tools

previous | index | next

Several tools are required to create web pages. Of course, there's the matter of which platform is used (Windows, Macintosh, Unix, other), but still there are different possible approaches. I think it might be useful to expand on this a bit from my own experience, but of course this is rather subjective, so feel free to disagree.

One thing I think is essential to have is a recent browser. Netscape (remember, it's spelled M-o-z-i-l-l-a) has joined the Open Source movement, and offers freely distributable browsers (under certain conditions). Windows 95 users will have received Internet Explorer 'for free'. Access to a browser is essential in testing your HTML.

Try testing your source on different platforms and browsers if you have the opportunity. It's the best way to make sure you've got it right.

editors

Writing the HTML itself can be done in several ways.

The simplest way is to use a plain text editor, and type in the HTML source directly. All platforms have such editors, but what would be very nice and useful, is if the editor has syntax highlighting capabilities, so that specific parts of the source are displayed different from the main text. That not only clarifies the source, but it helps you pick out some mistakes before you publish your pages. The major advantages of text editing are the full control it provides, and the efficiency of the resulting code. On Unix platforms, options include EMACS, Nedit, and some verions of VI. On Windows 95 platforms, UltraEdit is one of the possibilities.

Some may prefer a more visual approach: WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get). Numerous tools exist that provide this functionality. Examples are Adobe PageMill (Macintosh) and Microsoft FrontPage (Windows 95), but there are more. Netscape Communicator also provides a built-in editor. Although the benefits of WYSIWYG editing are clear, there are quite a few downsides:

• the software may be expensive
• the software may require a heavy system, and run slow (or not at all!) on the regular systems
• it's possible that you have no full access to all features of HTML, or the specifications are mixed, or software may provide its own extensions
• WYSIWYG generated code is always less efficient, sometimes to the extent that a large amount of redundant HTML is inserted

In particular the compliance to one HTML specification is the best guarantee you have that your pages come out right. Only the best WYSIWYG editors will offer you that, and cheap and simple text editors.

One option is to lay out your page with a WYSIWYG editor, and 'tweek' it manually. Unfortunately, the code you have to edit is difficult to read, and never commented.

supporting tools

The most important support tool you need when writing web pages is a good graphics package. Not only will you be able to create your own icons and other images, but they will also allow you to manipulate existing images. Software that can be used on the different platforms include Adobe Illustrator and PhotoShop (Macintosh), PaintShop Pro and Corel Draw (Windows 95), and XFig, XV and the GIMP (Unix).

previous | index | next