JavaScript - This is a scripting language which is interpreted and executed by browser. It is very useful for getting tasks done on client, such as moving pictures around screen, creating very dynamic navigation systems and even games. JavaScript is generally preferable on internet sites because it is supported on more browsers than VBScript, which is chief competitor.

Office - The Microsoft Office suite includes a number of tools, including Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint. Each of these tools has ability to save in HTML format and has special commands for internet. This is especially useful, for example, if you work in an office where people are trained in Excel and you don't want to retrain them to create web pages. On other hand, if you are creating internet web sites (as opposed to intranet sites) you probably would be better off using web specific products to edit your web pages.

Perl - A great scripting language which makes use of CGI standard to allow work to be done on web server. PERL is very easy to learn (as programming languages go) and straightforward to use. It is most useful for guestbooks, email forms and other similar, simply tasks. PERL's primary disadvantage is overhead on server is very high, as one process is created each time a routine is called, and language is interpreted, which means code is recompiled each time it is run. For complex tasks, a server-side scripting language such as PHP or ASP is much preferred.

PHP - This language is, like ASP, used to get work done on server. PHP is similar in concept to ASP and can be used in similar circumstances. PHP is very efficient, allows access to databases using products such as MySQL, and can be used to create very dynamic web pages.

SSI - If your site is hosted on a typical Apache server, then you probably can use something called Server Side Includes. This is a way to get web server to perform tasks before displaying a web page. One of most common uses us to, well, include common text. This is great when you have, for example, a navigation system which is common to all of your pages. You can make one change in an SSI file and thus change your entire web site.

SSI is very common but has really been superceded by languages such as PHP. The overhead of SSI on server is high as each page is scanned for SSI directives before passing it to browser.

VBScript - Visual Basic Scripting was Microsoft's answer to JavaScript. VBScript is a good tool for any site which is intended to be only displayed by Internet Explorer browser. In my opinion, VBScript should never be used on a web site - JavaScript is preferable due to a wider acceptance among browsers.

By using FTP, you have an automatic backup - If you use FTP you will be editing your files locally on your own computer. As you make changes you will copy files up to your host's computer. This means no matter what happens to your host, even if their computer is totally destroyed, you've got a copy of your site on your own disk. The reverse is also true - if your computer is trashed you can recover your site from your host's system.

FTP gives you control - You can choose whether to transfer in binary (executables and compressed files) or ASCII (text files) as needed. This is an advantage over FrontPage, which does not give you choice. This means you cannot use FrontPage to upload your site if you use, for example, CGI routines.

Some good FTP projects include following.

AceFTP - http://www.visicommedia.com/aceftp/

This FTP client has ability to do multiple tasks at same time. This means you can start a long copy, look at site and copy some smaller files all at same time.

AutoFTPPro - http://www.primasoft.com/32org/32ftpro.htm

Has ability to schedule transfers for selected times. The template feature allows you to create a pattern which can make future transfers much easier.

CuteFTP - http://www.internet-tips.net/Products/cuteftp.html

This is product that I like to use. It is very easy to use, with a simple interface that allows drag and drop.

KnoWare, Inc - http://www.knowareinc.com/

Several different FTP clients. FtpNetdrive maps an FTP site as a drive letter, which integrates it directly into your desktop. Internet Neighborhood adds FTP site directly to your network neighborhood. These are both very nice products.

WebDrive - http://www.riverfrontsoftware.com/

WebDrive is a Windows 95/98/NT FTP software client that allows you to map an Internet FTP site to a local drive utilizing standard FTP protocol. This enables you to connect to an FTP site and perform familiar file operations like copy, xcopy, and directory functions with Windows explorer, a DOS box, or any other application like Microsoft Word, Excel, etc. WebDrive instantly FTP enables any application that reads or writes files by allowing application to read files from or write files to FTP site.

WS_FTPPro - http://www.ipswitch.com/Products/WS_FTP/index.html

Another very nice FTP client with scheduling, speed and integration into browser. This allows you to enter ftp:// in address bar of browser to call up program.

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