The demand for access to the Internet has only continued to rise and this is because the Internet has been able to bring the whole world together. This achievement is owed to the web pages that create the platform for people to interact and conduct their businesses. Many people are looking forward towards owning their web site. In the recent past, designing websites was designated for web developers, but in these days and age, almost everyone who is computer literate can design their own web sites (Shelly, Woods, & Dorin, 2009). Two categories of editors that can be used to realize the mentioned goal. One is the HTML editing software and the other one is text editors. This paper will focus on the advantages of web editing/authoring software to ensure that the users of these utilities have an idea of what every module entails.
Patchala (n.d) agrees that web authoring software are much better tools of web development because they do not require one to be knowledgeable in any programming language. Without such software, it would cost one a lot of money and time to learn using HTML codes. Besides, they enable the web developer to dictate the design of the website unlike the HTML codes where one can never be certain about the final product.
In addition, web authoring software come with in-built wizards that help the developers to customize the website to meet their needs. In fact, they have a user interface that does not allow the developer to see what is happening behind the scenes. Authoring software make it easier for developers to insert images because all one needs to do is to click on the image and drop it to his/her desired position. The contents of a website can then be manipulated without employing HTML tags, which can be quite overwhelming (Niederst, 2006).
In this regard, the web authoring tools are highly recommended for starters because they do not require one to have any knowledge in programming. The only prerequisite in this venture is computer literacy because the job entails clicking and dragging. In case there are any contents that have to be changed, this is done at the click of a button because the server is not contacted for authorization. The tools make web design to be enjoyable because they eliminate the complexity that is associated with programming languages. One can view the speculated outcome and make the necessary amendments to ensure that the website performs as expected (Malter, n.d).
Similarly, Christian (2000) argues that if there are any errors, they can be easily corrected using editing software as opposed to HTML coding, which cannot be corrected by an ordinary person because the changes can only be initiated by the person who wrote the codes. Authoring software are also suitable for commercial purposes; that is, for people who earn their daily bread by designing websites. This is because the templates can be configured to meet the needs of the clients and thus, a quick turn around is guaranteed.
Furthermore, websites that are created are usually compatible with almost all computers and in fact, the only challenge they face is compatibility with the browsers. However, this does not mean that they are limited to certain browsers. The websites run normally, but tend to look different in different browsers (Malter, n.d). It is similar to a scenario where two people are watching the same movie in two different television sets, that is, one black-and-white and the other one being a colored television.
In relation to time management, web authoring software are very convenient for people who have limited time. This is because some GUI software like the latest Dreamweaver have their own auto-complete feature, which means that they can finalize the creation of a website as long as the user attempted to make one. HTML coding requires one to practice frequently lest the knowledge he/she diminishes. In fact, many programmers who do not land into jobs immediately after graduating, and they can forget everything and can hardly write a single structure (Shelly, Woods, & Dorin, 2009).
According to Niederst (2006), web authoring tools act as open systems and hence other people can include their ideas in it, which will eventually lead to perfection. Moreover, the utilities in these authoring software are documented in understandable language and therefore one can easily use them as opposed to HTML codes because unless one understands the syntaxes required for a given function, then the feature may be rendered useless.
Most authoring software come with help files that elaborate on how to use them. Some authoring tools such as Microsoft’s FrontPage can be more complicated, but this should not be viewed as a challenge because one can select the program according to the complexity of his/her website (Shelly, Woods, & Dorin, 2009). Critics argue that websites created using authoring software load slowly due to lengthy documentation.
The above argument is not true because some authoring tools such as Macromedia Dreamweaver are currently more advanced to an extent that one cannot draw a line between a website created manually and that created using software. For instance, dreamweaver converts the template into HTML and therefore it resembles a manually coded program, which is easy to debug.
The mentioned compatibility feature is present in most authoring tools and puts them at the same level with websites coded manually. The tools include utilities that allow the developer to insert animations among other effects without a hustle. Furthermore, the visitors of a website do not care whether it was created using an authoring tool or it was designed from the scratch as long as it helps them accomplish their missions.
Another advantage of using authoring tools while creating websites is that they monitor the performance of one’s website automatically and report any incidences of broken links. In HTML coding, one has to manually check for broken links, which tends to be time consuming. Besides, authoring software do not keep the developer confined to one location because the latest tools allows web pages that were created from different locations to be merged as one website (Shelly, Woods, & Dorin, 2009).
Since most authoring tools are capable of converting the animations and other characters into HTML codes, the documentation can be reserved for future use. In addition, authoring tools are appropriate for people who engage in web development projects because they are able to analyze multiple pages at a go.
However, there is a general perception that websites that are created using authoring software are expensive. Malter (n.d.) explains that this argument is far from being true because once a person purchases authoring software, he/she can use it as many times as possible considering that the program can be updated automatically via the Internet. In fact, hiring a web developer is expensive because he/she has to be paid at the end of every month.
In conclusion, one should weigh the options before deciding on which choice to go for. In fact, technology is meant to make things easier and if that aspect is not present then there is no point of employing that technology. Time is money and nowadays people are going for the things that can save them from the hustle of pursuing new skills. It is recommended that web editing/authoring software should play a major role in providing high quality websites. With the advent of Internet and GUI’s, developers should focus on implementing software that focus on users’ requirements and can be sustainable in the ever-changing world of technology.
References
Christian, P. (2000). Web Publishing for Genealogy (2nd edition). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co.
Malter, M. (n.d.). How to Choose an HTML Editor. Web.
Nierderst, J. R. (2006). Web Design in a Nutshell (3rd ed.). California: O’Reilly.
Patchala, J.K. (n.d.). Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Web Templates or WYSIWYG Editors for Web Designing. Web.
Shelly, G.B., Woods, D.M., & Dorin, W.J. (2009). HTML: Comprehensive Concepts and Techniques (5th ed.). Boston: Cengage Learning.