HTML authoring software suggestions

[GrilledCheese28 (aka Aruth)]

I'm looking for suggestions for a good, easy to use web authoring package for Windows.

Back when I dabbled, we used Notepad, and FTP'ed our files to the webserver uphill in the snow both ways. But this is for my wife, and text-only gives her hives. So its got to have a fairly easy to use GUI. If its overly complex, she'll throw in the towel early. She'll be publishing the pages to my home linux server.

So, what ya got?

[Vejuz]

The best program for that I have personally used is Microsoft Publisher. It's works with drag and drop then converts it to HTML and other formats. It's part of Microsoft's office suite which has a free trail here: us1.trymicrosoftoffice.com/default.aspx?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=FD213CDD-07C0-4121-B458-20E68BC0C03B

I'm not sure if it has any autopublishing features but I hope this helps anyways.

-Vejuz

[xtrapwr]

about.com says ... I've got a page about that.

webdesign.about.com/od/htmleditors/HTML_Editors_Web_Page_Authoring_Tools.htm

[GrilledCheese28 (aka Aruth)]

Yeah but I'm looking for opinions from people I actually know on these products

[Winin]

I went the CMS route. You upload it and then do your content via an admin web page.

I started with Joomla, but it was way more than I needed. Then I found pmwiki and love it. Wikis are perfect for sites where the content is the key thing (vs. the java and html hoo haa's). Also, it is flat file, so no databases to worry about (and back up). And you can easily run it offline to modify it. Usually I just make my changes directly to the site.

www.pmwiki.org/

This site rates all the free CMS/Wiki/forum/etc software:
www.opensourcecms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=388&Itemid=184
www.opensourcecms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=184

The nice thing about that site is that they have demos going of all the software, so you can try them out.

And of course, my site as an example:
toddcedwards.com/index.php/Main/Welcome

[Athene]

I found pmwiki and love it

Patrick Michaud (PM) was one of my professors in grad school. I didn't know people knew about PMwiki. That's really cool!

[Winin]

Wow, he is a professor? I pictured a hunchback looking troll huddled in a dark cave lit only by the glow of a server farm.

Yeah, I love it. I even turned a friend onto it for maintaining her site. Flat file rules. DB's suck!

shannonpage.net

[Athene]

Yup, he's a prof at Texas A&M - Corpus Christi.

Be sure to check out his ressearch into weapons technology.