HTML editor vs. WYSIWYG editor, CSS

I need some sage advice.

For years I have been using a HTML editor (HomeSite 3) to produce crude web
sites, mostly travelogs with text and a few clickable thumbnails leading to
larger images. When I get going I usually produce a marginally navigable
mess with sub pages and sub-sub pages.
Check http://www.davearoundtheworld.org/s_chile/index.html as an example.

These crude pages take me a lot of time. I would like to improve my web
site creation process so it is easier. I don't want to introduce anything
fancy beyond maybe a navigation panel along the side of each page. No
guestbooks, dancing dogs, clickable maps, etc.

I bought a copy of MS Front Page 2003, but I am put off by the (looks to me)
very complicated HTML code generated by such WYSIWYG editors.

Should I stick with the old HTML editor and learn, for example, CSS to
simplify the production of a site? Or should I chuck it all and go over to
FrontPage or something similar; forget about ever understanding the source
HTML they produce?

Any opinions?

DaveC

re: HTML editor vs. WYSIWYG editor, CSS

Deciding to do something for the good of humanity, DaveC
<dcutchi2@nospam.san.rr.com> declared in
comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html:
[color=blue]
> I need some sage advice.[/color]

No one else seems to be around at the moment, so you'll have to do with
mine.
[color=blue]
> I bought a copy of MS Front Page 2003, but I am put off by the (looks to me)
> very complicated HTML code generated by such WYSIWYG editors.[/color]

Let's be honest - the code produced is simply rubbish. And FrontPage is
the worst of the lot.
[color=blue]
> Should I stick with the old HTML editor and learn, for example, CSS to
> simplify the production of a site?[/color]

Absolutely. There are plenty of basic templates you could start from.
And once set up, it should take very little work to add pages etc.
[color=blue]
> Any opinions?[/color]

You'll find plenty of those - the majority of the ones in this group
will be much the same as mine I'd imagine.

--
Mark Parnell
My Usenet is improved; yours could be too:
http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

re: HTML editor vs. WYSIWYG editor, CSS

DaveC wrote:[color=blue]
> I need some sage advice.
>
> For years I have been using a HTML editor (HomeSite 3) to produce crude web
> sites, mostly travelogs with text and a few clickable thumbnails leading to
> larger images. When I get going I usually produce a marginally navigable
> mess with sub pages and sub-sub pages.
> Check http://www.davearoundtheworld.org/s_chile/index.html as an example.
>
> These crude pages take me a lot of time. I would like to improve my web
> site creation process so it is easier. I don't want to introduce anything
> fancy beyond maybe a navigation panel along the side of each page. No
> guestbooks, dancing dogs, clickable maps, etc.
>
> I bought a copy of MS Front Page 2003, but I am put off by the (looks to me)
> very complicated HTML code generated by such WYSIWYG editors.
>
> Should I stick with the old HTML editor and learn, for example, CSS to
> simplify the production of a site? Or should I chuck it all and go over to
> FrontPage or something similar; forget about ever understanding the source
> HTML they produce?[/color]
First of all, you could perhaps map out what you want to do on your
site before designing it, for example, maybe draw a layout on paper
before taking it to the web.
Then, you could use a range of tools to create the required output.
For example, you could use a text editor, such as NotePad, or HTML-Kit,
or you could use a WYSIWYG Editor such as NVU, http://www.nvu.com which
is quite good for simple pages.
Or for what you want to do, a CMS (Content management System), is what
you might be after.
Check out Mambo Open Source.
and PHP-Nuke.
I hope this helps.
P.S, is this what your kind of after, http://freewebdesign.cjb.cc
That site I made with a simple two colum table, but you might wish to
use CSS instead.
I am considering useing CSS for layout, or part their of as you get
better control over various functions.
--
Regards Chad. http://www.freewebdesign.cjb.cc/design-tips.html[color=blue]
>
> Any opinions?
>
> DaveC[/color]

re: HTML editor vs. WYSIWYG editor, CSS

To further the education of mankind, "DaveC"
<dcutchi2@nospam.san.rr.com> vouchsafed:
[color=blue]
> I need some sage advice.
>
> For years I have been using a HTML editor (HomeSite 3) to produce
> crude web sites, mostly travelogs with text and a few clickable
> thumbnails leading to larger images. When I get going I usually
> produce a marginally navigable mess with sub pages and sub-sub pages.
> Check http://www.davearoundtheworld.org/s_chile/index.html as an
> example.
>
> These crude pages take me a lot of time. I would like to improve my
> web site creation process so it is easier. I don't want to introduce
> anything fancy beyond maybe a navigation panel along the side of each
> page. No guestbooks, dancing dogs, clickable maps, etc.
>
> I bought a copy of MS Front Page 2003[/color]

One time I bought a copy of Debbie Boone's "You Light Up My Life" simply
because I was trying to modernize my music collection.
[color=blue]
> but I am put off by the (looks
> to me) very complicated HTML code generated by such WYSIWYG editors.[/color]

Probably wrong, too.
[color=blue]
> Should I stick with the old HTML editor and learn, for example, CSS to
> simplify the production of a site? Or should I chuck it all and go
> over to FrontPage or something similar; forget about ever
> understanding the source HTML they produce?[/color]

You should use a plain-text editor, spend a month or so learning html and a
little css, and then all your pages after that will seem to fly right off
your fingers because you will know what you are doing. I can make even a
moderately complicated page in an hour, but I put in the "front" (not
FrontPage) time.

--
Neredbojias
Infinity has its limits.

re: HTML editor vs. WYSIWYG editor, CSS

DaveC wrote:
[color=blue]
> These crude pages take me a lot of time. I would like to improve my web
> site creation process so it is easier.[/color]

Learn some rudimentary CSS. Borrow CSS templates from a _good_ site
that you like.

Learning enough CSS to make use of an existing stylesheet is easy. It
also then only requires simple HTML which can be easily hand-edited
through Notepad.

Knowing enough CSS to _write_ a stylesheet is harder. A _good_
stylesheet is even harder! Even learning to spot what's "good
re-usable CSS" isn't as easy as it might seem, so borrow your code from
the good template sites (try bluerobot)




Alternatively go down the CMS route - get a weblog.

re: HTML editor vs. WYSIWYG editor, CSS

Thanks for all of the above advice. I think I will stick with HTML and look
for some CSS templates.

DaveC