Carl Davis's HTML Editor Reviews (Comparison Matrix)

Carl Davis's -- HTML Editor Reviews

Editor Comparison Matrix

Overview

This page links you to several versions of a comparison matrix I've developed. It contains a side-by-side comparison of a large number of categories and features for each editor. The definition of each category is provided so you will know what is meant by an editor supporting a feature. I hope you find this useful when selecting an editor, I've invested a large amount of time to create these. Also, I've added a Java applet which allows you to select which editors and the categories you want to show....just click on the button below.

Matrix Versions

The comparison matrix is presented in multiple forms to make it easier to find the information you need. You can find the editors ordered by:

Name -- Ordered alphabetically.
Ranking -- Ordered by the score given to the editor (1-5 stars).
Printable version -- Ordered by name, but broken into several smaller tables which will fit on a page when printed.
Applet version -- Prune the matrix to a few editors and important features.

Or Tailor the Matrix...

Build your own matrix to your specifications:

NOTE: This applet is brand new and I would appreciate any suggestions or comments you might have. Remember, only Java enabled browsers will be able to display the applet. See below for some problems with Netscapes Java implementation.

Background

The Java applet matrix viewer was added to help users "prune" the comparison matrix. I undertook this task because many users where frustrated by the immense size of the table (>30 editors and >60 categories!). Even with the categories at various places within the table and the editor names at the top and bottom, viewing is somewhat difficult. To improve the utility of the matrix further, I've add the applet above to allow users to select only the editors and categories they're interested in and build a table based on those inputs. This version is designed to be usable, but avoids graphics and confusing GUI layouts.

Using Matrix Viewer

If you use "wizards", you'll feel very comfortable with the applet. Simply step through the applet one panel at a time, selecting the editors desired plus the categories to display. When finished, click the "Done" button. The matrix will be built using your preferences and displayed as formatted text. I've provided a slider which allows you to adjust the column sizing as desired. You may move back and forth using the "<< Back" and "next >>" buttons and change categories or editors as much as you like. To speed the selection process up, you may click the "ALL" button to select all items in a list, and the "CLEAR" to deselect the items. .

Known Issues:

This applet operates better under Internet Explorer or Javasoft's appletviewer (and probably HotJava). Although IE and the appletviewer have a horizontal scroll bar on text fields, Netscape sometimes does not render the bottom scrollbar . This will limit the amount of matrix you can easily see without cursoring over. with the keyboard. To work around this problem, maximize the window when viewing the matrix, keep the column sizes small, and select only a few editors to look at.

This page is brought to you by: Carl Davis

Last Update: 22-Sep-97 19:45

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