What do you guys think about these kind of programs, not that I totally dislike them but I was wondering I've used a lot of them FrontPage, Dreamweaver, and Homesite to name a few not counting all the free one I could find. I have to admit they help out a lot, but I also think that they hurt the newcomers somewhat. I remember when I was first starting out, I use these types of programs but they didn't seem to help me any. I mean I got the code done and the site up but when I really sat down and tried to code anything I spent a lot of time trying to remember the tag and how to use them. And then with programs like DreamWeaver and the higher end programs I found that they would do just about anything but when I stopped and thought about it I realized I didn't know anything so I found myself starting from square one again. This is just a thought that I wanted some input on and just my opinion. But please let me know that you think.

Later

I've never actually used the top end editors probably because I'm too cheap although I am getting dreamweaver mx in a matter of days. I use html-kit which has a really good function of reminding you of the tags or sending you to msdn and showing you all the possible options for each tag and what it will work on. Obviously I haven't used a lot of them and I don't know which I need to. Personally what I am trying to do is whenever I try something different/new I make sure that I know why I am doing it and how I can adapt it. Works for me although I do have to check up on myself quite a bit. The other thing is that I have come into the web design at a time where css is becoming more prominent so I'm trying to learn the new things like everyone else instead of doing the old dog tricks.

I am still a fan of Microsoft's FrontPage

No, I kid you not! While most of you learnt your HTML from websites such as webmonkey and webmonkey's uncle, I ACTUALLY learnt html through MS FrontPage

Ok, so it confused me sometimes but that was good, cause it made me drop HTML altogether and go with XHTML and CSS.

Thanks for the input, jds,I agree Frontpage is great I use it a lot its helped me out more than once.
and jrobbio I think you'll love Dreamweaver MX its a great program I've been playing with it lately I really like it.

Later

The only problem I have with most HTML editors is they use <P> in all the wrong places, <P> should be used rarely if ever IMHO, you have much more control with <BR>.

And so many poorly placed FONT tags. Especially with a CSS stylesheet included. But it's not the programs fault really, it's doing what it can.

I did like Jay, and I still use Frontpage Express to make up large tables but then it's straight to the HTML.

GF

Well my first impressions of dreamweaver MX is that it works completely different to anything else I've seen. Its cocked up quite a few things for me already but that's obviously the learning curve setting in. I can't decide whether my best approach is to play around with tutorials or just muck it out trial and error.

SOMEONE PLEASE SORT OUT MY TABLES LOL

I muck it out trial and error myself. But it all depends on what works best for you. Dreamweaver works good for me but to tell you the truth you may want to try Frontpage as well I use both programs and I can't really say which it best personal I like them both and I would say that use them both a lot. But the one that that dreamweaver does for me is the colored markers that seems to help me out a bit.

Later

Sorry guys but I just HAVE to say this...the absolute BEST HTML/PHP Editor for windows comes preinstalled on all windows systems and it's easy to get to and run click start/run in the box type notepad.exe and click OK! There ya have it...the BEST!

I do all of my web dev on a Linux box and use joe...also a normal old text editor...

Amen. I don't do my PHP Editing on txt but I do all or most all HTML editing on it.