As with JavaScript, you don't really need any special tools to do CGI if you are using Perl. All you need is a text editor or word processor. If you're using a word processor, make sure you save your script as text (ASCII). There are shareware text editors which are helpful, because they do syntax coloring (key words for Perl are in different color from text strings), include short cuts for common functions, and in some cases save to FTP (allows to save directly to Web server). If you're doing CGI development in other languages (C, Java, AppleScript), you may need a compiler.

• BBEdit Excellent editor for MacOS (commercial and free versions)
  
• NoteTab Pro Powerful Windows text editor (shareware - $9)
• Symantec Tools Makers of good editors/compilers for C and Java, Win and Mac (commercial)
• AppleScript You will need to use the Script Editor for AppleScript CGI's - comes free with MacOS (look in the Apple Extras folder); other compilers are listed at this site

In most cases, Perl will already be installed on the Web server you will be using. But if it's not (or if you want to install Perl on your own computer to try out scripts locally - a good idea), you will need to download and install Perl for the appropriate operating system.

• Perl Institute The home base for Perl, links to downloads and additional information
• ActiveState Corp Best source for Windows version of Perl (NT, Win95 and Win98)
• Perl versions Versions of Perl for other operating systems, including MacOS (MacPerl)

If you want to try CGI out locally, you will also need to run a Web server on your computer. Fortunately, there are quite a few options, includling free servers.

• Apache Apache is by far the most popular Web server and is free! Runs on Unix and Windows
• WebTen Apache ported to the MacOS (commercial product, but trial version available)
• Microsoft servers Microsoft offers both the Personal Web server and the IIS server(NT) for free
• WebStar Excellent MacOS server (commercial but try-out version available)

Once you have your text editor and a Web server/Perl installed, you can get ahold of some of the publically available scripts (check out the CGI Links page). Try running them first as is, then customize as needed. You may also want to read up on CGI or run through one of the tutorials listed below.

• Common Gateway Interface Official description from NCSA
• CGI Annotated links to CGI info from WWW virtual library
• Extending WebStar with AppleScript Good tutorial from Jon Widerspan
• Diana Oswald's tutorials on CGIs For Mac servers (AppleScript, Frontier)
• Forms in Perl Basic examples
• CGI Library C library from EIT
• Pierre's Web Tips Authoring tools and links to CGI tutorials