Downloads

This trial version of V-COM's what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) Web design software claims to guide you through making a web site without touching a line of HTML or CSS code -- basically, to make web-site creation dead easy for those who don't know an anchor tag from a nametag. But Web Easy just doesn't live up to its "easy" moniker. You may want to try out CoffeeCup HTML Editor instead.

This is a trial version of a $40 program. It will only launch three times unless you register your name, address, and e-mail address with the company. Some features -- like many templates and clip art, and e-commerce options -- are unavailable, and you are limited to creating a three-page web site until you buy the program.

The program is supposed to be set up as three different steps for making your site: design, build, and publish. In the design phase, you pick templates (only about five are included with this trial version) or start with a blank page, and choose colors for the site. The preview image of the template is far too small, and once you choose a template, you can't change it. Moving items onto the page in the design phase is easy, though.

The interface is unintuitive and can be very confusing. Once you click the Design button, for example, the program also requires you to click a button on the top toolbar as well. Why one needs to click two buttons to do a task is not clear.

Also in the design phase, adding links to pages is tricky. And I was greeted with a few strange dialog boxes in the build phase. For example, the program assumes you know whether you want your web site published in simple HTML, dynamic HTML, or CSS. If you're not familiar with those terms, this program is not for you.

--Jennifer Berger