If you want to build a Web site, one of the things you have to consider is what HTML editor you will use. There are a lot of them, and this article looks at what you should think about when choosing an editor.
So, you want to build a Web site but don't know where to begin. One of the first things you have to do is choose the right tool. That isn't as easy as it seems, though. You need to find an Web editing tool that addresses the following needs:.
Your experience and skill with HTML
(Hypertext Markup Language, the authoring language for creating
Web content)
Whether or not it supports the creation of the types of content they want to include
on your pages
Your budget
Creating a Web page isn't that difficult. All you have to
do is memorize a few formatting tags and you're ready to go.
The hard part is choosing HTML software. Over the last several
years, dozens of HTML authoring tools have appeared on the market
-- of varying types and for most operating systems.
Of course, different editors have different capabilities. Many require you to have a strong grasp of HTML -- you'll be entering both your text and HTML tags manually. Others assume you have little or no knowledge of HTML. With these tools, you enter your text and apply formatting in the same way that you would in a word processor. The hard part is deciding what kind of HTML editor is right for you.
Capabilities of the Tools
Before you start trying HTML editors, you have to decide what
kinds of content your Web page will contain. You'll, of
course, want to include graphics (whether or family members,
pets, or events) on your page. What about things like animation
and video, tables, frames, lists, and links? You should make sure
program you select can handle these types of content with the
minimum of fuss.
Of equal importance is finding a tool that is easy enough for
ALL family members to use, regardless of their Web publishing
experience and level of computer literacy. You don't need to
pick something that is too complex for anyone except a
professional Web designer, nor is it necessary choose an
application that does everything for you.
This article discusses the pros and cons of WYSIWYG editors and text-based
editors. Regardless of your needs, one of these types of editors will be
right for you.
WYSIWYG Editors
It's always nice to be able to create documents simply by
typing and/or clicking in a familiar setting. And that's the
attraction of WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) Web
authoring tools. When you type your content, the document more or
less appears on the screen as it would in a Web browser. WYSIWYG
editors have a word processor-like interface in which you type
text and insert graphics. Press a few buttons and type a few
words and, voila, instant Web page
Anyone can use a WYSIWYG HTML editor, not just those who know
HTML. They're so easy to use that if you can use a word
processor, you can use one. Any WYSIWYG application worth its
salt also has some form of site management tool and a set of
wizards for creating basic pages, tables, and frames.
Manipulating graphics is also easy. Just set and insertion point
and click a toolbar or menu item.
On the downside, WYSIWYG editors are often big, gobbling large
amounts of hard drive space, memory, and systems resources. Most
WYSIWYG editors allow you to manipulate the underlying HTML code,
but they do strange things with what you enter at the code level.
Some mangle perfectly good HTML tags. Others embed superfluous
content in the header or body of your pages.
Text-Based Editors
When I say "text based", I'm referring to both
dedicated HTML editors and plain old text editors. A number of
people have created sites using only text editors like Notepad,
SimpleText, or Emacs. Others use HTML editors that let them
automatically insert HTML tags with a mouse click. But both have
one thing in common: they require you to know HTML. You don't
have to be an expert, but in order to use a code-based editor you
must have a basic knowledge of HTML tags.
With most HTML editors, you don't have to manually enter
the necessary tags. Usually, when a program starts it will
automatically set up the page's skeleton. From there, you
enter your text. To insert tags, simply highlight some text and
click a button or select an option from a menu. It really is that
simple. Many are loaded with wizards, that automatically create
tables, frames and lists, and insert links and graphics.
As can be expected, HTML editors are a mixed bag. Some are
nothing more than a glorified version of the Notepad or
SimpleText editor that come with Windows and the MacOS. Others
are full-featured HTML editing environments that not only have
all the tools you need to build Web sites but also come with
built-in previewers. You really have to take care and work with
as many as possible.
Conclusion
For most families intent on publishing Web pages, WYSIWYG
editors are probably the best choice. You can create and post
content in no time without having to worry about the intricacies
of HTML code. Wizards are a good second choice, especially for
people with limited system resources. Text-based editors are fine
for anyone who likes to poke "under the hood". In fact,
you may find yourself moving towards a text-based editors after
paying your dues with a WYSIWYG app or a wizard.
In the end, the tool is the one you like best. I've never
found a single HTML authoring application that does everything I
want it to. That's why I have three or four on my hard
drives, mainly code-based editors along with a WYSIWYG system.
Since most HTML applications are either freeware or shareware,
you have a great opportunity to test as many as you like. You can
find the ones you like and discard any other. All it costs you is
a registration fee (if the application is shareware), some time
testing, and a little connect time.