| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | locate the files where variables are defined. Then try |
| This article discusses the pros and cons of using | | | | to establish the logic behind the file system. |
| website templates and WYSIWYG editors to design | | | | Using WYSIWYG editors: |
| web pages as against traditional web programming. | | | | Nowadays, several WYSIWYG (What You See Is |
| This article is intended for novice web developers | | | | What You Get) editors are available for creating web |
| and prospective website owners. | | | | pages. With these editors it is possible to create |
| Template based web page development: | | | | good looking pages simply by dragging and dropping |
| A lot of people get tempted by good looking web | | | | objects on the page, without any HTML knowledge. |
| templates. Some template vendors even offer | | | | They come with a lot of menu options. If you are |
| do-it-yourself kits to their customers. Web templates | | | | familiar with windows objects or windows based |
| are designed by experts, using the latest designing | | | | software, you can create a web page in time. |
| software. They look stunning, compared to web | | | | Advantages of using a WYSIWYG editor: |
| pages developed by other means. While readymade | | | | 1. It's great fun to create web pages this way. You |
| templates offer several advantages, they have some | | | | can do it yourself, experimenting with colors and |
| disadvantages too. | | | | layouts. The web page is likely to be unique, unless |
| Advantages of using templates: | | | | you are trying to clone another web page. You can |
| 1. You know how your finished site looks. You can | | | | stretch your imagination. |
| choose the template that appeals to you. You need | | | | 2. It’s faster and easier to create web pages. |
| not rely on a web developer to get a good looking | | | | You can make changes to a page layout by simply |
| website. | | | | dragging the objects to their new positions. |
| 2. Faster turnaround. You need not spend a lot of | | | | 3. You can make changes to content (text or |
| time on getting the colors and layout right. You can | | | | images) in WYSIWYG editor, instead of searching for |
| go straight to changing text and proceed with | | | | and inserting between HTML tags, or using a complex |
| programming. | | | | content management system. |
| 3. Templates are much cheaper than hiring a web | | | | 4. WYSIWYG software runs on any windows |
| developer. There are several sites that offer free | | | | computer. |
| templates as well. | | | | 5. you can also create background images on fly. |
| 4. Templates look much better than sites developed | | | | Disadvantages of using a WYSIWYG editor: |
| in traditional HTML programming. Templates are | | | | 1. A WYSIWYG editor produces files of large sizes. |
| designed by professionals that are creative and | | | | The web page may take a bit longer to download. |
| competent and experienced. | | | | 2. The HTML code generated may not be compliant |
| 5. Templates can be customized by anyone with | | | | with existing web standards. Some of these editors |
| basic HTML knowledge. You can customize the | | | | are meant for web sites to be hosted with particular |
| template yourself using a text editor. | | | | servers. Some WYSIWYG editors even produce files |
| Disadvantages of using templates: | | | | with their own extensions. |
| 1. You can get web templates for free or at a | | | | 3. You need to fill in a lot of details, such as Meta |
| low-price. But these templates are not unique. Several | | | | tags and link colors for each page. Some WYSIWIG |
| people may have already bought or downloaded the | | | | editors support CSS while editing and some |
| template you have chosen. If you cant change the | | | | don’t. |
| colors or layout a bit, your site looks like a clone of | | | | 4. You need to preview the page in different |
| several sites. If you want a unique template design | | | | browsers more often to see if the page is shaping |
| licensed only to you, you need to spend a fortune on | | | | up as you intended. |
| it. | | | | 5. Web pages designed using WYSIWYG editors are |
| 2. Often, templates don’t look good if you | | | | rigid. They do not stretch if you put more text or |
| stretch them a bit. For example, if there is space for | | | | images on a page. Instead they overlap on each |
| 100 words in a block and if you try to insert 200 | | | | other. Some WYSIWYG editors produce excessive |
| words in that space, the template layout may | | | | div tags. It is difficult to edit these pages in an |
| change. And this may not look good. This puts | | | | ordinary HTML editor. |
| limitations on text you can place in a template based | | | | 6. Often these web pages are difficult to optimize |
| web page, thereby restricting you from optimizing | | | | for search engines. |
| text or being descriptive about your business. It is | | | | I believe this article will help you in deciding the tools |
| well known that the more verbose in a page the | | | | to use for your next website. If your site requires a |
| more attention it gets from search engines. A | | | | huge database and pages need to produce |
| template doesn’t come with Meta tags. You | | | | dynamically, it is always better to opt for traditional |
| need to insert these meta tags. | | | | programming methods. If your site is static, then a |
| 3. Templates are good for static pages. If a site | | | | great looking template or using WYSIWYG editor will |
| needs dynamic pages with a huge database to built, | | | | be a good option. Another factor you need to |
| you need to opt for simpler templates. | | | | consider is SEO. If you want to rely on traffic from |
| 4. If you are doing customization for yourself, always | | | | search engines, traditional HTML, CSS gives you the |
| work on a copy of the template files. Templates are | | | | best results. If you can promote your site by |
| often done with simple HTML. But if you try to edit | | | | spending huge amounts of money, you can go for |
| HTML tags instead of text between them, you might | | | | flashier and visually stunning templates without much |
| end up with bad page layout. | | | | regard to SEO. |
| 5. If there are template files with .tpl extension, | | | | |