Web Applications

Network World's Web Applications Newsletter, 10/29/07

The best Web-based editor yet

By Mark Gibbs

I’ve used a number of Web-based rich text editors and I’ve just found what may be the best one yet: rtePad.

rtePad is a completely JavaScript-based editor and is compatible with all major browsers. This means that integration with other Web applications languages is simple and it is easy to integrate with content management systems (e.g. PHP, Coldfusion, and ASP) and blogging software (e.g. Drupal, Joomla!, and mambo).

rtePad impressed me because it is almost a complete Web editor: It supports direct pasting from Word (including features such as tables!); supports all of the usual character, word, line, and paragraph attributes and decorations; can be “skinned”; can be run in basic and advanced modes (basic provides extremely simple text editing facilities); supports editing iFrames in documents; supports form editing including all HTML form fields; and has support for embedding and preloading YouTube, Google Video, and Flash content.

Another feature rtePad has that is very cool is an autosave mode that stores your current content in a cookie for recovery after accidents.

I did, however, write “almost.” This is because a few features are missing that would make rtePad unbeatable. These omitted features include control of text wrapping around graphics, backgrounds, some HTML formatting such a blockquotes although, others such as preformatted are available, and raw HTML editing mode.

That said, as the front end to a Web-based CMS or a general document editor, rtePad is fantastic!

The pitch for rtePad could be better – a detailed feature list and integration documentation would be nice to see before you buy but, alas, these are currently not available pre-purchase.

rtePad is priced starting at $199 for a single Web site while the unlimited license, $1,299, allows for any number of sites and permits re-distribution as part of a larger “package.” This is an excellent and effective tool for Web application developers that don’t want to re-invent the wheel when it comes to document editing.

Editor's note: Starting the week of Nov. 12, you will notice a number of enhancements to Network World newsletters that will provide you with more resources and more news links relevant to the newsletter's subject. Beginning 'Monday, Nov. 12, the Web Applications Newsletter, written by Mark Gibbs, will be merged with the Network Applications News Alert and will be named the Web Applications Alert. You'll get Mark's Web apps pick of the day, which you will be able to read in full at NetworkWorld.com, plus links to the day's network applications news and other relevant resources. This Alert will be mailed on Mondays and Wednesdays. We hope you will enjoy the enhancements and we thank you for reading Network World newsletters.

Mark Gibbs is a consultant, author, journalist, and columnist and now blogger: Check out Gibbsblog.

Gibbs not only pens (well, keyboards) this newsletter he also writes the weekly Backspin and Gearhead columns in Network World. We’ll spare you the rest of the bio but if you want to know more, go here

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