What hardware and software are necessary to support a web design?

Hi there!

For a basic web page, you need:

-- a computer on which to work (write your pages)
-- a text or HTML editor
-- an image editor
-- a functioning internet connection
-- an FTP client
-- space on a host server (a computer which "serves" web pages)

Optionally, if you don't get your photographs digitally, you might
want a scanner to convert hard copy photos to digital images.

If you can use Google Answers, you presumably have the computer and
internet connection.  Depending on the time you're willing to commit
to building your web page, you may very well have the second part,
too:  a text or HTML editor.

Many web designers like to write their pages entirely by hand in
Notepad, which is included in every version of Windows.  Of course,
writing your HTML by hand is time consuming and you need to have at
least half a grasp of HTML to begin with.  If you're not HTML
proficient, but still want to write your pages by hand, you'll need a
few tutorials:

Dave's Interactive HTML Guide
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/

Case Western's Intro to HTML
http://www.cwru.edu/help/introHTML/toc.html

HTML Goodies
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/

...Or a couple books...

The Non-Designer's Web Book: An Easy Guide to Creating, Designing, and
Posting Your Own Web Site
Robin Williams, John Tollett
http://www.howstuffworks.com/bookstore-gateway.htm?isbn=020168859X

HTML for Dummies
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesTitle/productCd-076450214X.html

...or even a free online training course:

HTML: Start Creating Your Own Web Pages
http://www.e-learningcenter.com/free_html_course.htm

If you're not into the idea of slaving over your desk for hours and
hours to make your pages look just so, there are a number of HTML
editors available that will either give you quick guidance for your
markup, or even write the markup for you:

CoffeeCup HTML (includes some basic templates, table creator, frames
designer and color chooser)
http://www.coffeecup.com

Cute Site Builder (no HTML knowledge required)
http://www.cutehtml.com/cutesitebuilder/

EvrSoft First Page 200
http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage2.shtml

Cute HTML
http://www.cutehtml.com/cutehtml/

...or you can edit pre-made templates:

Template Master HTML
http://www.charlesriver.com/titles/htmltm.html

Ultimate HTML Templates (Free and purchasable templates)
http://www.designersgem.com/

Still with me?  Awesome, let's move on to an image editor.

If you want to use more than just stock images for your website,
you'll need a tool with which to edit your photos or graphics - either
to resize, crop out unwanted bits, or just play with the colors. 
Image editors run from moderately functional and cheap (or free!), to
flexible, powerful, and overflowing with features (and pretty pricey).
 What to use will depend entirely on the features you decide you need.
 Here are some popular choices:


Jasc's Paint Shop Pro
http://www.jasc.com/product.asp?pf_id=001

VicMan

The GIMP
http://www.gimp.org/

Adobe PhotoShop, PhotoShopCS, or PhotoElements
http://www.adobe.com/digitalimag/main.html

J-Painter Online Image Editor
http://www.vicman.net/vcwphoto/

MyImager - Free Online Image Editing
http://www.myimager.com/

If you need to scan photos or drawings, you'll want to get a scanner. 
Again, what you should by will depend on what your specific needs are.
 Here's a good start:

C-Net Reviews - Scanners
http://google1-cnet.com.com/4500-3136_7-0.html?qt=scanners&part=google1-cnet&subj=scanners_review&tag=kwg6

OK, you've designed your page, you've edited your images until they
shriek "I'm perfect!", now you need to find a web host.  If you're
unsure of what you want, consider starting with a free host:

FreeServers.com
http://www.freeservers.com/

FreeProHosting
http://free.prohosting.com/

Yahoo/GeoCities
http://www.geocities.com

Don't want to deal with ads on your website?  Feel ready to turn your
site loose and pay for your hosting?  Prices vary according to
specific needs.  To find the host that's right for you (and to learn
who to avoid!), start your search here:

YourHostSucks
http://www.yourhostsucks.com

WebHostingTalk
http://www.webhostingtalk.com

WebHostingRatings.com
http://www.webhostingratings.com/

The Hosting Chart
http://www.thehostingchart.com

Alright, then - you've designed and written your page, your graphics
rock the house, and you've got a place to put it.  Now how do you put
it there?  If your web host doesn't offer a file manager utility
through your domain's control panel, you'll need an FTP client to
transfer your files from your computer to your web host.  Here are a
few to look into:

Cute FTP
http://www.cuteftp.com/cuteftp/

WS-FTP
http://www.ws-ftp.com/products/file-transfer.html

Bulletproof FTP
http://www.bpftp.com/

For some in-depth explantions of how web pages and web servers work:

How Web Pages Work
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-page.htm

How Web Servers Work
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-server.htm

Hope this helps!  Good luck with your page!

--Missy

Search terms:  [ HTML tutorial ], [ HTML editor ], [ image editor ], [
FTP client ], and plenty of hands on web experience.

Outstanding! Very timely! Tks it really help me a lot.