I have a question for you. It is not a hard question, but
a question I think you should answer. How many toddlers
to you see cruising down the interstate in their own SUV?
That is correct, that is a bizarre and kind of ridiculous
sight to imagine.
Now, answer me this question. How many people do you see
online that use a WYSIWYG (or What You See Is What You Get
for the non-tech folks out there) editor on their sites
without knowing their page breaks from their bold tags?
I can not give you an exact number, but I can promise you
it does out number the "hotroding" toddlers by
far.
Now I know what you are going to say, "But WYSIWYG editors make things easier and quicker for me!"
or "Do you really need to learn HTML before stepping
up to using a WYSIWYG editor?". The answer in my opinion
is yes to both.
The facts are that no WYSIWYG editor is perfect yet, and
they all encode the pages using different methods. Where
one program might use your standard page break tags to start
a new line, another might use the paragraph tags. When using
most WYSIWYG editors, it is writing the HTML for you in
the background. It does the best job it knows how to do
to translate your design into HTML any web browser can understand.
The problem? I have a hard enough time in my day to day
life just trying to write HTML by hand that works with any
web browser. The only quick solution is to create a simple
and unattractive web site layout that I would not have even
done in my high school web mastering class. The WYSIWYG
editor can not do a better job than somebody who knows what
they are doing in the field of HTML.
To me, HTML is something you have to learn. Now Rome wasn't
built in a day, and neither will your HTML skills. I am
sure when Leonardo da Vinci picked up his first paint brush
he was no good either. Take your time and fine tune your
craft and you will learn along the way. Much of learning
HTML is pure memorization of what tags do what, and when
do you use them to get the effect you desire. Like any profession,
you must know how to use your tools. A carpenter needs to
learn how to hammer a nail in straight before you hand him
over a nail gun. You need to learn how to use HTML before
you step up to using a WYSIWYG editor.
Now there is a problem with taking my approach on this
subject. The problem is the fact that after you learn the
trade of HTML coding, you really do not feel the need of
using a WYSIWYG editor. You quickly find out that many editors
hold you back in what you now know you could do with only
a few simple strokes on the keyboard. Speaking as a person
who has not used a WYSIWYG editor in nearly three years,
I know what I am talking about.
Lets see yourself having open heart surgery. You're laying
on the table, with the doctors and nurses all around. They
tell you it will be a simple surgery and you have nothing
to worry about. Then in walks the surgeon wearing a pair
of overalls and carrying a pair of hedge clippers. Get my
point? You must learn the basics, respect the basics, then
young grasshopper the choice will be all yours.
choice is yours!
Back to column index
|
"For
the price, It Total Choice Hosting can't be beat.
I've never had an easier time maintaining a website.
All the applications needed are there. Their tech
support is very friendly, helpful and do everything
they can to make hosting a webpage easy. I've already
recommended them to 2 of my friends, and they 
have
both signed up and love the provider." 
