<p>One isn’t necessarily better than another, they’re just different so it comes down to personal preference. Some have a more ‘ball and stick’ model with the atoms represented by large balls and bonds by different types of sticks that attach to the balls. Other models are like little tubes with an atom represented by different shapes of sticks (for example a carbon atom is a tetrahedron shaped stick figured since it has four bonds). I guess my reccomendation would be to search google for pictures the different types and then see which one looks best. </p>
<p>There are computer programs available, but I don’t think they can replace the old fashioned plastic models. There’s just something about being able to build something and then hold it in your hand that can’t be replaced by a computer screen. There are, however, some programs that will draw stuctures on the screen for use in writing reports and other documents. These are essential when writing documents since about 5 mins of trying to draw anything in Word is enough to go crazy. There is one called ISIS Draw that is, I think, free and easy to use.</p>