could any one give me recomendations on what application software would be best for a first time web page developer?

hi
if u are going to develop a first web page then i recommend that first you use a simple text editor and a browser because first of all you should have a good understanding of the complete code because in the softwares some part of the code is written automatically by software
but if you want to use a software then i recommend that Adobe Dreamweaver and use the latest CS3(creative suite 3) version

enjoy your coding..

-PC(INDIA)

I agree with cypee dreamwaever is a excellent progam for beginners

Dreamweaver is the best.

I agree, Dreamweaver is the best but it is pricey to buy. If you have mac you can download this one, it a little more advance but good.

http://tacosw.com

Dream Weaver is damn good as mentioned above...

It really depends on your needs and goals. Dreamweaver is probably the single most useful tool for a web designer, but it is very expensive and overkill for a lot of begining projects. I'd say play around with a text editor first. I learned most of my web design skills from downloading templets from Open Source Web Design and modifying them, I reverse engineered the code as I went and googled anything I couldn't find. I'm still not a stand-out web designer, mostly because it's not my interest, but I have a solid foundation.

Tell us what kind of projects you want to work on, if you're looking to build a couple of basic personal sites than there are lots of free or cheap tools that can do that, and working with templates is best in notepad anyway because using a site editor to open a page designed in another program cause problems. But if you're looking to become a professional quality designer I'd suggest the combination of notepad and dreamweaver (if you can afford it).

Dreamweaver cs3, coffee cup, html eidtors

notepad

also, what host are you planning on going with? My host (I host 2 sites with them) offers a free WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) program, which is all dreamweaver really is, and it runs fantastico as well, if your looking at doing a little more than just a few text and pictures. I advise shopping around for your host looking for freatures you need/want, then when you find one check out their forum (they should have a forum dedicated to their site that has a feedback section, as well as support for different things they offer) However, we do need to know what exactly you are looking to do with your site so we can help point you in the right direction.