NetObjects Fusion

~buzz Wed, May 27, 1998 (05:03) seed

Once upon a time a webmaster could create a web site with little more than a basic text editor like Notepad and a minimal understanding of the HTML language. That time was less than a year ago, but as we all know today's World Wide Web is a vastly different beast than the World Wide Web of yesterday. And while a solid text editor remains the most commonly used tool for making routine updates to web sites, a high-end advanced HTML editor is now the only effective way to develop and manage professional-looking web sites. New and advanced HTML features like nested tables, cascading style sheets (CSS), dynamic HTML (DHTML), layers, JavaScript, multimedia extensions, Java applets, JavaBeans, dynamic database connectivity, and ActiveX controls contribute heavily to the steep learning curve now associated with developing professional web sites. The HTML knowledge base has also expanded exponentially to the point that understanding every detail of the language is virtually impossible. As a result of these and other changes introduced in the 4.0 releases of Netscape and Internet Explorer (and to some degree the 3.0 releases as well), it now takes more than a text editor or basic HTML editor to develop great-looking web sites with enough appeal and pizzazz to keep your users coming back for more. Today's editor must not only support the latest advanced HTML features but must also make them intuitive enough for developers to implement without having to know all the gritty code-level details. Enter the professional HTML editor. Tools like Microsoft FrontPage, HotDog Professional Webmaster Suite, Allaire HomeSite, Anawave CoolCat, and Macromedia Dreamweaver have been introduced and continually improved upon in order to help developers harness the power of the latest and greatest HTML technologies. NetObjects Fusion is another tool that has followed this path of progression and has perhaps advanced farther than any editor of its kind. Much like HotDog Professional, NetObjects Fusion is an advanced HTML editor that has a history of positioning itself at the forefront of HTML design and innovation. Earlier versions (1.0 and 2.0) brought a desktop publishing-like interface to web design and allowed for specific layout of text and images using simple drag and drop. Fusion was also one of the first editors to offer WYSIWYG HTML editing and integrated site management tools. But while earlier versions were innovators in their own right, it's the latest version, v3.0, that really sets Fusion apart from the competition. In addition to supporting the latest technologies like Java, JavaScript, JavaBeans, and multimedia extensions, Fusion 3.0 excels at helping you implement dynamic HTML content with ease and efficiency. Fusion's Dynamic Actions allow you to easily assign actions and behaviors to objects and elements. A menu-based system allows you to add transitions (like wipe, fade, peek, and iris), object movements and motions, custom window controls, layer controls, or even your own customized actions using JavaScript Beans (.jsb). Fusion 3.0 also helps you develop web sites while taking into account the multiple browser environment we live in today. Fusion's Everywhere HTML technology automatically creates sites that work with all browsers and browser versions; additionally, you can create optimized sites that work on both Navigator 4.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0 (even though they implement DHTML differently), or you can allow Fusion to automatically redirect users to different web pages that are optimized for a specific 4.0 browser or 3.0 (and earlier) browsers. Another key feature in Fusion is its automatic navigation and linking capabilities. Using the Site Layout interface you can rearrange pages within a site via drag and drop. Fusion's Assets Manager automatically handles the navigation and link changes on the page itself and all the pages that link to it. By replicating the changes across your entire site, Fusion eliminates one of the most time-consuming tasks associated with managing a web site. Customizable SiteStyles also make it possible to create interactive and complex layouts for your entire site, for specific sections of the site, or for individual pages. Fusion offers more than fifty different SiteStyle templates to work with, or you can create your own. Each SiteStyle includes navigational toolbars, background graphics, header images, border specifications, page layout information, and font styles. In the latest release the standard position-based editor retains the desktop publishing-like interface and adds to it rulers, multiple guides, object alignment tools, and layering capabilities to assist you in layout tasks. A newly integrated text-based editor allows you to make code-level HTML changes; you can also configure Fusion to run Allaire HomeSite 3.0 (packaged with the retail version of Fusion) or an external editor to make these changes. When you are ready to publish your Fusion-generated web site, you can post your site to a server (or servers) using the app's built-in FTP client. With version 3.0 NetObjects Fusion has once again upped the ante for professional HTML editing tools. Competing offerings retain distinctive competencies in specific areas -- Hot Dog Pro's integrated link analysis and web graphics tools, FrontPage's WebBots and image composer features, CoolCat's plug-in modules, Dreamweaver's Dynamic HTML capabilities, and HomeSite's attractive interface and inexpensive price tag -- but few can match Fusion's overall power and functionality. While a $285 price tag makes Fusion one of the more costly solutions on the market today, if you're looking for an advanced HTML editor that can help you create high-quality, professional-looking web sites, you'll have a hard time finding a better software package than NetObjects Fusion. Pros: Excellent Dynamic HTML support, innovative tools, support for nearly every HTML feature imaginable Cons: Relatively slow performance, expensive price tag, import conversion tool doesn't work with all HTML For the latest information on NetObjects Fusion, check out: http://cws.internet.com/32html.html#fusion

~bradford Fri, May 29, 1998 (13:16) #1

Just from this description, I'd suggest taking a look at SoftQuad's HotMeTaL Pro first - it has these features and more for considerably less money. SoftQuad also has a long track record of commitment to SGML/HTML standards-based applications - they know what they're doing.

~kallman Tue, Jun 2, 1998 (10:45) #2

Is anyone familiar with a review that compares the features and benefits of NetObjects Fusion, HotMetal 4.0 and FrontPage98? I agree that many of the "power" features touted in this and other reviews of NetObjects Fusion appear to be available on HotMetal and FrontPage98 at a lower cost. What makes NetObjects better?

~JayLevitt Tue, Jun 2, 1998 (10:45) #3

As an expert user but novice Web author, NOF at first blush seems to have the feature set I want - navigation bars, SiteStyles, WYSIWYG editor, DHTML. However, just in going through the tutorial tonight, I found 6 bugs in 3.0.1, including the fact that I can't use ALT-TAB to switch to another app without disrupting whatever I'm editing! This would all be bad enough if this were 1.0, but this is supposed to be a *maintenance* release of a mature product. This is not where I expect my $300 software package to be. I don't think I'll be buying this one.