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| PUBLISHER: | NetObjects Inc. | DESCRIPTION: | HTML Editor |
| REVIEWED: | Version 2.02 | RATING: | 9.5/10 |
Undisputedly the most fully-featured editor for creating and maintaining high impact, media rich web sites, Fusion provides a DTP style work environment, simplified but powerful site management tools, and a list of extremely eye-catching templates that can be easily modified.
MAIN FEATURES AND BENEFITS
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A true WYSIWYG interface, with as much (if not
more) flexibility and control over HTML layout as in any other editor available.
Fusion makes web site design seem more like a DTP task, rather than an exercise
in HTML programming |
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Virtually all HTML tags are represented
by single-click buttons which can be broken away from the main interface, and
positioned where desired. |
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Simplistic, ergonomic, and thoughtful
program interface which presents the user with only the information that they
actually need at any given time |
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Fully customizable on-screen grid for exact positioning
of content elements |
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Comprehensive site management tools which allow
the user to group related HTML files together, browse and manage the HTML files,
image files and scripts associated with a web site, and publish (FTP) any associated
files from within the application |
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Complete with 'ready-to-insert' JavaScripts, ActiveX
controls, along with full support for shockwave, and most popular audio and video
formats |
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Built in image thumbnail browser and image map
maker/editor |
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Multiple levels of zoom for DTP style functionality |
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26 high quality user templates (many designed by well known imaging companies) for royalty free use |
DISADVANTAGES AND DRAWBACKS
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The main drawback (a very large one) is that existing
HTML files must be 'imported' into Fusion before editing. While simple, text based
HTML files seem to import well, pages like the one you now reading (which incorporates
a reasonable variety of different HTML tags) seem to be virtually unreadable to
Fusion. Unless this is remedied in a later version or update, Fusion is defiantly
NOT recommended for maintaining existing non-fusion created sites (although HTML
files generated by Fusion can be easily modified using a text based editor) |
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The HTML code resulting from Fusion's 'layout engine'
may not be as efficient or 'tightly constructed' compared with pages created with
a text based editor |
REVIEW SUMMARY
NetObjects Fusion is a product vastly superior to virtually every other HTML editor in almost every way. It provides a desktop publishing like environment, powerful site management tools, and support for all of the latest web technologies which will make creating and maintaining jaw-dropping web sites a quick, easy and intuitive process.
Clearly the application's main failure is its inability to effectively edit and maintain complex existing web sites. The best solution would probably be to invest in a text editor such as HomeSite for maintaining existing sites, while gradually updating them to a Fusion-friendly format.
Written by Nick Smith