Re: hand-coding vrs WYSWYG

Hello All-

         Just though I would jump in here on the WYSIWYG vrs. HandCoding 
discussion. I primarily do all my prototypes and rough framing in 
Dreamweaver.  I have Dreamweaver open constantly. When I need a form for an 
ASP page I just create the rough sketch of the form in Dreamweaver and the 
copy it into Interdev. I do this because I have determined the static never 
changing chaff that is associated with HTML takes longer. How many times do 
you write "<"? how many times do you write "type="? how many times do you 
write ">"? when creating a form, particularly a long one.
         I can type pretty fast, however I am still quicker and less error 
prone in the long run, when I use Dreamweaver.  Also, even if I just very 
quickly throw elements on a page in Dreamweaver, I have the building blocks 
of the form, and it saves time. Then I can go through the form and tweak it.
         I believe this also holds true in table framing. Especially if the 
tables are complex. The WYSIWYG will drop out the silly errors and leave 
you with the thoughtful stuff. You see the knowledge of creating tables is 
not in how you type "<" or how many times you can type "<td>" it is in the 
intelligent use of percentages, pixel widths, and knowing from a logical 
standpoint how you need to lay the table out in the first place. The 
WYSIWYG can do all that, if you are comfortable with the fact that you 
might need to tweak some things. However, would you rather spend 30 minutes 
typing or 10 minutes tweaking?
         The real mistake in using a WYSIWYG is never dropping to the code. 
Most people look at WYSIWYG users and say the WYSIWYG creates bad code. 
However, with the advent of WYSIWYGS that don't force you to allow your 
code to be mangled like Frontpage did, it is really the coders fault.  You 
have to know both, in order to really create professional pages. Otherwise, 
you will eventually run up against something hard that, if you knew more 
hand HTML, would be real easy.
         Anyway, I think you are doing yourself and your clients (or 
employer) a disservice if you can not embrace both methods.  There is my 
rambling, hope it makes sense....

-Stephen Johnston

At 07:26 AM 12/13/2000 -0800, you wrote:


>Dennis Lapcewich wrote:
>
> > > I hope I didn't give anyone the idea that I thought one SHOULD love hand
> > > coding or that one could not achieve a high quality design by hand coding
> > > the HTML.
> >
> > Eeeewwwwww!  Ok, hands up if you love hand coding HTML above all else? :)
> >
>
>I prefer to code by hand as I know that way non-compliant or just plain wierd
>stuff doesn't show up unless I WANT it to (Like on our intranet which only 
>runs
>NSN 4.72 - not to bash MSIE, but I like borders around my DIVs.)
>
> >
> >
> >
> > But I will still contend spending time learning *some* HTML coding will 
> go a
> > long way down the track.  I guess my bias comes from standing in a store
> > checkout line with one item on a twofer or 50 percent off sale (I only want
> > one!).  The checkout chick (Aussie slang, still getting over it, sorry)
> > cannot fathom buying one on a twofer sale.  The calculator and the cash
> > register don't have a button for it.  Often a polite query reveals no
> > knowledge of paper/pencil math; only calculator math.  Now if this person
> > had learned basic math from the ground up, one only needs to enter the 
> price
> > and calculate fifty percent off that price.  :)
> >
>
>That 'chick' has a lot of relatives - they show their abysmal ignorance 
>and then
>get peeved when the over-40-set (those of us who actually remember how to add
>and subtract) have no respect for them.
>
> >
> > The same for learning HTML.  I've seen too many WYSIWYG-only web people
> > unable to resolve an HTML coding issue when their GUI editor training fails
> > for the same reason, and they have no experience looking under the 
> hood.  In
> > an issue I'm dealing with right now with a third-party vendor, two almost
> > identical pages are being coded by two different people.  On the 
> surface the
> > pages look almost the same but underneath they are chalk and cheese.  One
> > knows the code while the other has greasy fingers from long hours getting
> > their HTML hands dirty.  Needless to say, I have fewer problems fixing
> > things with those who learned their craft the "old fashion way." :)
> >
>
>Bet the greasy fingers page has fewer kb in it. ;-)
>
> > >
> > > Love this thread. Keep it going!
> >
> > Well, I did.
> >
> > Dennis
>
>Dandello

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