Re: The *New* HTML!

["Eric J. Ray" <ejray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM>]

At 10:40 PM 6/19/98 -0700, George Mena wrote:
>The question I have for everyone is how Dynamic HTML is expected to
>impact the TW community.  There's been some discussion on hand-coding in
>Notepad as a workaround for Front Page, but something tells me the rules
>just changed.

No, George, the rules didn't change.

Deborah and others who recommended coding in Notepad
were right on target. Dynamic HTML is the currently popular
buzzword for HTML+Javascript/Jscript+Style Sheets. Nothing more,
often less.

Clarification to your point: Using a text editor like Notepad isn't
generally considered a "workaround" for another tool, any more than
using a tool like Word is a workaround for using a typewriter.
It's often the right tool for the job.

BTW, it's a pain in the butt to do anything in "dynamic HTML"
that works right on both Netscape and Internet Explorer browsers,
but it's possible, even--perhaps especially--in Notepad. See the site
that Deborah developed at http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for
an example of D-HTML (sans style sheets) in action. Or, check out the
relevant chapters from our _Mastering HTML 4_ book or any number
of other current books or Web sites about HTML--most also address
D-HTML. Contact me offline if you need more specific pointers.

Rumor has it that the newest generation of WYSIWYG editors
is pretty good at cross-platform D-HTML, but at the cost of
the bloated and ugly code mentioned earlier in these HTML
threads. Tried the early editions of most of these and really
didn't like them. Haven't tried the latest of the same titles.

Eric



*********************************************************
* Eric J. Ray, ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com, http://www.raycomm.com/
* TECHWR-L Listowner, co-author _Mastering HTML 4.0_
*   _HTML 4 for Dummies Quick Reference_, and others.
* RayComm, Inc., currently accepting contract inquiries.