When first starting out, I used mainly text editors(like Notepad) to do all my HTML coding. By starting out doing your own HTML, you will build a solid base of HTML understanding. But soon you will realize that coding yourself has limits and eventually becomes a pain when creating very complex sites. Thats why we move onto HTML editors, like Frontpage, Dreamweaver, etc. I now use Dreamweaver and Fireworks to take my pages to the next level. Sure, people may you that you lose control over your site, but with Dreamweaver, you can go back to the code editor and still put in your own code. Give Dreamweaver a try, theres a 30 day trial download at the macromedia website. A full license is rather costly, but you will find it well worth it for theheadache it saves you. Macromedia also offers an downgrade of dreamweaver called homesite, which is slightly simpler. Both give you the ultimate edge in web design. Theres also a free nifty program called NVU which is a simple HTML editor. And Fireworks is the ultimate web graphic program, hands down. Works seamlessly with dreamweaver.
