Technorati Tags: css, ftp, text, code, web

So, I use both. I cross the fence. I swap. I go both ways. And to tell you the truth, they both have their bright and shiny sides. They both have a boring underbelly, but perhaps it’s because I haven’t explored more down there.
Let me tell you why I like both.

So, let’s start here. This has to do with web development and text editors. The rest of you can hit your back buttons.

The uh, ‘back’ story

Okay. I was a longtime user of skEdit. I had become fed up with the likes of Dreamweaver after supporting it and mildly touting it as an incredible website editor (of the visual sort), and it was actually quite incredible. A matter of taste I suppose, because it wasn’t long before I felt kneejerk reactions from forum postings from users wondering why I was supporting such an app for TRUE web development. So I started scouting around for an app or editor that could help me do the stuff that I started wanting to do. The instant visual feedback showing how the code I was editing became a driving feature that I didn’t want to work without. It seemed too valuable.

The Competitors -or- The Contenders

I began compiling (stop laughing) a list of the apps, usually shareware, that had a strong list of features at the time. It’s sad really, but some of them seemed that they were stalled in development. I wanted apps that had current or major development cycles and had a bright future of cool new features to come! Yeah, baby!

So here are my findings, in particular order:

• HyperEdit (Tumult) $19.95
• skEdit (Sean Kelly) $24.95
• TextMate (Macromate) £39
• Taco HTML Edit Free
• BBEdit (BareBone Software) somewhere between $30-$125
• SEEdit between $29.95-$49.95
• Smultron (Peter Borg) Free
• SubEthaEdit (CodingMonkeys) $35

…to name a few. Some of the current players now were not around 3 years ago. Consequently, this post may or may not provide you with enough answers to some of the questions you may have that will form your decisions. The game changes frequently.

For me, I needed to find a coding/developing environment that allowed me space, and features, and integration, and, what ended up being another killer feature, the infamous auto-complete, or “code-hinting”. Not only is this feature as favorable as instant visual feedback of the design, why, it cut my coding time in half.

Cut to the Chase

There are a lot of factors that make my continual decision to use one tool or the other. Do I want to design an entire site now? Will it only be a test page? Will I use PHP? Do I need to design this site as live? Off the server? On the server? What sort of services and environments will I require? And as a response: Which app will help me most here?

This last question is one that I like to push on the new kids. Fanboys have their place, and I am for various things. But if you realize that all of these are tools, and not an end, then my mind is freed up to make what I feel is the right decision.

From my perspective, which, I hope, is helping you with this decision, I have a different angle from when I began the search. Things have changed. I don’t see software expenses as such a setback in my decisions from day to day. I play with a lot of demo software. If a company doesn’t post a demo of their apps and their site is a bit on the vague site about the experience of using the app, I’m not liable to continue. Wait a minute.

The breakdown

Let’s break down the decision factors:

• Ease of use
  Are the methods or workflows bunked up or non-intuitive?
• Cost
  This one is quite subjective. Saving me half a day’s work may outway a steep $100 clam pricetag.
• Flexibility with other tech
  Will i have to buy even MORE software to make it work? .Mac? Is it just HTML or PHP, too?, etc.
• feature-set
  Does it have time-saving widget monkeys!!111lol!
• In current dev?
  Are the developers anxiously engaged in a good cause?

EssKay or Tee-Em

Specifically with skEdit and TextMate, I use both. I use both off the server frequently. My common project flow means there are staging servers and production servers for approving versions and edits to sites. This allows me to work off the server. I used to setup skEdit’s Site Manager with all of the local folders and the ftp settings et al. Now I don’t, though, which has detracted from using skEdit as much, Since I already have all my site shortcuts setup in Panic’s lovely Transmit, .

So let’s go over why I’d use either of these.

skEdit

Pros

• I’d purchased skEdit first and became used to it’s features and setbacks.
• I really became comfortable with skEdit’s code-hinting and it had built-in live preview. Okay. So that’s 2 for skEdit.
• It had code snippets which was a first for me. Now I could hit a keyboard shortcut and Bam!, things would happen all snappy-like!
• Price was right.
• Sean Kelly updates the app when needed.
• Oh, and it has a Jon Hick’s icon. Niiiiiiice!

Cons

• It didn’t seem to be a complete package. I needed more.
• Earlier versions had some buggyness.
• Not enough features. It could use more integration with others, like .Mac.
• When working together with MacRabbit’s magnificent and heavenly CSSEdit (Yay, it’s now 2.0!!!), I had some file issues initially, but worked them out.

TextMate

Pros

• It is touted as the true OSX geek web editor. And it is!
• It has way too many geek features for me to list here!
• It has tips of the day, truely an extra that helps you use some of TM’s integrated underbelly.
• TextMate had all of these wacko and extreme backend scripts, some of them I used. Love the snappy effects.
• TextMate is in constant revision. You can receive bleeding-edge updates if you like. Sometimes every couple of days

Cons

• Initially cost was a setback, but once tested I hit the override button.
• I really became comfortable with skEdit’s code-hinting and it had built-in live preview. It’s missing. You’ll have to create your own (!).
• TextMate is not that beginner friendly and can be very daunting to get over the initial “Okay, now what” phase that many start with (subjective).

So, here it is: I use both! These are the reasons for me. I would urge you to download the apps yourself and spend some free time mucking around with them. And remember: they are tools.

Breaking CSS News!

It just occurred to me to check up on the MacRabbit’s site to get a specific link for CSSEdit, but now it’s finally at version 2.0!!! Today is CSS celebration day! Woohooo!!!

I’ve used CSSEdit for quite a long time, and it’s had it’s own ups and downs, but this new version looks to be well worth the money. Sadly, it’s not available on Windows, nor are any of these apps, but specifically, I’ve heard Windows users wish on high heaven that this app was also developed for them. Rumours?

A word on Transmit

I’ve used Panic’s lovely Transmit for some time now. It has consistently delivered as an OSX FTP app. I love how I can Control+Click on a file and edit within Transmit, or edit within my editor of choice. This feature is wonderful and will create a temp file on your box that will auto “Upload on Save“, negating the need to setup your ftp settings again in another app. Very handy!

Many frown at it’s cost. Business is business. If you can’t afford it, move on. Or seek donations.

Rap it Up

I hope this article helps you make decisions about which apps are best for what purpose. I do not have advertising on this site, nor do i get paid to list these apps here. The list of apps is from my old testing list. Newer apps are available today, and definitely some of the older ones have been updated with newer features.

I’ve enclosed this picture above to illustrate a quick tip for OSX. Click and drag one of your apps to the top of your Finder window and hold. It should move things to accomodate you after 2 seconds or so. Afterwards, you have a quick way of either simply launching a program or file, or you can drag a file to one of the icons to launch it in your preferred app.

In this case, I leave this window open all the time to drag screenshots to flickr.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please comment below or contact me.

I enjoyed listening to this over and over while writing this article:

Light Blue Movers from the album “Zero 7 - EP” by Zero 7

But then, if you’d visited my last.fm page, you’d know it’s my all time favourite track!