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Introduction to HTML Drafting¶
Who is this program designed for?¶
In the current form, the program is most suited for the indieweb hobbyist, or the novice programmer. All of the HTML positioning work is completed very easily. So therefore any graphical work, textual work, or javascript programming, can become the main focus of the developer. This makes the learning process much more inviting for beginners. A concrete starting point can be found very quickly with actual visual components. This can be followed up later with code work but, that is not a prerequisite.
What do I need to know before I can use the program?¶
The program assumes that the user has some basic computer knowledge and can do simple tasks like dragging a file, saving a file, drawing graphical images, and writing text. That's what makes this a very strong entry-level website drawing tool. Even if the user is not the best at drawing imagery, there are many places that imagery can be obtained for free, without copyright.
The user doesn't need to do any programming work at all but, if they choose to pursue it, then it will enhance the outcome, giving a more interactive result. Likewise, while the program has a lot of interesting features accessible at the keyboard, almost all of the same features can be used from the mouse or the menus. Knowing every key on the keyboard is not necessary but, knowing at least a few basic ones can really help to work more easily.
How Does This Program Compare to Static Site Generators?¶
Static site generators, like the one used to produce this documentation (MkDocs), are very good at what they do. They produce a very consistent format that is perfectly suited for writing technical documentation, blogs, or other similar HTML websites.
So, just like you can see here in the format of this documentation, we have a single stream of textual content which is vertically scrolled. Then maybe we have some menus to the left and right, which allow us to find the topics, or anchor points in the content. This is a very wonderful thing, and a total solution for many use-cases.
Markdown Instead of HTML?¶
Most of what you will write for the Static Site Generator will be, instead of HTML, a language called Markdown. It is much more convenient to use than HTML tags. So, it's a huge advantage when you can use Markdown instead of writing HTML code.
The only downside that can be seen is that the format is very rigid, and there is quite a lot to set up on your system before you can start working in earnest.
How About Editing the HTML Directly?¶
Working from a text editor in HTML is sometimes beneficial, and allows you to have the maximum level of explicit control over what HTML code is produced. The downside, however, is exactly the same as the upside: Most of the time, you just don't need that extreme level of explicit control over the HTML structure. So, you would just end up typing a whole lot for no good reason.
That's okay if you really need the practice typing, and you have time to spare. It can help to improve your typing skill while you begin to learn to write code. So, it's not always a bad thing.
What You See Is What You Can Get?¶
This is the name of another type of HTML editor that is available. It is abbreviated as WYSIWYG.
This one is special because it allows the user to work on the HTML in a very graphical way. It is like working on the HTML while it is directly in place. Generally, with this type of editor, you can move the parts around and resize the boxes, change the text size, and add images.
These types of editors have obvious advantages but, are mostly offered on a basis of the 'Software as a Service' model. This means that, in general, these types of editors are available through online means only, and essentially, any code that is made remains in the possession of a company. The code is never actually accessible to the user, and is 'locked in' by the company. The user loses part of their right to their intellectual property instantly when they use these services.
Why is HDUB Pixel Art Edition Different?¶
This is not a service. There are no external dependencies. That means there is no internet required to use this. It actually doesn't contact anything external, track your actions, and there is no ability in this software which does that.
The whole program works independently from the internet. Even so as it works inside of a web browser, all of the things that are happening take place only on your own machine. This means that you never lose possession of your intellectual property. Everything that you produce remains yours.
There is no agreement, and no signing up. When you get this program, it becomes your property immediately, and you can do whatever you want with it. There are no restictions on how long you can use it, and there is no middleman company that can prevent you from using it.
What is Digital Sovereignty?¶
This is a concept that you will need to research on your own. What can be said, for certain is that, if you own all of the software on your machine, you can be sure that you own your machine. If there is an external thing which has more control over your machine than you do: You do not own your machine.
Always Be the Owner of Your Machine.¶