HTML Programs Comparison
| There are seemingly hundreds of HTML authoring programs around, some free, some expensive, some highly advertised, and some requiring no knowledge of the language to create a site looking like a million others. |
This review is going to compare five programs that tend to fall through the cracks -- programs you buy but aren't expensive or template based.
These programs range in price from $19.95 to $65, and in size from 1.2 MB to 6.8 MB. There is also a range in quality, but it does not necessarily follow the outline created by the price range.
Note Tab Pro ... $19.95
Think of this as MS Notepad on steroids. In terms of interface, it is extremely basic. It has a function menu along the bottom that, when selected, opens the various commands on the left side of the document. For example, click on HTML at the bottom, and the many HTML commands open on the left.
If you wish to click on the command and have it appear on the page, you sometimes have to search for it by scrolling down until it appears. It isn't convenient, and you do have to know what you need.
This is a program that better serves those who are experienced writers of HTML. These folks know what they need, can type it in if they don't see the command easily, and can take advantage of its ability to save "clips" to add some automation to the process.
Those clips can range in size from a boilerplate to a simple set of commands.
Neophytes may find the interface confusing and that the reason they are neophytes is because they need built-in automation included to perform several tasks without error. It isn't here.
Those in the middle will be able to do most things but will find the program as visually exciting as watching grass grow.
This is, for those who have a clue, great for quick editing jobs, and it does allow the easy transformation of text files to HTML. It also has several nice features as a text editor, such as find/replace, automatic indentation, conversion between ASCII and ANSI, and a thesaurus.
The program also comes in a freeware version and a standard version ($9.95), with the amount of features providing the differences in each.
SiteAid 2.0 ... $29.95
If you have a need for speed, decent organization, and enjoy automation for many of the time-consuming processes of HTML, this program is a must have.
It's interface is uncluttered, well marked, and provides all you need for each function. Additionally, you can save your own clips to further automate specific jobs.
One nice feature is the ability to preview your work internally or externally without having to first save the file, an option made available during setup. While most HTML editors preview in IE just fine, SiteAid seems to work better than most with Netscape, too.
There really is nothing fancy about SiteAid, which for the past two years has been freeware. Built-in editors make simple work of setting up frames, tables, forms, CSS, and scripts, thus enabling you to spend more thought on content rather than construction. It has its own FTP module and spell checker, and it offers numerous programmable buttons for "user" functions as you so choose.
SiteAid's toolbars are easily customized, and the program allows you to create toolbar items of your own featuring the various snippets you wish to include. They can also be replaced at a later time if they become obsolete or not needed on your current job.
This is another program that's great for the quick edit job because of its speed, clarity, and ease of use.
