Crazy_Fool - 9:59 am on Jun 26, 2002 (gmt 0)

>>If you looking for the very best software on the Internet. It is generally free

hmm..... i think it's wise to point out here that free doesn't always mean best. yes, there is some excellent free open source software, but there are also many poorly coded examples. even if an open source software product has a huge following and a large community, it can still be a poor product.
[webmasterworld.com...]

take your time, try several products and try to find one that fits your needs. once you have chosen your product, check the site you obtained the code from frequently for updates, especially security updates. be prepared to upgrade to more recent releases if there are any security issues. spend time learning the code used (PHP or ASP or whatever) so you can understand how the software works - this makes life a lot easier should you need to modify it at any time.

if you don't have time to try lots of different software or to learn the coding used, you might (not will, just might) be better off purchasing a commercial product from a well known company. these have often been more thoroughly tested prior to release than some open source products, will normally come with better instructions than open source products, are better coded than open source products, and are more flexible than open source products. a commercial product can save you a lot of hassle in the long run.