WYSIWYG progs

When I was doing my site designer course the consensus on using WYSIWYG prog's against a basic text editor was thus:

"Using Dreamweaver can save loads of time writing code but you should have an understanding of HTML as well so you can tweak the code for different browsers."

So when embarking on designing my first web site I thought I would be using dreamweaver mostly to write the code for me and maybe tweaking in code view every now and again.

However, having read some other posts on this forum I am getting the impression that most experienced people on here write all their code in a text editor and don't really use wysiwyg.

Is this the general consensus? Doesn't using a prog like Dreamweaver have positive aspects like saving time etc.?

Interested to here your opinions...

It does save time yes. But at the expense of good, clean code. WYSIWYG's range from outputting poor to quite frankly embarassing code. Dreamweaver is among the best, but in my eyes is virtually worthless when compared to a good knowledge of html/css and a decent (and usually cheap, often free) text editor.

The time you would spend going through dreamweavers code and altering to match current standards would be better spent developing a site by hand. It doesn't really take a huge amount longer, though it probably takes longer. But hand coding gives you lean code that degrades gracefully.

Pete.

DON'T USE THE WYSIWYG! DW will save you loads of time but only if you stick to code view. Hand code you pages. Learn HTML and CSS!

I used the Design view for years and yes it writes the code for you but it puts all the css in the code as well. Making for very bloated code that is horrible for updating. If you want to change a text color you have to repeat the task over and over and over where if you use external css you can change it once.
Plus most people use the design mode and insert tables.

But if you are willing to learn how to hand code you can still use Dreamweaver in "code view". It's got lots of great features such as their css component, javascript behaviors, adding links is very easy as well as many many other features.
Pete has made me realize it's an expensive program to use as a hand coding program. But if you have it use it .. I do!

I also use Dreamweaver in Code view. And as I have said before, us the design view only as a security blanket until I feel more comfortable with my hand coding. Besides, client frequently like to see how things are going and design view allows you to do that if you are far enough along. Trial as many of the suggested programs that you can and decide for yourself which you like. Remember, you are the one who will be using it.

Well, not for me... It would take me way longer to set up a website in DreamWeaver than for me to just hand code it.

I have just started using dreamweaver in code view and found it is really easy! I do less mistakes and my code is 10 times shorter.

I know ryan but if you knew dreamweaver inside out then it probably would save you time. But like I said at the expense of decent code. I have stated my opinion on dreamweaver numerous times now, but you're ok in code view.

Simpler to hand code,

Pete.

Haha, I don't see the code view as any different than a text editor with a browser, though. It's the same thing, isn't it? You're a click away, I'm a refresh away.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I hate dreamweaver on principle but if you have to use it (or you already own it) then code view.

But I prefer BBedit,

Pete.

OK ... closing this thread. We have enough of these "HTML editor"thread floating around.

More info on HTML Editors can be found in the sticky "HTML Editors" from Lchad above.