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2. HTML EDITING TOOLS

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INDEX CARD #2:

HTML EDITING TOOLS (2a)

What is an HTML document? It's an ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) file that contains HTML code. (Pronounce ASCII as "ASK-key.") Any minimal text editor can be used to write an HTML document. (ASCII is explored in LESSON 3.)
What is an HTML editor? It is an editing tool designed especially for writing HTML. It saves time by providing shortcuts for repetitive tasks. To use an HTML editor, you need to know how to compose HTML by hand; the editor just makes the process faster and easier.
Where can I get an HTML editor? Type "HTML Editor" in the search field of (http://www.download.com) and wade through the results. Some are free; some are shareware.
What is a WYSIWYG authoring tool? WYSIWYG stands for "What You See Is What You Get." (Pronounce WYSIWYG as "WIZ-ee-wig.") Using a WYSIWYG editor feels like using a word processor or page layout program. It creates the HTML code for you, behind-the-scenes, so (hypothetically) you don't need to know any HTML.

WYSIWYG AUTHORING TOOLS:
PROS and CONS (2b) [Weasel, p. 69]

  • PRO/CON: You can create an HTML document without knowing any HTML.
  • PRO: The editor can be used as a teaching tool. Like to learn by example? Do something, and then view the HTML code. (However, the code might not be as simple as possible.)
  • PRO: They're good for quick prototyping. Lots of ideas can be tried out quickly.
  • PRO: They can provide a good head start for creating complex tables and other advanced functions.
  • CON: They're infamous for not generating clean HTML documents. (Sometimes, not even correct code.)
  • CON: Software releases tend to lag behind the quickly-changing HTML standards, so the HTML code that's generated may not be up-to-date.
  • CON: They're expensive. The more powerful packages costs hundreds of dollars up front, and additional costs to upgrade.

Printable Version of Index Card 2a

Printable Version of Index Card 2b

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