Macromedia's Dreamweaver is by far the best WYSIWYG HTML editor we've found. It takes the drudgery out of most HTML coding, and also does a credible job writing javascript. No HTML editor is a substitute for learning how to code, but Dreamweaver is the most useful tool in the box.

Homesite 4.0, by Allaire, is a superb tool for creation and editing of HTML documents. It offers ease of use and maximum control of HTML coding.

Photoshop, by Adobe, is the most popular toolkit for manipulating images. Take the time to learn it's features and filters.

Looking for an all-in-one graphics optimizer? Try Equilibrium's DeBabelizer. Better palettes and smaller file sizes.

Our "top pick" for original graphics design is Macromedia's Freehand 8. It's vector graphics with all the bells and whistles.

Fireworks, by Macromedia, is THE image dicer/slicer. Builds error-free table code for reassembly of images slices. Good image optimizer, also.

An excellent plug-in for Photoshop and compatibles, Digital Frontier's HVS JPEG 2.0 renders some of the the fastest loading progressive JPEG images around. They also offer an excellent GIF optimizer.

ULEAD's GIF Animator sets the standard in GIF animation.. The built in wizards for animation and optimization make this a perfect "first tool". Experienced animators will find the user interface to be fast and efficient.