HoTMetaL Pro version 1.0 1p9 SoftQuad, Inc.
56 Aberfoyle Crescent
Suite 810
Toronto, Canada M8X 2W4
416-239-4801
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HoTMetaL Pro is probably the easiest to use of the HTML authoring programs for people new to HTML. Although it does have a few quirks it has a graphical user interface that clearly shows where tags are and what type of tags they are. This is a good program to learn on since it will warn you when you try to save or load a file that have improper tags or references.
The same easy to use interface and error checking that make it easy to use also cripple HoTMetaL Pro for accomplished HTML authors. To see the text of the tags and references you have written it is necessary to drop down a menu and open a separate windows to view the detail of your work. Unfortunately, error checking not only warns you when you have written improper tags and references it also sounds an error message if HTML+ or HTML3 tags developed since HoTMetaL PRo was released are used. This means you must turn off rules checking if your documents have newly developed tags such as the CENTER or BLINK tags. Once you have loaded a file with these newer tags error checking is no longer a benefit since you had to turn it off to load the file.
Despite this problem I would recommend HoTMetaL to anyone starting out to develop HTML documents. Text is clearly shown as text, tags are clearly shown as tags, and inline graphics can be displayed in the editing window as well. This makes it easy to see what you've done at a glance. Other HTML editing programs force you to squint and look carefully to pick out the tags and references from the rest of the text. If you want to create simple HTML documents quickly, HoTMetaL is hard to beat.
A spell checker seems such a small thing to ask for in something used almost like a word processor but some of the other HTML authoring programs lack this simple tool. Drop down menu lists and button bars make it easy to access frequently used commands. Entering URLs is improved over the preliminary, free version but still must be done through a drop down menu box.
For ease of use and quick formatting of simple documents, HoTMetaL is a good choice. For more intricately formatted pages and for advanced users one of the newer programs may be preferred.
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