to work. Got SmartFTP (trial). Seems to work fine. Tried HS FTPExplorer. Kept crashing. Tried CoreFTP Lite (free). I am really impressed. Will probably buy their Pro version since I believe that everyone deserves to make a lving.