Serif Webplus 9

Aimed at web designers who've moved beyond the limits of programs like Frontpage, but don't want to splash out on Dreamweaver, Serif's Webplus 9 offers flexibility at a good price.

The package has been built with the hobbyist in mind, with a good selection of templates and sample sites, as well as a range of tutorials. New to version 9 is the addition of 'themes', which let you change the entire look of a site with a single click.

The main window lets you create your site by dragging and dropping objects but, unlike more powerful website creators, Webplus doesn't allow you to directly edit HTML code.

However, you can import HTML fragments from existing web pages and add items such as third-party hit counters without too much trouble. In addition, the huge stock of tools provided means that most people won't miss HTML facilities.

The tools are arranged across the top and left of the screen, with pre-set styles and templates on the right-hand side.

It's easy to create master pages and change site structure, and built-in FTP software means you can upload it straight away. There's a live preview option for viewing your masterpiece and a proof-reader that will check your grammar and word usage, though this isn't too reliable.

Webplus 9 makes it relatively easy to create complex sites and, while the bundled templates and styles might encourage laziness, the package provides enough facilities to give you a good step up the web design ladder.

Contact: Serif 0800 376 7070
www.serif.com

System requirements:

• Windows 98 or later
• Pentium-compatible PC
• 32MB of Ram
• 80MB min hard disk space (200MB recommended)
• Internet connection for web publishing