web page editing tools compared

List assembled by Blake Nancarrow (blaken@computer-ease.com) of Computer Ease for the Computer Trainers Network (CTN) on 24 Nov 2000.

introduction
definitions
properties
development speed
learning curve
mobility
HTML knowledge
code size
code quality
spelling checking
site editing
smart transfers
special effects
compatibility
tool cost
overall cost
sites
colophon
X X X

 

 XXX Freeware and shareware HTML editors have a bad rap. They are typically assembled by enthusiastic new web page authors looking for some timesaving techniques. However, their knowledge of HTML is new and hodge-podge, not formal, not matured, and very subjective. If the program developer misinterprets some HTML codes, you're stuck using them (incorrectly) in your web site.

Even FrontPage is awkward in some cases. E.g. you must not use paragraph alignment in a table cell. It generates too much coding which will conflict with or nullify other table codes.

The worst-case scenario again is where an application generates faulty HTML code, so erroneous that a preferred web page feature doesn't work.

For example, Dreamweaver 2.0 and 3.0 for Windows generates the HTML code for internal "bookmark" page links (e.g. "go to top") that is faulty. Without knowledge of HTML, a user cannot build a web page needing this feature.