[WEB4LIB] Re: web publishing process

[Margaret F. Dikel]

At 07:14 AM 2/4/99 -0800, Mark Gooch wrote:
>Thanks for providing me with an opening to ask a question I've been
>wondering about.  What I am interested to know is are people concerned about
>the "bloated" files and less than clean HTML code produced by some of the
>HTML editors (Netscape Composer, Front Page, etc.) in this type of
>situation. 

Yes.  I'm also concerned about the "bloat" found in webpages translated
to HTML from Word documents.

> I've been contemplating whether to have staff here create pages
>on their own with Composer or some other editor.  I'm concerned that the
>less than stellar code  which is created (and I don't consider myself an
>HTML "purist") will eventually fill our server with files which are larger
>than necessary.  Also, when people run into coding problems I will likely be
>the one who has to hunt through this code to find the problems.  What do
>others think about this?

Being someone who works with pages created by others, I can appreciate 
your concern.  However, if you are considering taking on the role of coding
all those pages for everyone else, I think you are going to be overwhelmed.
While the files are larger than necessary from "tag bloat," I don't think the
difference is enough to warrant concern.

My advice: Accept their coded pages, check them quickly with a couple of 
browsers to be sure they work, and keep an HTML *text* editor on hand
for any necessary changes.   I use HTML assistant to clean code on pages
created using Word or Netscape Composer, and it let's me do "search and
replace" things on repetitive problems, and I can get to the real code and
make corrections.    

Of course, I also have a policy of "it's your page, I just make it work
online.
I, however, do not make it look 'good.'   I work with what you give me."

Margaret


Margaret Dikel, MSLIS    
11218 Ashley Dr.                  The Riley Guide
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