Perl, the Practical Extraction and Reporting Language, has long been a critical tool for building dynamic Websites and automating various Internet-related tasks. Unfortunately its use has largely been limited to those working on Unix-based systems (where Perl originated) or serious hackers willing to go through the contortions necessary to run Unix-based software under MS Windows. With the release...

If you're looking for a tool to jazz up designs for a new website, this helpful application will come in handy. With Art Text, users can customize existing designs, draw on a variety of pre-formatted graphics, and also browse through fifty different creative fonts. It should be mentioned that this is a free trial version, and visitors who wish to use the complete version of Art Text will need to...

In recent years, it would seem that everyone is developing a website, including the former king of Cambodia, who even has a trenchant weblog where he responds to detractors and other such types. This helpful application will allow neophytes to construct their own websites using a relatively simple "drag and drop" style interface. Visitors can also take advantage of an image library and a community...

Cascading style sheets allow for greater control over how a web document is presented, and this site can help interested users learn about them. W3C's CSS page offers even more information regarding CSS, it's history, and what's new. It also provides a listing of other related guides and tools.

With more and more groups and individuals becoming interested in placing content online, a number of programs have been developed to simplify this process, with a minimum of technical know-how. Drupal allows users to create everything from personal websites to e-commerce applications. Visitors will also want to learn about the different modules that can extend Drupal's functionality and look over...

NetObjects Fusion is a cross-platform website creation and management tool that takes a site-oriented approach rather than simply being a page editor. NetObjects Fusion allows authors to create the site structure visually, make global changes, automatically update links, and construct and organize the individual pages without writing HTML. Once the site is designed, the entire site structure and...

ServerWatch, provided by Mecklermedia, provides information on "web server technology and supporting tools." It contains information on development tools (audio/video, firewalls, and site monitoring, among others), and comprehensive information (including ratings) of the most popular web servers. However, the highlight of the site lies buried under the "And other..." web servers; a comparison...

Silex is a graphical site builder designed for quickly assembling landing pages or small sites. Individual pages are created by selecting from a library of templates, then customizing the layout and content using a point-and-click interface. More technical users that prefer to enter their own CSS may also take that approach. Completed sites can be uploaded to your own server via FTP or Webdav, to...

Those persons who do their own website design will find TextImages most useful. Developed by Stefan Trost, this helpful tool allows users to integrate text written on images into their websites. Visitors can create single text images with this application, along with a wide range of pictures. Visitors also have the ability to precisely adjust the writing, design, format, style, colors, fonts,...

Web authors in search of a high-quality tool for creating GIF animations should consider WebPainter by Totally Hip Software. Animated GIFs are viewable with most browsers, and are an easy way to spice up a Web site. WebPainter includes excellent bitmap drawing and animation tools, including an "onion skin" feature that allows users to draw a new animation frame while seeing a lightened version of...