Anyone with a computer and modem can become an electronic publisher of streaming internet audio video on the Internet, disseminating information to a global audience. While this new medium explodes with streaming internet audio video information, it also poses a vexing problem: How do you evaluate the quality of the streaming internet audio video information? Just because a document appears online doesn't mean it contains valid information. In fact online information demands close scrutiny.
The publishing world has a long tradition of journalistic standards to which print materials are held. Although many writers and publishers adhere to these standards when publishing on the Web, many don't. It's up to you to cast a critical eye, sorting streaming internet audio video fact from fiction, actuality from opinion. Whether you are reading a printed article or an electronic one, a healthy dose of skepticism is in order even when it comes to our streaming internet audio video recommendations. Keep Your Software Simple! A Review of EditPlus
by: Kempton Smith
I like my software simple. If it's too complex or difficult to figure out, I don't use it.
For example, I have tried a lot of different programs for creating my web pages. These include:
- Namo Webeditor
- Microsoft Frontpage
- Dreamweaver
- NetObjects Fusion
- Hotdog Pro
- CoffeeCup HTML Editor
and a variety of other commercial, shareware and freeware editors. Each time I tried one of these, I found it too complicated. What are all these "panels" for? How to I see the underlying HTML code for my page? What's a "web"? How do I begin to use this package? I just couldn't get answers to my questions easily.
Now my hard disk is bulging from the growing number of HTML editors I got from download.com and then abandoned.
A couple of years ago, I discovered EditPlus. It's a very simple and easy-to-use editor. Yet is also has plenty of sophistication if you need it.
You can use EditPlus both as a text editor and as an HTML editor. This nifty piece of software has an internal preview capability so that you you get a quick check on your HTML code. It also has a spelling checker, word wrap, and a word counter. It even includes FTP functions so that you can upload your web pages to your host provider.
I wrote this article, formatted it for publication, added HTML code and published it on my web page using EditPlus.
So far, I haven't read a manual for EditPlus and don't feel I need to because the program is so intuitively easy to use.
I admit that you need to learn some HTML if you want to create and edit your web pages with EditPlus. But I get nervous when I try to create a web page with one of those designer packages where the HTML code is hidden from view.
I keep going back to EditPlus after trying those other complicated web design programs.
If you want to test it, you can download a trial of EditPlus from http://www.editplus.com. The cost of the software is minimal (only about $30) and well worth it.
Why can't more software developers follow the KISS philosophy? Keep it Simple, Stupid! I'm convinced they would capture more of us simple-minded users if they followed this principle. Then it would be Keep It Simple, Smarty!
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