This May be booed; thrown out with nary a thought --- but if I were suddenly made manager of Web Engine I would ask this fundamental question: What are you guys (and I don't know) truly experts at? One of the keys to IE's success over Navigator is that it didn't try to be a mail client and an HTML editor while it was trying to be the best browser on the market. Navigator is a bloated pig with a third rate editor and mail client --(all right, maybe 2nd rate.)

I want a first rate SVG editor: no more, no less. I can quite happily FTP my data with an outside module as I did for several years, and as I have done with Web Engine. Convenience, complicated code, and a bloated pig versus competence in someone building a module designed to do one specific thing. Binary data is binary data.

I could give a hoot about the HTML aspects of Web Engine. Get rid of them. SVG is something special. Make it separate.

I am evaluating Jasc's WebDraw right now and the first thing I noticed was the simplicity.

Build your own FTP device but market it separately if you will. And so forth.

You have already thought of this I know. You may even Have said: wouldn't it be nice if a person didn't have to run over hell's half acre to put together all the things he needs to publish a finished product and decided to put them under one roof. Thus I am tinkering with a deliberate design philosophy. But I have FTP programs, enhancement programs, text and RTF editors which are all superior to what you are offering. THAT makes me think.

OK: I have gotten it off of my shoulders. Plow on with the great work. But murphy you are gluttons for punishment.

Cheers,
RC

Robert C. Smith

Well Muzzy, I fully understand what you are putting across but dont forget that the mass market is really for a simple web editor that someone can pick and use in a few hours.

I would like my Grandmother to be able to throw a web page togther.... and my 6 year old. This I think is where Spinner & Engine stand out from the crowd.

I noticed your review in CNET, Andy, so I recognize how important simplicity is to you. And in truth I have no real beef to pick with Web Engine. I have just had a couple of tough weeks with problems with FTPing and the Text Editor.

But the question still stands as an interesting and relevant one: what components do you "integrate" and what components do you "modularize." In Web Engine, although ease of use is obviously important, I would like to see it developed into a professional product that allows me a fighting chance to compete with Adobe Illustrator 10 and PhotoShop7 --- Hah, I want the world.

Now my real point is this: Does Web Engine need to have FTP capabilities, for instance, built in or could a third party FTP program do the job? I worked with a first class HTML editor for 3 years which didn't have FTP capabilities and it didn't bother me a bit.

So with the present diffculties we are experiencing, I am merely waving the flag over a matter which I am certain the IMS staff have discussed to death and saying: "time to have another think about it all."

Thanks for your comments. Your point is indeed well taken.

Muzz

Robert C. Smith

Hi Muzzy

I too do not use the built in FTP. But I do use Illustrator and Photoshop which I do not think can be beaten or realy competed against. Of course there are some good alternatives around though.

I would think that if Web Engine was developed to such an extent as to be a serious contender to replace such programs then the price would increase and probably be counter productive.

And of course we shouldnt forget that we are testings the beta version and I suppose we have to put up with bugs...as frustrating as it is sometimes!

Cheers

Greetings Andy,

I must remember the purpose of this particular forum. But as an aside, I couldn't, shall we say, justify the cost of Illustrator or Photoshop and was thrilled to death to find Dwarf and then Web Engine. So while you have the Concorde in your hip pocket, I am flying, a twin turbo-jet subsonic aircraft asking them to shorten the body and put a third engine on the tail.

And "shortening the body" to me is simplifying code by eliminating FTP as one example. I have others in mind but would want to think them through a bit before committing them to paper. But in general, eliminating anything that can be done, and done just as well or better, by a third party module.

As for the third engine, I have a shopping cart full on that one.

But we lean in opposite directions on this somewhat simply because I don't have Illustrator and Photoshop and want to compete with them with Web Engine. You are absolutely right, however, as to what that would do to the price.

And, as Peter White has reminded me, it is Illustrator TEN. This isn't even Web Engine TWO yet.

Aaaahhh....that feels better. You are a good therapist Andy. My mother was born in London and my father in Sheffield. There is a fair bit of Englishman in me. That must be it.

Cheers,
Muzz

Robert C. Smith

You're welcome. And Peter is correct, lets get V2 up and running and out first and eliminate those little bugs that keep cropping up.

Dont forget that there are some good alternatives to Photoshop sucha as Paintshop Pro and Ulead, both of which have trial downloads (like most).

I have an Uncle in Kingston who sends me photos over the web so I know how cold it is & how snowed in it can get....rather you than me!