Tools for the Non-Programmer Working with the Web

posted by Carol Cooke @ 3:13 PM

Presented by: Peter Scott

Summary: A look at some resources that this web creator/maintainer uses to ease the burden of keeping information up-to-date. A personal look at software, scripts, and tools, plus some hints and tips for saving your sanity.

The Presentation:

Peter discussed the evolution of editing tools and the transition of content creation from the programmer to the ordinary person. Quite often a non-techie ends up becoming the web master in libraries. Learn how to work with your "geeks" to create content and products. Find devices or software to help you do your job. Great proponent of freeware and open source software.

Peter has created a web page with links from this presentation and it is available at: http://allrss.com/mla2005/tools/

Windows Freeware

FTPEdit

One piece of software he cannot do without. Can connect to a server, edit a file and save it on the server. Otherwise have to download the file, edit it, then up load the file.

Highlights code so that you can see if you mess it up when you edit it. You can also save your documents to another server somewhere else. Can have many files open in a tabbed environment so that you can copy information from one file to another.

Wonderful application for use when editing multiple web sites.

Graphic Viewer

Screen capture software. Simple easy to use and only one or two functions. Just enough to do what you need it to!

Eyedropper

You want to capture a colour in your web site design but you don't know how to grab the colour. Open this little program and click on the colour you like. Look at the code and copy and paste it into your software.

It's neat that this tool gives you different shades of the colour you are interested in.

Scripts

HotScripts - Nifty bits of code in PHP, javascript, Perl. Grab the code and paste it where you need it. PHP and javascript are the easiest for the non-geek to use. Peter's on this site every day.

SnapFiles - Get a lot of freeware files from this site. Always check out the what's new on this site. Go and look for it daily.

Download.com - Excellent tools for doing development on the internet. You have the opportunity to test things out and they are free or mostly free.

Nonags - Everything is free and no-one is nagging you to pay! E.g. HTML validators are available to help you check your web code.

Including files

Have chunks of information that you use in multiple places. Rather than re-writing it in all those different places, have the "chunk" in one location and then point to it. The benefit of this is that if changes have to be made you only have to make them in one location rather than in multiple locations. An example from a library web page which could be used in this way is a standard menu which might appear on all pages.

SSI - Also known as Server Side Includes.
PHP Include
IFRAME

Examples

Amazon store - bunch of PHP files to create your own personal store on your web site. Without thinking about it you can add in your own resources using PHP to make the store relevant to you and your users.

Blogs - copy templates and edit the bits you don't want and adding in the bits you do. Not strictly kosher but it can be done. [Carol's note: you can ask for permission to use templates and most people are flattered to be asked!]

My Notes:

From my perspective as a web developer I was most intrigued by FTPEdit. I think I'll try that out first. I would recommend having a closer look at Peter's resources and thinking about how they might be used in your situation.