Which Web Authoring Software is Right for You?

This page provides information to help you select the right Web authoring software for your needs as you transition away from Catalyst SimpleSite or begin a new Web site project for your class, work, or research.

Catalyst CommonView | UW Google Sites | Adobe DreamWeaver

Catalyst CommonView

CommonView is a simple, Web-based tool for creating a set of Web pages to provide information, and to organize files, links, and other resources. Without knowing any HTML, you can quickly and easily create a Web site or workspace for your class or project. Because it is one of the Catalyst Tools, support and training for CommonView is available locally through LST.

We recommend using CommonView if all or most of the following are true for you:

• The purpose of your Web site is
• to provide students with access to course resources and information, or
• to provide a secure site for your research or project group to collaborate.
• You want to restrict access to your site to
• members of your class,
• a specified group of email addresses or UW NetIDs,
• the UW community, or
• no one (you want to make site publicly available).
• You would like to integrate Catalyst Tools in your site (such as dropboxes, surveys, etc.)
• You do NOT require statistics or tracking for your site.
• You have a novice level of knowledge/experience with Web publishing (you’ve used SimpleSite to create a Web site but little more).
• You have very limited time (about 1 hour) to devote up front to learning a new Web authoring program.
• You do not want to fuss over the visual design of your site (colors, images, fonts, location of navigation, etc.)

Google Sites

Google Sites is an easy-to-use, Web-based tool for creating Web sites. Google Sites provides many design templates, and flexible layouts for each page. Google Sites is part of the UW Google Apps. Google’s online help is excellent, but limited support is available locally.

We recommend using Google Sites if all or most of the following are true for you:

• The purpose of your Web site is to create a personal presence on the Web.
• You do not need or want to restrict access to your site.
• You do not need to integrate Catalyst Tools in your site.
• You require statistics/tracking for your site.
• You have an intermediate level of knowledge/experience with Web publishing (you are familiar with some HTML and file structures for the Web).
• You have limited time (about 5 hours) to devote up front to learning a new Web authoring program.
• You want some control over the visual design of your site (colors, images, fonts, location of navigation, etc.)

Learn more about the UW Google Apps.

Adobe DreamWeaver

DreamWeaver is a robust and powerful Web design and authoring program. Though it has a WYSIWYG view for editing pages, it does require greater knowledge of HTML, CSS, and Web site architecture, as well as graphic design, to successfully build a Web site. 

LST offers free workshops on DreamWeaver and other Web publishing technologies, click here for our current schedule. 

We recommend using DreamWeaver if all or most of the following are true for you:

• The purpose of your Web site is
• to provide the public with information about your department or unit,  or
• to create a personal presence on the Web.
• You do not need or want to restrict access to your site.
• You do not need to integrate Catalyst Tools in your site.
• You require statistics/tracking for your site.
• You have an advanced level of knowledge/experience with Web publishing (you know HTML, CSS, and the design principles of information architecture and site layout).
• You have some time (about 10 hours) to devote up front to learning a new Web authoring program.
• You want maximum control over the visual design of your site (colors, images, fonts, location of navigation, etc.).