Re: HTML editors I have known--one fleetingly...

[Jack Shaw <jsh -at- SOFTWARE-AG -dot- DE>]

Suzanne Pyle asked about HTML editors.

My vote goes to HotDog for about $US 120, downloadable
from http://www.sausage.com. After doing what I thought
was clever and extensive research, I first bought HoTMetaL,
which I tried and finally gave up on. I didn't like HoTMetaL's
doc., customer support was slow to respond (I was in a pickle
trying to catch up on a mass of legacy stuff, and needed help
FAST!!), and HoTMetaL tried too hard to idiot-proof the HTML
aspects. I don't think that's right, nor necessary. HTML is
not all that hard unless you're trying to hype the Freemen
in the Billings Gazette (http://www.bigskywire.com, which uses
nested tables until purgatory won't have it...stuff like that).

Where was I...oh, yeah: And HoTMetaL's "clever" I-know-where-we-
are-and-what-you-want-to-do mechanisms are not as intuitive as
the creator, SoftQuad, would like to think they are.

But I think I like HotDog mainly because it's based on the
philosophy, "Hey, you decide if you want HTML 2.0 plus Netscape
extensions plus MS bells and whistles...I'm just your editor".
And I like the following that HotDog has:

- Help (detailed, clickable examples, quick reference keyed by
  HTML version and extension type--Netscape, MS, etc.)

- Smooth transition to multiple browser choices for previewing your
  handiwork. I check my stuff with Netscape, DosLynx, Explorer
  and Mosaic--any or all of which I can call cleanly from HotDog
  (until WfW311/MSDOS chokes, that is...but that's not HotDog's
  problem). HoTMetaL Pro 2/3.60 is a basket case, here...you have
  to kill the active browser and then restart it each time.

Oops, gotta go...if someone wants more of my opinionation, send me
a note...

Cheers,

Jack