Every once in awhile a neophyte Web user who had never done any Web authoring asks me to recommend some books to get them started. These days, I suggest Creating Web Pages for Dummies.

What I liked best about this book was that it more or less stuck to the basics. There is an awful lot to know about creating the Web; so much so, in fact, that it is easy for a knowledgeable author to overwhelm the reader. The other extreme, of course, is skirting over fundamental areas. Creating Web Pages for Dummies pretty much covers everything in enough depth for someone to put together a personal Web site fairly quickly.

Creating Web Pages for Dummies starts out by explaining the fundamentals of HTML and the Web, and then moves into more complex topics, such as how to pick an ISP. One of the great strengths of the book is its focus on a range of simple WYS editors. Web-makers who are just starting do not have to go out and buy a $200 or $300 Web editor; there are a number of very good and very usable tools out there that don't cost a dime.

This book is only a beginning; if you want to get serious about Web design, you'll have to move onto other, more advanced books. But Creating Web Pages for Dummies is an excellent introduction to the subject.