What you see is what you get
A Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
editor is definitely one of those software packages you choose based on personal
preference. Some people just want to convert Word or WordPerfect documents to
HTML and be done with it. Other people want the ability to tweak the heck out of
a page after converting it to HTML.
HTML editors come in many different flavors and have different abilities.
Although some editors offer the same abilities, how they let you use those
abilities is what makes some stand above the rest. I recently looked at SoftQuad
HoTMetaL PRO 3.0, InContext Spider 1.1, Microsoft FrontPage 1.1, and Netscape
Navigator Gold 3.0 beta 4.
HoTMetaL PRO 3.0
HoTMetaL
PRO 1.0 was one of the first true HTML editors available. HoTMetaL PRO 3.0 has
come a long way since version 1.0, but then so has the Web. HoTMetaL PRO 3.0 is
a powerful editor that's easy enough for the beginner yet lets the experienced
user manipulate a page beyond belief.
HoTMetaL is a near-What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) tool, meaning
that if you leave the markup tags (the icons that show the type of formatting
applied) turned off, you can see what the document will look like--almost. I say
almost because the tables aren't exactly as they'll appear in the browser. (Of
course, why would you want to turn off the tags? I like the markup tags because
they let me see what's really going on in my document.) HoTMetaL lets you easily
manipulate almost everything on your page. Place your cursor within just about
any tag pair, press F6, and HoTMetaL shows you a whole field of options to let
you manipulate your page. You can see a sample HoTMetaL PRO page in Screen 1.
HoTMetaL supports the latest HTML version (3.0), including Netscape and
Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) extensions. This support means you can work
with the newest HTML tags available. HoTMetaL runs HTML rule checking
continuously. If you turn on rule checking, HoTMetaL won't let you proceed with
an action if it violates any HTML rules.
HoTMetaL converts Word, WordPerfect, and other documents to HTML pages. The
product also includes a spell checker, and it has a thesaurus.
Just a right mouse-click away is HoTMetaL's built-in graphics tool,
MetalWorks. Now, Adobe PhotoShop it's not, but MetalWorks lets you create such
effects as embossing, raised or inverted borders, and transparent GIF files. You
can also create client-side and server-side image maps.
HoTMetaL lets you specify default settings to help keep your pages
consistent. For example, if you have a background image and copyright footer you
like on every page, you can configure HoTMetaL to automatically include those
settings on new documents. The button bar is easy to use and even has a
tear-away function that lets you place a button bar along the side of your
screen.
HoTMetaL is a great tool for both power users and beginners. The product's
advanced tools will make most power users happy. HoTMetaL comes with a complete
manual and is full of samples and templates on line that get beginners on their
way.
InContext Spider 1.1
InContext
Spider is different from any editor I've seen. After you open a template, you
see the workspace on the right and the Element bar on the left. The Element bar
is a somewhat graphical representation of the HTML code in the workspace. The
workspace is not WYSIWYG, and you have to check the Element bar to see the
layout, which becomes especially tedious when you create tables. You can see a
sample Spider page in Screen 2.
Incorrectly believing that few people use browsers that can view tables,
InContext has no quick and easy way to create tables. Even when you open the
template for creating tables, you face building the table column by column, row
by row, rather than just telling the editor how many columns and rows you want
in the table and then letting the editor build it.
InContext has automatic HTML rule checking. The product also supports HTML
2.0 with Netscape and Microsoft IE extensions.
InContext has a spell checker and automatically converts word processor and
text files into HTML pages. In my tests, the conversion worked fine with plain
text but made a mess of a Microsoft Word table.
This package doesn't support centering, background images, or default page
settings, and what it does support is either difficult to find or difficult to
use.
Spider's documentation is on line. It is easy to use and helpful.
InContext Spider probably has enough built-in abilities to improve some
people's productivity. I think you're better off spending the time you need to
get up to speed learning a more intuitive, more enabled authoring tool.
InContext released version 1.2 after I did this review, and the company
tells me the new version rectifies the problems I found. Watch for a review of
version 1.2.